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Bush Shows Support for Park Preservation

Posted on: Saturday, 16 August 2003, 06:00 CDT

President Bush, fresh from a week of appearances touting his policies, sought Saturday to showcase his support for preservation of America's forests and national parks.

"Our system of national parks and forests is a trust given to every generation of Americans," he said in his weekly radio address. "By practicing good management and being faithful stewards of the land, our generation can show that we're worthy of that trust."

Bush returned Friday evening to his ranch in nearby Crawford, Texas, from two days in California doing, as he had described earlier, "a little spade work" for his re-election bid. The trip was primarily to gather campaign cash, at two fund-raisers that together fattened his re-election account by more than $2 million.

But to those openly political events, the White House added an official presidential appearance each day that had also had political aims.

On Thursday, Bush gave troops an upbeat assessment of the war on terrorism surrounded by military hardware at a Marine Corps air base, diving into a favorite topic that is among those on which he is the most popular with the public.

On Friday, at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area north of Los Angeles, he pitched his administration's efforts to address the national park system's massive list of repairs, saying progress has been made in chipping away at the backlog.

On Wednesday, Bush met with his economic team in an effort to broadcast a reassuring message to the public about the nation's financial future under his watch.

And on Monday in Arizona, the president promoted his plan to prevent devastating wildfires by making it easier for timber companies to cut trees, including larger ones, and brush in fire-prone forests. Bush plans additional appearances on various environmental policies late next week in Oregon and Washington.

It was the environmental events that were the focus of his radio address.

Advisers looking to expand Bush's voter base hope events like these will make him appear more environmentally friendly - and thus more popular with suburban women and rural Democrats.

To that end, the president focused Saturday on what he said he has achieved - claims disputed by many Democrats and environmental groups.

For instance, he said his "Healthy Forests Initiative," the core of which has already been enacted through executive order, has seen positive results. More than 2.6 million acres of overgrown forest will have been "treated" - cleared of a buildup of highly flammable growth - by the end of September, he said.

Logging trees to prevent forest fires in some areas no longer requires environmental studies. The administration also has limited appeals of such projects.

Bush said his move reduces legal obstacles to needed thinning, and called on Congress to pass legislation that would go further. "We're cutting through bureaucratic red tape to complete urgently needed forest-thinning projects," he said.

Critics worry the initiative guts safeguards that have protected pristine areas and old-growth trees and limits the public's input in forest management.

The president also highlighted a promise to spend $5 billion to tackle the backlog of maintenance and repairs in the nation's parks.

"In the past, not all of these sites have been given the attention they require," he said. "Some of our national park areas are not in good condition."

But, Bush said, with money either already approved at his request by Congress or that he intends to ask for in future years, nearly 1,800 park maintenance projects are either completed or on tap.

The National Parks Conservation Association, an advocacy group, said Bush was exaggerating the progress. It said the administration has disguised the fact that it has supplied little new money to the effort, instead switching funds from other programs.

Bush is spending August vacationing at his 1,600-acre ranch and using it as the base of operations for several trips.

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