Think globally. Act Locally. Use more wood.

[klimbinfool]

Dr patrick Moore: PHD Forest Ecologist and Co. founder of Greenpeace.He writes an article in a magazine called Evergreen and states....

The claim that using wood somehow leads to forest loss is backwards and silly. He says that everytime we use wood - every time we buy a two by four at a lumber yard or a ream of paper at an office supply store- we are in fact ordering up new trees for planting in forest.

" forget trees " he says. Lets talk about tomatoes.If people didnt buy them , growers wouldnt plant them.Pretty soon there wouldnt be any.On the other hand , if tomatoes sold out in two weeks, growers would plant more the nexted year. It's the same with trees. Eighty five percent of the timber consumed in the US. grows on pvt land. Growers are planting more then ever before because wood is very popular. But if for some reason cunsumers stopped buying wood growers would stop planting trees and start planting what consumers wanted. Millions of acres of forest land would be converted to some other purpose to the considerable detriment of our enviroment. It is precisly because we use so much wood that we have so much forest..

A very interesting article and I'm sure disputed among many.

Greg

 

[NickfromWI]

This sounds a little fishy to me... However, I don't know the arguments. I've thought a lot about this tree-cutting down thing. I am a self proclaimed tree hugger...which doesn't always mesh so well in this field (or should I say forest!). However, if we stopped cutting down trees, we'd need some other material to replace what we are used to doing with wood...say a plastic of some sort, but then you need to drill for more oil to get the plastic. What's better, drilling for oil or cutting down trees? Reduce, reuse, recycle and chainsaws and ladders don't mix.

love
nick

 

[Kevin]

What is happening in this area is much like farming, farming the forest.
Entire townships are clearcut then jack pine is planted in order to supply the demand for lumber.
It changes the diversity of specific areas but it protects other areas from being cut.
You might say it`s a necessary evil.

 

[Nathan]

Down here in the SE, what were cotton fields in the days o dixie are now tons of loblolly. Sudden saw logs in 20 yrs - beats oil, plastic, or mining to get steel.

Where do people get off that tree harvesting is bad??

We just need to be smart about how we do it. If we can get a saw log in the SE in 20 yrs (while respecting BMPs and SMZs), why are we cutting old growth in the PNW?

What is wrong with farming the forest?? Tomato patches, cotton fields, and soy fields don't have much diversity either. At least their is some MUSY with tree farming.

Stop global whining - It is a globe, not an empire.

 

[Kevin]

The clear cutting can be devastating.
It leads to erosion of creeks and rivers which is detrimental to fish spawning grounds and surrounding wetlands, it displaces all the wildlife and destroys the tourism in these specific areas.
A selective harvest is prefered but not economically feasible.
As long as there is demand it will continue.

 

[Nathan]

Nothing destroys forest tourism like a soybean field, potatoe patch, or petrochemical plant spittin' out plastics.

Since when are clear cuts bad?? Can you give me a definition of a clear cut??

It think all would benefit from having fewer acres in intensive mgmt and production and more acres in old growth and recreation.

Selective harvests have a down side too. Potential high grading is one. Entries to harvest every few years is another. With a clear cut on a 30 yr rotation, entries are only made EVERY 30 yrs.

Any of you in Euroland have any info on the logging of the old growth in Poland?? Saw a snippet of it on TV the other morning.

 

[frans]

Kevin wrote:
The clear cutting can be devastating.
It leads to erosion of creeks and rivers which is detrimental to fish spawning grounds and surrounding wetlands, it displaces all the wildlife and destroys the tourism in these specific areas.
A selective harvest is prefered but not economically feasible.

The methods of extracting timber have changed dramaticly over the last years. I attend logging equipment shows each year. The methods of cutting, moving and accessing forest stands are so completly different these days as to have no comparison to the methods employed in the past.
Of course there are exceptions but the whole industry must not be blamed for the sins of a few.
Ever see a Certified Arborist top a tree?
Must our industry be judged by the actions of that paticular person?
Environmental impact reports must be submitted for every phase of logging. These reports are submitted by the resident RPF (reqisterd professional forester) (This title by the way takes about the same amount of time to get as a medical degree)

Nathan wrote to the effect:
What is the definition of clear cut?

Excellent question Nate. 10 acre cuts? 20 acre cuts? patchwork clearings?
I think the clearcuts of yore were huge amounts of land far and ubove what is industry standard today
Frans

 

[Kevin]

Logging here is controlled by the government which is controlled by big business.
In some clear cuts you can stand on top of a hill and not see a tree as far as you can see.
The only improvements in logging equipment are the machines that can harvest more with less man power.
100 meter black spruce buffers are left standing around AOC`s (areas of concern), these thin stands are susceptible to blowdown and don't last long.
This isn`t conservation it`s mono culturing for future demand.
It`s not healthy, I'm opposed to it but I also see a need for it.

 

[Yoav]

Well, I'm only going to dip my toe a slight bit into this and then try to retreat.

Define your values.

---

Quantity of Wood

or

Quality of Wildlife Habitat?
-----
Dollars for timber

or

Dollars from tourism
------

What about every tree in your town being replaced with a cornstalk?

----

What about removing all people older than 12 in your community and replacing them with infants?
==
Which is better? More of the simpler forest, or less of the complex forest?