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Re: [RC] [AERCMembersForum] National Forest Land Sales - Barbara McCraryI have not previously been following this thread, but I do know something about timber harvesting, as that is our business.Kathy's right, it is possible to harvest timber without destroying the environment. If done properly, it actually enhances the environment for wildlife. You do not find deer or even birds in dark, overgrown, choked forests. Selectively harvest a small percentage of the trees every 10-15 years, as is done by CA logging practice rules, and there will be more light, more forbs, more grass, more insects, hence more deer and more birds. Animals don't thrive in over-storied forests. A few less trees on the land also means more water running in the creeks, a boon to water-dwellers such as fish. Trees uptake vast amounts of water. In redwood forests, each stump regenerates and grows new trees, eventually settling for about four to six new trees to become mature. The sprouts pop out within a couple of months after the tree is cut. In douglas fir forests, it is actually better to clear-cut and re-plant, as douglas fir does not thrive in multi-age forests; redwood does. This means that the new young trees, which are usually planted, cannot thrive under the shade of the older trees. Granted, clear-cutting is ugly, but is can be done in smaller blocks to diminish the visual impact, and it is smarter not to harvest right up to the edge of a highway where people driving by can see the job and become upset by the appearance. I don't think anyone really knows how much "old growth" is left in this country, but we've been hearing this "only 5% left" story for the past 40+ years. I think it's a number someone likes to hold onto. Here in CA, there are enough parks set aside with true old growth huge trees to satisfy most people, but surprisingly, there aren't the huge numbers of people who go visit them, compared to say, Yosemite or Grand Canyon. We ride in our neighboring state park, dedicated to preserving old growth redwood, and there are so few people out in the "out-back"; most prefer camping in the campgrounds with their RVs. And, a lot of this park does not have old growth, either; it was logged anywhere from 100 years to 20 years ago. I'd bet a lot of people can't tell the difference between an old-growth and a second-growth tree. Another fact: In the 60 years we've been in business, we find there are more trees now that when we started. Redwoods do a great job of re-generating themselves. This doesn't have much to do with endurance riding, except Swanton Pacific passes through this park. And this is a subject that has been discussed extensively for some time. I know nothing about other species of timber trees, so will not address the issue further. There are a couple of things to consider, however. We all need lumber and if it isn't cut here, we have to import it. This sends US currency out of the country, and it takes vast amounts of fossil fuel to bring the imported stuff into this country. You might be interested to learn how many people have been put out of business and have lost their entire livelihoods due to the shut-down of the timber industry. There can be a compromise, but there are organizations and agencies unwilling to look at a middle-ground. Another thought: It is not the old trees that are gobbling up CO2, it's the young, fast-growing ones. Trees take in CO2 and "exhale" oxygen. A win-win situation for oxygen-breathing animals, including us. Barbara ----- Original Message ----- From: <magnumsmom@xxxxxxx> To: <AERCMembersForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 7:50 AM Subject: Re: [AERCMembersForum] National Forest Land Sales Jim, =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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