Re: [pct-l] Clearcuts - a bit long winded.

["Greg Hummel" <ghummel@hydrogenburner.com>]

Ron,

First off, let me say that I too believe that you and I agree on most
subjects and I respect your views and insights into the lumber industry
mentality that I certainly do not know or understand well.  I, too, joined
an unpopular industry in the late 70's, the oil industry, believing that
change would only occur from internal pressures.  I can also report that the
oil industry is much more environmentally aware, astute, prepared and
responsible now than it was twenty years ago.

Ron writes:
>Remember the fires a few years back in Yellowstone. The forest managers
wanted the fires to burn out naturally. It raised a significant cry from all
kinds of groups, even so called environmental groups.

In fact, I visited Yellowstone the year after the fires there and saw first
hand the devastation from years of forest MIS-management.  The cause of the
terrible devastation was directly attributed to the suppression of fires
over the last 100 years in and around the park, building up an unnatural
load of fuel.    Most of the environmental criticism was directed not at
fighting the existing fires at the time but at the policy of fighting all
fires in the park.

Ron writes:
>But I believe in sustained yields. That's cutting no more than can be
>grown. Unfortunately that's not always practiced even if it is mandated by
>law.

Perhaps, therein lies the majority of the problem both here in the U.S. and
certainly elsewhere in the world.

Ron writes:
>When I wander through those same forest and look at those massive stumps 10
>or 15 feet in the air, I come away with an entirely different feeling. I
>wander about the men who stood high on flimsy board precariously jammed in
>to a notch in the tree. Men spending hours in all kinds of weather and
harsh
>conditions with a whip saw trying to fell the tree. These are our fathers
>and grandfathers who help build this nation we so proudly live in. Were
they
>greedy or just trying like us to build a better life for themselves in the
>only way they knew how?

It almost brings a tear to my eye! (sorry for the sarcasm, I'll try to keep
it in check)  I suppose that I could paint a similar scenario of the good
oil field men beating out a living drilling wells on the beach at Huntington
Beach and Signal Hill, California where the rigs stood toe to toe against
each other and the oil hits spurted without care onto the Pacific sand
beaches, seeped into the ground and washed out into the surf.  But all for
the great almighty "better life".

You know and I know that neither industry acts like that anymore because
both have become more responsible and we, the public, is allot smarter now.
We now know that acting that way had its consequences that you and I have
had to pay for.  The water pollution, the air pollution, the loss of
wildlife.

It isn't acceptable to me.  I will trade off the higher cost for lumber for
the knowledge that the Pacific NW (and Alaska's and Kamchatka's and
Malaysia's and . .  .) forests are being sustained for my descendents.

Ron writes:
>It may come as a surprise to some that there are more trees growing in
>America today than when Columbus first landed. Party because of forest
>management and partly because of the control of fire.

I am surprised at this and wonder what your source is?

I'm not discouraged either, as I know we have made great strides since
"Silent Spring" was published.  This last summer was the cleanest air in Los
Angeles' history since monitoring started.   Not one Stage 1 Smog Alert!  I
can remember back in the 60's and 70's where it was a common occurrence a
dozen or more times per summer to get a Stage 1, and they were less
stringent on the definition back then also.

Great discussion Ron.

Best regards,

Greg "Strider" Hummel

* From the Pacific Crest Trail Email List |  http://www.backcountry.net   *

==============================================================================