We have been deluged by responses to Barry Wynsma's thoughtful essay on Forest Service leadership - or the lack thereof. Provided here is some feedback on the essay.
Pieces & Bits:
Julie Altemus writes from Montana to tell us about Bruce Ward and Choose Outdoors. ClickThe Spring 2012 newsletter from the U.S. Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory at Madison, Wisconsin is again filled with interesting information concerning several research projects focused on wood use. Click
The Society of American Foresters is again leading the way in forest policy debate in our nation's capital. Click
Myles Anderson writes from Ft. Bragg, California on behalf of the American Loggers Council. Click
Our old friend, Chris West, who works now for PacWest, a public relations firm in Portland, Oregon has passed on some interesting newspaper clippings. Click
Jim Welsh writes from Moo Country News to tell us why he thinks national forest ownership should be transferred to counties. Under speeches on the tool bar I ask a similar questions: Isn't it time we give federal forest back to the Indians? Click
Our colleague, Craig Rawlings, is again harping about thinning in the West's dead and dying federal forests. We've been in the middle of this issue for 20-some years. Click
Jim Petersen, Evergreen
Healthy Forests Lead to Clean Air
North Idaho Business Journal writer, Mike Patrick, has done his readers a real service in a recent interview with Jay O'Laughlin, who runs the Policy Analysis Group in the College of Natural Resources at the University of Idaho. We've known Jay for many years and hold him in very high regard. In addition to being a widely respected forest scientist, he is a fine fly fisherman and a first-rate gentleman. Suffice it to say, when Jay speaks, we listen - and learn. Mike Patrick's story is not long, but it packs an enormous amount of information concerning carbon storage and forest fires. This is the kind of fact-filled reporting we enjoy bringing to you.
Jim Petersen, Evergreen
Click here to read the full article
Editor's Note: Wynsma explains - AGAIN
We recently received another terse note from Mike Petersen, executive director of The Lands Council, an environmental group based in Spokane, Washington with a well-earned reputation for appealing and litigating federal forest restoration projects. We would not know Petersen if he walked past us, but his opinions are always welcome here, even if we don't agree with them. And, again, we don't agree with what he has written. [Click to read more]
Small Trees, Small Machines, Big Opportunities: Wynsma Explains Again
By Barry Wynsma, U.S. Forest Service, Retired
I'm happy to hear the Lands Council supports precommercial and commercial thinning "with environmental safeguards". I assume Mike Petersen, the Council's executive director is referring to stand-alone projects.
The problem is that in order for the Forest Service to be efficient with the limited taxpayer appropriations, precommercial and commercial thinning treatment areas are typically incorporated into larger landscape scale projects. These larger projects often include other treatments that the Lands Council and other environmental groups won't support, such as salvage or regeneration treatments.
Environmental groups also oppose many treatments in locations that contain Threatened and Endangered species habitat, even when the agency has determined there would be no adverse effects on the habitat (and sometimes even an improvement to habitat).
Best of Evergreen
Our Daily Wood
Every day, each of Earth's 5.4 billion inhabitants, on the average, use the equivalent of a 4-pound slab of wood. But the average American uses 3.5 times this much wood. Should American's be using less wood? No Way!
