Evergreen Magazine

Posted: 2010-02-20

This Is Embarrassing III

Posted: 2009-08-10

This is Embarrassing II

Posted: 2009-07-24

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Guest Columns

BCAP (Bilking Cash Away from Producers) Redefined

Posted: 2010-03-12

More Junk Forest Science from OSU

Posted: 2010-03-09

Nicholas Dennis: Put National Forests To Work For Community

Posted: 2010-02-22

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Forest Facts

Some 1.5 billion trees are planted in the U.S. every year, about 5 trees for every American.

Annually, U.S. forestland owners plant about 6 trees for every tree harvested.

About one-third of America's original forest - some 300 million acres - have been converted to other uses, principally agriculture.

There are 26 million more acres of forestland in the Northeast than there were in 1900.

Today, forests blanket about one-third of the U.S. land base and about half the U.S. East.

U.S. annual growth rates have exceeded harvest rates since the 1940's.

Timber harvesting is forbidden on 50% of all National Forest lands in the U.S.

National Forests account for 20% of the nation's forestlands and 19% of its timberlands.

National Forests hold 46% of the nation's softwood timber inventory but only provide 6% of the annual harvest.

Since 1986, the harvest of timber from America's national forests has declined 70%.

In the West, 34% of all forestland and 54% of all timberlands are in national forests.

National forests in the Pacific Coast and Intermountain West regions hold 68% of the nation's softwood timber inventory, but provide less than 28% of annual harvest.

Forest density has increased 40% in the U.S. over the last 50 years.

Flying Finns

Home » Notes From All Over

Craig Thomas Letter #1

By: Craig Thomas

Craig Thomas, a Stevensville, Montana logger is in Kansas, using part of his equipment to clear brush for a pipeline that will bring oil from Canada into the Midwest. See "This is Embarrassing" in "Editor's Column."

We asked Craig to write us now and then and let us know how he's doing. Attached is his first letter home. As you'll see, he hasn't lost his sense of humor, though he is more than 1,200 miles away from forests that really need his help!

Craig Thomas Letter #1

This "little dab" of brush probably contains about 1200 gallons of diesel fuel energy. And, just think! We burn this stuff all the time - and pollute the air we breathe while we're at it! Isn't that great? Our West, where I'd be working if there was any work, we call these "forest fires". You'd think Congress would "get it" but they don't. So, we continue to burn down our forests, our economy and grandchildren's heritage, just because some goof-ball somewhere thinks those awful fires are "natural". (Craig Thomas Letter #1)

"We must always consider the environment and people together, as though they are one, because the
human need to use natural resources is fundamental to our continued presence on earth."

P.O. Box 1290, Bigfork, MT. 59911 • Tel: (406) 837-0966 • Fax: (406) 258-0815 • Email: