Logging the Ancient Forests

Paper Summary:

The paper explains that development is threatening the ancient forests and that timber companies would like to log the few remaining 1,000 year old, 300 foot trees in the Pacific Northwest. The writer explains that the destruction of the forests destroys vital ecosystems, contributes to global warming and helps create climate changes. The paper explains the effects of timber operations and discusses the forest health in the Pacific Northwest. The paper explains that the United States Forest Service is the steward of America's national forests. It explains that this agency has received much criticism and explains why. The writer states that the national forest timber sales program operated at a net loss to taxpayers and details the reasons for this. In conclusion, the writer argues that government dumping of cheap timber makes the market unpredictable for private sector commodity suppliers. The writer feels that the United States Forest Service should abandon its role as a producer of commodities as commodity production is best left to the private sector.

Table of Contents:
Effects of Timber Operations
Forest Health in the Pacific Northwest
Forest Service
Water Supply
Facts About Timber Sales
Jobs and Economy
Timber Supply
Private Lands
Figures
Bibliography

From the Paper:

"The revised Plan fails to protect wildlife, recommends no new wilderness areas, overestimates allowable logging levels, fails to analyze grazing impacts, and largely ignores public comments. Although the Plan refers to "late succession landscapes" (i.e., mature and old growth forests) as "an important feature of a healthy forest ecosystem," only 9% of the entire forest would be restored to this condition under the new Plan -- a retreat from a projected 21% under the 1983 Plan. While the Black Hills are home to the Black Elk Wilderness, one of the most popular wild areas in the region, the new Plan calls for no more designated wilderness areas than the one percent in the old Plan. The new Plan allows grazing on all eight of the Black Hill's biologically rich "Special Botanical Areas," with no analysis of whether they are suitable for grazing. And, although the Plan praises the "scenic beauty" of the Black Hills, less than 1% of the forest is to be managed for "very high" scenic integrity. Only 12.1 percent is slated for "high" and a whopping 44.4 percent for "low."
"This is not the stewardship the American people expect. The Forest Service received 997 letters from the public in favor of preserving biological diversity in the Black Hills -- but dismissed them in less than one page of response.
"The Forest Service's shameful handling of these forests illustrates the enormity of the problem. The incentives, financing, and culture of the agency continue to be stacked against our National Forest's non-timber values."

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