Thank you for your comment. You have brought up some very valid points. I agree that clearcuts are horrifically ugly, and plantation forests neither look or act like natural forest ecosystems, which provide wildlife habitat, retain and cycle nutrients, in some cases provide scenic and recreation value, etc. For these reasons, no doubt about it, clearcutting is "bad" PR policy. People do not like it.

Clearcutting, however does get a bad rap. Clearcutting is not necessarily "bad" forestry or "bad" fro the environment. Whether clearcutting is the best silvicultural technique depends on many factors including forest type, climate, slope angle (erosion control), and management priorities (are you managing for wildlife? scenery? recreation? timber? fire?). Some species, pine for example requires "disturbance" and open sunlight to get established. You can't always create enough open sun to grow pine when you are selectively logging. Fir will usually outcompete the pine.

You raised another interesting issue: What does sustainable forestry mean. I have a vision of what sustainability means for the region (and it does not look like pine planations) but I am curious to see what other people think. Ideas?


Betony Jones
Forestry Program Director
Sierra Business Council
530/582-4800 x.309