Thoughts On Forest Management

Posted by jesikah maria ross

March 10, 2007

One of the topic areas that Catherine and I (Co-Project Directors of Saving The Sierra) are focusing on a lot lately is forest management and sustainable forestry practices. That is why it is so great that we have this blog with folks from all around the Sierra contributing ideas, questions, and best practices on the region's forests.

I've been collecting a few articles as they come through my inbox and here is one that seemed good to share. As always, I'm curious to hear folks response's to the author's ideas.

jesikah maria ross, Co-Project Director
Saving The Sierra: Voices of Conservation In Action

Good forest management can be balanced with logging interests, Sacramento Bee

By Craig Thomas
February 18, 2007

Craig Thomas is executive director of Sierra Forest Legacy, formerly the Sierra Nevada Forest Protection Campaign, a conservation coalition focused on the management of the 11 national forests in the Sierra Nevada. Thomas is responding to the Jan. 22 article "A burning question."

SPECIAL TO THE BEE

The struggle to balance timber interests with conservation is not new. Everyone agrees that years of fire suppression and over-logging have created dangerous conditions in Sierra Nevada forests. Unfortunately, that is where the agreement ends -- leaving small businesses like the Sierra Forest Products mill stuck between old-school logging practices and "New West" forest values.

The question of how to restore balance to California forests has been part of a fierce battle over management policy. Legal challenges pertain not only to logging volumes, but also to how we value public land. We believe that good forest management can be balanced with timber interests to create reasonable solutions, while maintaining healthy and vibrant forests.

The mill in Terra Bella is a case in point. As the last sawmill in the southern Sierra, it is symbolic of an economic shift, where timber is no longer the dominant force. But mills are critical to the work of thinning the fuels that threaten forests and communities. At issue is the best way to do that work, without harming the landscape and the wildlife that depends on it.

There is no question we need fuel reduction. But the priority needs to be on removing the small fuels that feed wildfires, and preserving forests that draw hikers and anglers. It's not necessary to take out large, fire-resistant trees that provide shade, keeping the forest floor damp and the wind down. Most fire scientists agree that logging large trees can make fire conditions worse by leaving behind woody debris and opening the ground to sunlight. But in the timber industry, big trees translate to big money, even at the expense of healthy forests and abundant wildlife.

We think there is a better way to manage Sierra forests and want to find collaborative solutions. To that end, we are working with the mill, the Forest Service and our representatives in Congress to help keep the Terra Bella mill going. We need to address impacts of the Kings River Project and the Giant Sequoia Monument Plan, and find long-term solutions for the mill that comply with new scientific thinking and environmental law.

Our future does not lie in unsustainable large-scale logging. It won't make us any safer - or wealthier - in the long-term. Timber-based businesses in the Sierra must adopt new practices that help sustain our forests. By doing so, we can ensure that our rich natural legacy will be passed on.