We all want the best wood product for our projects, but we also want to make sure that we are preserving our forests for the future. This resource is here to help you better understand some of the mis-characterized aspects of responsible forest management. The discussion on this page refers only to domestic (US) forestry and logging.
The short answer to this is “no”. Here are the facts:
•70% of all US National Forest are completely restricted to commercial logging. The portion opened for commercial logging is important to the management of that resource.
•Surveys are taken of US timber stands and compared to annual harvests. There has been a consistent 30-35% increase in wood volume growth of timberlands above the amount harvested. Surveys are done on based on DBH (at least 4-5” diameter at breast height), and not based on the number of seedlings planted. This •Improved efficiency in both logging and sawmill procedures has increased the yield per log, and thus reduced the harvest volume required to meet demand.
No one likes the way a clear cut forest looks, but clear cutting is a necessary management tool in many cases. Here are the facts:
•In the Pacific Northwest, stands of Douglas Fir cannot germinate seeds without full, unobstructed sunlight. If a stand is selectively cut, it opens the possibility for invasive, fast growing and shorter life span species to overshadow and shut out the Douglas Fir, completely changing the biodiversity, flora and fauna of the area.
•When the undergrowth in a forest becomes too dense, the risk of forest fire increases. A forest fire is nature’s form of clear cutting.
Forest fires are a devasting thing to see, but some forest fires are actually necessary for the survival of a species.
•Lodgepole Pine - the cones this tree produces must be burned in a fire before they pop open and release seeds for germination.
•There are other species whose seeds are triggered by smoke, fire, and even the chemicals emitted from burned wood.
•There are 2 types of forest fires, ground fire and crown fire.
-Ground fire is where a fire swiftly passes through the forest burning the undergrowth. This is a natural occurance as well as a tool for forest management. This type of fire allows seeds as mentioned above to germinate, as well as to keep dangerous undergrowth down in order the avoid a crown fire.
-Crown fires are ones that kill out a forest, and are natures form of clear cutting.
