Forest Service's use of Montana photos to support Sierra logging criticize

[Judi Lynn]

Forest Service's use of Montana photos to support Sierra logging criticized




By Scott Sonner
ASSOCIATED PRESS
11:01 a.m. April 11, 2004

RENO, Nev. – The Forest Service has been accused of misrepresenting forest conditions by using misleading photographs in a brochure that urges more logging to prevent wildfires in the Sierra Nevada.

The pamphlet, created by a public relations firm, explains that fire risks have risen as the Sierra's forests have grown more dense the past century. Six small black-and-white photos spanning 80 years appear beside descriptions of how the "forests of the past" had fewer trees and less underbrush, making them less susceptible to fire.

The 1909 photo shows an open, park-like forest with large trees spaced widely apart. More trees and underbrush appear in each successive picture – 1948, 1958, 1968, 1979 – and finally a photograph thick with trees in 1989.
(snip)

However, the 1909 photo does not depict natural conditions – it was taken just after the forest had been logged.
(snip/...)

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20040411-1101-forestphotos.html

[0rganism]

1. I've seen some 2nd-growth thickets that really are fire hazards, tho

In their wild exuberance at the opportunity to turn every acre of forest land into taxpayer-subsidized tree farms, the timber industry sometimes severely overplants. The resultant ultra-dense mix of scrub oak and young evergreen is a disaster waiting to happen.

Of course, every time such a disaster does happen, it's used as an excuse to clear out another stand of old growth forest that somehow managed to do quite well on its own for thousands of years.

The process is so dishonest and corrupt, I've pretty much given up on the forest "service" and the BLM to do anything other than "serve" wilderness to resource extraction industries.

[VolcanoJen]

2. Taxpayers coughed up $90,000 for this piece of logging propaganda.

Disgusting.

[gottaB]

3. despicable

And there's no question about it, the brouchure lies. The Forest Service web page lies.

For something approximating the truth, follow the link to Swanview

http://www.swanview.org/ponderosa.html

This is an outrage. Under BushCo, .gov is fast becoming the least credible tld.

[arikara]

4. Even clearcutting might not stop the fires

It has been determined that the fires that we had in BC this year were caused from a combination of higher than normal temperatures with less precipitation (global warming) and from the modern practice of suppressing natural forest fires. When the fires are suppressed over time a thick carpet of highly flammible needles and other debris builds up. If conditions are right, it burns like gasoline and once it starts burning, nothing can stop it.

The native people knew this and used to do controlled burns regularily. I'd say its time to start paying attention to the first people who knew better than to foul their nest.