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There is a lot done right and a lot done wrong in forestry. I'm no expert on it either, but here, its a way of life and in terms of ecological damage, between a working forest and a subdivision of homes, I'll pick the working forest with clearcuts every 40 years every time.

I do agree with you about the fact that they don't like the public to have access because it allows them to see what is actually happening on public land and they don't want the hassle.

Doll, I did not say that. I said what closes forests are hoodlums with explosive mobile meth labs, and crooks who dump their trash out there.

I am sorry you have trouble with yours being unfriendly to horses and horsemen, I don't get that sense at all here.

I get your point about forestry being a way of life. Ya'll have lots of trees up there and lots of people make their living off of them, and thats good. I'd rather live next to a working forest than a subdivision too. I just don't like it when the USFS cuts off my access and confines all trail riding activities to just a few miles of trails out of hundreds and hundreds of miles of perfectly good old log roads. If they would let people spread out more, then no one area would get over used like they currently are.

I do think the problem is presently confined to this state. I just hope it's not a shadow of things to come elsewhere. But if they did it here, they could eventually do it in other places. I think the problem here originated with some activist groups taking the USFS to court, trying to ban all logging in the Bankhead and Talladega National Forests. They failed, but they did succeed in almost doubling the size of the designated wilderness area where no logging can take place. That made the Regional Forest Service mad and they over reacted, IMHO. I may be wrong, but that's my take on it anyways. I just hate that it happened. I'm sure those groups were well intentioned, but just like the dumpers, meth-heads and off-roaders, they've managed to ruin a good thing for everyone else.