Our Burning Forests Are The Legacy Of Radical Environmentalism

TooGood Reports ^ | June 26, 2002 | Mary Mostert

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

The natural result is the Colorado Monster Fire, which has already consumed nearly 400,000 acres and, at this writing, has driven 25,000 people from their homes is the legacy of Clinton-Gore environmentalism which flatly refused to allow the logging and lumber industry to use the trees

Yeah ok, that makes sense. Cut down every forest in the US so there aren't any fires. Yup.

[brityank]

In 1995 as Editor of the Michael Reagan Monthly Monitor, I interviewed Keith Butts, who grew up in the Oregon woods where his father was a logger and then spent 40 years in the U.S. Forest Service as a ranger. He said he was involved in four different theories of forest management in those 40 years.

In the 1950s, U.S. Forest management regulations required taking down any tree that would not live another 20 years. In the 1960s, regulations changed and entire blocks of trees were removed if 50% of them would not live another 20 years. Marketable trees in a block would be taken down, and the remaining saplings would be left to grow.

In the 1970s, Butts said, "Forest Service management decided to start clear-cutting." The Sierra Club and other environmentalists blame clear-cutting on the logging industry. However, according to Butts, the clear-cutting regulations imposed by the Forest Service were vehemently OPPOSED by the logging industry!

"In the 1980s, supervisors began ordering roads closed to keep the public out of the woods." Butts said. "In the 1950s, the forests were managed for the benefit of the taxpayers and actually financially sustained themselves. (Today everything in the woods can be used. Nothing needs to be burned. Portable chippers can be brought in to chip up the slash (branches and underbrush) for wafer board that is used for building. Keeping the underbrush under control would prevent the worst damage of wildfires and fire storms that destroy millions of trees, millions of dollars worth of property and sometimes kill firefighters.

"We are now either burning on purpose or letting wildfires consume millions of acres of trees, yet the Black Forest in Germany has been preserved for hundreds of years by good management that picks up every fallen branch to prevent fires."

Sadly, the voices of those who actually knew the forests were in danger never had the dominant media tell its side of the story, so we are left with city-bred environmentalists like Al Gore keeping loggers and portable chippers out of the forests, while the underbrush continued to grow.

Some good info passed on here; anyone have any info on the Black Forest practices?

[Kermit]

Yesterday, Bush said the Forest Service was going to have to start managing the forests again to prevent forest fires. Whether Bush is going to follow up on this or get mau-maued by the liberals as he wont, remains to be seen. I'd bet that there will be no follow up by Bush.

[Still Using Air]

Not clear on your comment, are you saying we should NOT allow thinning and clearing?
If so, you don't live out here, do you?

[Minutes]

Cut down every forest in the US so there aren't any fires. Yup.

That's not what this article is saying!

I come from a 'logging' town, that is all but shut down because of the environmentalists.... Even as I saw familes having to move elsewhere because there were no jobs either in logging, or the saw mill or pulp mill... even as I watched local business' go under when there were no loggers left to buy their goods, I thought, "Well, we can't keep raping the land..."

But, this article makes perfect sense. I remember in the 60's my dad talking about having to leave the saplings, about clearing the underbrush. That makes sense and money all the way around.

I don't agree with clear cutting, though.

[Zon]

Good post, thanks.

[SpeakLittle_ThinkMuch]

You must have gone to a "Government School" 'cause you can't read....or comprehend.

[EggsAckley]

*ping*

[1Old Pro]

Related musing: Has anyone suggested that wild fires are terrorist acts-

[Mudboy Slim]

"Cut down every forest in the US so there aren't any fires. Yup."

Is that really the gist of what you derived from that article?!

SHEEEESH...MUD

[EggsAckley]

Nobody believes in clear-cutting, not even the timber companies. When forests are creatively thinned, there will be trees growing back, creating an endless source of lumber.

[tsomer]

"Yeah ok, that makes sense. Cut down every forest in the US so there aren't any fires. Yup."

We're not saying there shouldn't be fires; we're only saying relegate the fires to barbecue pits.

[CecilRhodesGhost]

I agree with this article... now is the time during this forest-fire media frenzy to lay total blame at the feet of the Sierra Club. The ash of lost homes should be on the hands of the radical "Earth-First" nutballs who try to control commercial development, prevent logging companies from making a living, and place the importance of beasts over mankind. The Sierra Club should be blamed for these disasters as an institution... instead of blaming any individual who might have actually lit the fire. The ideaology of the Sierra Club started these fires!

[tom paine 2]

No we need to cut down every enviromental whacko.

[Paulus Invictus]

Oh oh! Here's another tree hugger that can't read. The article does not say or imply that all the forests should be cut down! Get a life! Go and help clear the dead trees and other fuels from the forest and really help conserve them! Idiots like you are responsible for the fires now burning down the forests.

[jaq]

My thoughts exactly. Heads up to Michiganders: The Sierra Club is running an ad campaign in Traverse City and Grand Rapids to "hault logging in old-growth areas."

If I read the words "biological diversity" one more time, I'm gonna puke. They should move to China, where the government owns all property, if they want to experience "biological diversity."

[katana]

That is neither what this article says nor implies. Your comment either indicates that you didn't read it, or you're an "environmentalist" and therefore by definition someone who cannot or will not comprehend how nature actually works.

[Paulus Invictus]

Sue their socks off! A major class action suit must be entered by the victims who lost homes and by the survivors of those that died as a result of the fires! The Feds and the States whose public funds are being used to fight the fires, should join the suit. Target the Sierra Club, every other tree hugger organization, Gore, Babbitt, the despicable Klintoons and every leftist organization, including the big Foundations that donate to the tree huggers who that made sure these fires would and will continue to burn! Then be sure to ban the Sierra Club from access to all public lands in perpetuity.

[F-117A]

Bump!