VIDEO: Robert H. Nelson talk in Wallace, Idaho

Nelson-talk-picReaders of NCFP may be interested in the video of the talk presented by Robert H. Nelson to the “Not Without a Fight!” Coalition’s conference held in Wallace on September 24th.

Here’s are the introductory comments I offered on the video at the NWAF! blog:

Editor’s note: The NWAF! blog will be posting some of the presentations offered at our “September Conference” over the coming days and weeks. We begin with Robert H. Nelson’s keynote talk, which was titled “The ecosystem management disaster.” Nelson’s presentation reviewed four (let’s call them) “governing images” guiding Congress’s public lands policies over the history of the American West, all destined for failure. He also offered a brief account of his “Charter Forests” model for reforming forest management in the U.S. If a personal word may be permitted, it was very edifying and a great pleasure to see this distinguished scholar move so fluidly and lucidly through this uniquely American historical story. The video runs just under 70 minutes. Enjoy!
— Ron

 

2 thoughts on “VIDEO: Robert H. Nelson talk in Wallace, Idaho”

  1. Really nothing new here. Charter forests idea proposed.
    No mention at all of the role of politics, the emasculation of the USFS started be Reagan, the lack of adequate funding by Congress, particularly the needs of implementation of the first round of Forest Plans. Many of these FPs disintegrated because of funding, not because the plans were so badly flawed. And this lack of money and follow-thru required by the FPs opened the door to legal challenges…”you are not doing what your plan calls for…”.
    The Wallace area of the IPNF was once the major timber production area in north Idaho, which resulted in vast blocks of clearcuts in a few watersheds, which directly influenced the anti-logging hysteria we have experienced.
    I recall quite vividly the Wallace DFR asking the Forest Supervisor, in a forestwide meeting, “…tell me how many million board feet you want from my district next year and I guarantee you will get it…”. That was the prevailing attitude on that part of the forest in the late 1970s. Is there any wonder we have had such an anti-logging backlash?
    And some Silver Valley residents want to go back to the “good ole days”. Shhhh!

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  2. I got through about 26 minutes but heard nothing but platitudes and generalizations, does Nelson ever work with specifics, data, etc.? Somewhat disconcerting is his habit of rarely finishing a sentence, but instead getting halfway through and then branching off into another line of thought, which itself doesn’t get finished… etc.

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