From an article in Timber Harvesting magazine….
U.S. Forest Service reported it sold 2.87 billion BF of timber sales (compared to the agency target of 4 billion BF) in fiscal 2021, a decrease from 3.2 billion BF in FY 2020, according to the agency’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Justification document. The sold volume was valued at $197 million.
The decrease in sales was primarily due to limited staff capacity and no-bid sales, according to the agency, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic limited the mobility of timber crews, and field work continued to be difficult to accomplish due to the large fire activity across the Western U.S. Many employees that usually work to prepare timber sales were assigned to wildfire suppression and support. Recovery efforts after large fires, including stabilization work and hazard tree removal, necessitated the involvement of the staff who would typically work on preparing and administering timber sales, the agency stated.
Well, seeing what I saw, and talking to several in multiple Regions, one excuse is as good as another! Meanwhile, we are poised to repeat the consequences of overstocked, diseased forests….
When your ‘business’ is dependent on its temporary workforce, this is a likely result. Maybe the permanents should pick up a paintgun?
Hogwash! The clear deliverables from Trump were acres treated and volume sold! That is reflected in the 2020 numbers. What is the goal now? Pick 7 or 8 “firesheds” throwing large amounts of $$$ at them, hoping that something will finally stick (even though there is no milling infrastructure in these areas), and a change in conditions occurs? And inventory all of your old growth (EO) so we can provide more ammunition to the radical environmentalist who will become even more emboldened.
Doing an inventory of the remaining old growth will be a total waste of time and funds. If the FS had been able to retain personnel on the district level these people would know where the old growth is. I imagine a few still do. It could probably be done by using Google earth.
I can see FS personnel spending a few years doing this survey just to watch it disappear with the next administration. Plus this idea if you inventory where the old growth is means you are saving it? Don’t we already have our wilderness, roadless, and adaptive management areas? They have been surveying and calling the spotted owl for almost 30 years now and I don’t believe it has done anything for the spotted owl.