The Smokey Wire : National Forest News and Views
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The April issue of The Forestry Source, leads off with “The Sagebrush Rebellion Renewed: Bills Aim to Create Trusts to Manage Federal Timber,” by Steve Wilent, Forestry Source editor. The article begins with what I perceive to be a very narrow view of the origins of the 1980s Sagebrush Rebellion, blaming it all on “environmentalists”. … Read more
The Forest Service’s Institute of Forest Genetics, in Placerville, California, has announced an important development to provide future nest trees, for imperiled birds on the Endangered Species List. Dr. Marie Shelley says that a twelve year effort has produced sapling trees, which exhibit the branching characteristics needed by birds, for nest trees which protect their … Read more
From Dick Boyd: What is the understanding of forest managers regarding relicensing of hydroelectric generators? My observation is that the geographic area of the project does not extend far enough from the water to establish responsibility. There is a need for fuels management, including reduction, to prevent the type fire that results in siltation of … Read more
In a recent comment Mark said: Now, let me address “restoration” briefly: Restore to what? April 11, 1767 at 2:33 am? The whole premise is based on this kind of faulty assumption. And then, if an area has been so disturbed that it needs “restoration” then likely, as is the case in this part of … Read more
Thanks to a friend from Montana for this one from E&E News. Here’s a link to the principles agreed to by the Montana Forest Restoration Committee. This photo is from the Monitoring tab on the MFRC website. This quote below is interesting: “The groups said the project — the first CFLRP-funded project to come under … Read more
If, as stated by many, collaboration is a tool of “industry”, what industry are we talking about here? Here’s an example of how the recommendations and agency action interrelate on the draft Travel Management Plan. Proposed Action Early development of the proposed action involved extensive consultation with many individuals and groups. Some of this work … Read more
Here’s the story..there’s even a video of brush piles burning there somewhere. My point being that this seems like strong evidence that fuel treatments are not excuses for “industrial logging” as sometimes portrayed. At least not all of them. Forest crews may begin burning brush and debris piles next week when weather permits north of … Read more
An interesting thing that happens on this blog is that we get “into the weeds” or snags (?) of projects in different parts of the country, so we can compare the different approaches and concerns. We also have readers with on-the-ground experience in many of these areas. Thanks to Derek for submitting these articles about … Read more
I found this piece on a pingback from our blog.The author and associates seem to have an enemy known as Big Timber, and I’m not sure that there is an extant energy source of which he would approve. I think the expression “the wages of compromise” may be a reference to the “wages of sin” … Read more
In September Char Miller didn’t give much credit to what he called Rob Bishop’s “Sputtering Sagebrush Rebellion“, [KCET’s “The Back Forty”, 09/21/2011]. Miller suggested that the rebellion might backfire in two ways, first by challenging President Obama to follow Bill Clinton’s lead by either invoking the Antiquities Act to establish yet-another national monument at the … Read more