LETS TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT LOGGING

17. Again, it may need to be repeated, trees are the most massive, longest-lived organisms to ever live on this planet. The massive trunks of this once fertile forest have been long removed. The “Burn and Clearcut Project” plans to remove the most massive, longest-lived organism (above ground) with their built in capacity to be functioning biological components of this system for the future health of this area.

18. Logging is a multipart operation. Removal of the ecological stages of trees, building roads, applying toxic chemicals (herbicides), applying ammonium nitrate, planting non-native grass while promoting the planting of seedlings as a forgiveness of sin trying to correct the damage done by the sale. Thus costing taxpayers money. “Don’t worry, just plant a tree” really holds no scientific support (Williams, 1991 pg 24) let alone, there are no standards for purchasing, storing, planting or maintenance watering of tree planting in this project. I see the latter as treatments of faulty intelligence. They are major chemistry altering bombardments of treatments to this once fertile forest at this time. Although the planting of New Trees can’t hurt if planted correctly and will certainly help. But need a healthy system (CWD) to survive at a high quality life.

19. I would like to limit the remainder of this discussion to the removal (killing)of the ecological stages of trees in respect to their ecological role on system health, which they cannot perform if removed.

20. Woody debris is generally removed from streams or forests in the name of economic progress, but what are the short-term and long-term biological consequences? (Maser and Trappe, 1984, pg1-par5)

21. Symplastless wood is a critical component of many ecosystem processes. It supports physical, chemical, and biological functions in ecosystems. These functions include essential element cycling, carbon storage, erosion control and slope stabilization, water cycling, soil formation, and stream movement processes (Voller and Harrison, 1998).

22. Tree utilization by humans reduces the organic parent materials (duff and woody residues) available for soil-formation processes (Harvey, Larsen and Jurgensen, 1976) In other words, what is being removed, is not a treatment for the chemistry of the soil that would maintain or increase its quality, it will lower its quality now and into the future.

23. I have learned the following topics are some of the key issues, which have purpose and need to be addressed.

1. Standing or Fallen Symplastless Trees - Dead or Alive?
2. Coarse Woody Debris - Water/Moisture.
3. Coarse Woody Debris – Nutrients and Essential Elements
4. Coarse Woody Debris – Reduction of Browsing of Sensitive Plants
5. Coarse Woody Debris – Plant Bio-Diversity / Endangered Species
6. Coarse Woody Debris – Fungi Diversity – Mycorrhizae – Bacteria / Endangered Species
7. Coarse Woody Debris – Animals / Endangered Species
8. Coarse Woody Debris – Temperature
9. Coarse Woody Debris - Other Habitat and Potential Niches
10. Coarse Woody Debris – Insects and Other Bonogens / Endangered Species
11. Coarse Woody Debris – Humic Acids, Horizons, Buffers and pH
12. Coarse Woody Debris – Soil Erosion – Soil Mixing – Churning
13. Coarse Woody Debris – Present to Future Wood Quality
14. Coarse Woody Debris – Some Recommendations Made
15. Coarse Woody Debris - Space
16. Coarse Woody Debris – Fire Protection

24. Note: Its about chemistry and connections. Ecological stages of trees are needed for insects, animals, fungi, plants, bacteria, water, etc. and obviously most species of flora and fauna in the forest are dependent on symplastless trees for nutrients, habitat or substrate and nesting (Kruys and Jonsson, 1999).

25. Ausmus ( 1977) stated the impact simply: ". ..wood decomposition represents a long-term stabilizing force within the forest (Maser and Trappe, 1984, pg19-par5).

26. Many insects, fungi, bacteria, and other organisms are thought to be harmful, yet very few of them are (SHIGO, 1999). The insects and microorganisms have a job to do on earth. Many are "clean up" experts such as a fungus that parasitizing another mushroom fruiting body of another fungus (SHIGO, 1999 - Page 105 ). These organisms break down dead organisms to release or recycle elements essential for new life. Some organisms attack others that no longer have a defense system. A few attack living organisms that are healthy. In spite of abiotic destructive forces and biotic agents such as insects, bacteria, and fungi, humans still rank as the major destructive agent for trees in forests and cities. Ignorance of tree biology is a major cause of this (SHIGO 1999).