"Old Growth on the chopping block"

[Graphite]

Whoa. Now this is something to make a petition over.

http://www.castanet.net/news/BC/81624/O ... ping-block

[theyeti]

yep pretty short sighted i agree

[sooperphreek]

the government needs to do something for these communities hit hard by the pine beetle. sounds to me the government is opening pandoras box out of necessity and not for any other reason. so whats the problem?

[Indica]

Not cool government. Not cool at all......

[Glacier]

Old growth in the dry interior is not a healthy forest. I'd rather see them chop down an old-growth forest over a new-growth forest.

[Rwede]

Old growth in the dry interior is not a healthy forest. I'd rather see them chop down an old-growth forest over a new-growth forest.

Nice when science-based decisions are made instead of emotion-based decisions.

[sooperphreek]

it is very true. the potential for losing out on that resource to pine beetle or forest fires isnt wise. if we were to utilize this resource and replenish it responsibly and exponentially then that is the best thing for our future. we have lost out on an abundance of resource because we had too much red tape and people that just wanted trees to sit and rot and die or burn. not to mention the fact that people in the central interior desperately need this industry for their living. in the end if the government decides to do this it is for the best. but we need to make sure that we plant more trees to offset what we took out.

[motorhomebabe]

I am feeling very torn about that Have been on Vancouver in the Old Growth forest going to Port Alberni. But live in the BC interior. WHere do you draw the line?

[sooperphreek]

why is there a line in the first place? you can plant at least 3 trees for every one cut down. it is better in the long run.

[grammafreddy]

WHere do you draw the line?

Healthy trees in a healthy forest?

Not all "old growth" is healthy - some of it is just plain old "old" and is much more susceptible to disease and infestation. If the interior old growth is at risk of being decimated by the MPB (which it is), then it would make sense to selectively log it now rather than just let it die eventually and have it be worthless. Those towns need the industry and they may as well log rather than both the trees and the towns die.

[Rwede]

"Old growth" lodgepole pine is about 120 years old max. I think the term "old growth" on a species that naturally matures, dies and burns within 80 - 120 years is a bit of a misnomer, and used by preservationists to strike alarm in the hearts of the misinformed. Hell, GF is older than most of those trees!

[George+]

In fact most of these OGMAs, Old Growth Management Areas, are along
vital creeks, streams and rivers. Forest companies let these go so they
could easily and quickly get at clearcut logging in other areas.

The problem has been, and still is, cutbacks in new plantings and mostly,
single species planting-pine, pine, or pine. The forest have been treated
like a 'peaches and cream' corn patch. The pine beetle has dominated and now
we 'pay the piper.! SAD.

And what about the waterways, fish, and water quality when these creekbanks, streambanks, and riverbanks are torn part?

[Graphite]

If its not so great then why is is protected?

[sooperphreek]

because of special interests that created a hysteria and plastered the media and politicians with emotion and misinformation. and when you do that politicians cave and give you what you want. its kinda like sex....it sells.

[grammafreddy]

"Old growth" lodgepole pine is about 120 years old max. I think the term "old growth" on a species that naturally matures, dies and burns within 80 - 120 years is a bit of a misnomer, and used by preservationists to strike alarm in the hearts of the misinformed. Hell, GF is older than most of those trees!

That's true - I am.

Left to do what they do naturally, forests replenish themselves quite nicely. Natural regen where I used to live in the bush was far superior to the pine trees humans replaced the clearcuts with. Even in the planted cuts, natural regen beat out the man-made stuff, growing healthier and faster than the other.