Increased Allowable Cuts Not Hurting Other Species
By 250 News
All additional harvesting allowed by the Ministry of Forests and Range to deal with the current mountain pine beetle infestation has been directed at pine, according to a new Forest Practices Board report.
"The increase in the allowable annual cut to deal with the mountain pine beetle epidemic has raised concerns about whether non-pine species of trees were also being harvested," said board chair Bruce Fraser. "We found that all of the new allowable harvest consists of pine, and that industry has not increased its harvest of other species."
A board investigation into species composition of MPB harvest in B.C.'s Interior was prompted by a 36 per cent increase in the allowable annual cut. The increased harvest is helping to try to control the outbreak and salvage beetle-killed wood before it loses its value. Other species continue to be logged to make wood products for which pine is not suitable, or when clear-cutting mixed species stands.
The board found that industry is balancing the need to salvage value from dead pine with the need to maintain the commercial viability of existing mills. The board remains concerned, however, that the trend toward harvesting in mixed stands while avoiding pure (80 to 100 percent) pine stands could reduce the mid-term timber supply and limit
reforestation, which could affect the long-term timber supply.
If uses for the dead pine - such as for bio-energy or for non-lumber wood products - turn out to be viable, more pure pine may well be harvested and those sites replanted for the future, reducing the long-term concern.
Previous Story - Next Story
Email
Print
Facebook
Twitter
Digg
Del.icio.usReturn to Home
Posted by: owl on December 1 2007 12:24 PM
One more time... Beetle killed forests is not wood going to waste. Anyone not trained (brainwashed) in a forestry program(ed) knows that a dead tree is every bit as important and positive to the forest ecosystem as a living one. With millions of dead trees we will see in the decades to come an explosion in numbers of many animals and birds. Nature does not know of the word "waste", only money worshippers that can't make another buck consider it waste when a mountain isn't clear cut. The bear, the raptors, the owls... all these and more see a healthy, diverse habitat.
Clear cutting beetle killed forests is just doing more damge on top of damage all ready done. The people that love money above all else in this life are simply putting forth the latest manipulation and propaganda over on the public to convince them of how right it is to keep up the destruction of our forests.
Start thinking long term... please!