Informative Essay On Clearcutting

The environmental issue in the Interior Plains is lumber/timber harvesting. Forest workers are cutting down trees to turn tree parts into lumber and timber.

It is so horrible to see all of that timber go to waste. Our society depends on timber a lot and we need so much of it to produce so many useful goods. What would happen if we did not have any timber to make homes or proved some type of shelter? We would be lost and have no where to go. Prescribed burns can prevent that great loss of timber and save a lot of trees. Although one purpose of controlled burns is to curve paths for huge forest fires, they are also used to freshen up the area. If an area of trees is left untreated from prescribed burns, the sands are expected to decline in growth (Mitchell 1). Also, to ensure a healthy forest,

Question 2: Although land ownership is an individual right, what takes place on that land is still a concern for governing agencies. In this case, the impact to ecosystems covers an area greater than just the area owned by one individual or firm. Controlling the impacts of the landowners operation mitigates the impact to other landowners in the area. Owning land still requires a reasonable person to behave in a manner consistent with the law of the land. In this analysis, a gentlemen named Hurwitz backed Maxxam Inc. to purchase Pacific Lumber. Hungry for profits, he altered Pacific Lumber’s focus to the short term profitability of the firm, instead of long term sustainment of the business. Poor business practices put Maxxam Inc. in a position requiring a fixed amount of income to pay loan interest and fees. Hurwitz never assessed whether or not he could sustain payment with current operations and was forced to increase operations to make profitability still viable. (The Terrestrial Environment, 1998)

The affect of environmental issues occur everyday and in particular deforestation is becoming a highly ranked subject. From animals to the human race, the alacrity of trees that are cut down affects every individual in a variety of ways. Not only do people need to help the planet but they need to help themselves and further generations to come, such as children and grandchildren because these natural resources that are being taken away from society are as well shaping the future. For comprehensible reasons, forests use to make up the world, until man made creatures started to destroy and destruct the most important supply to human kind which are trees. Trees are crucial to every living entity for the reason of providing oxygen to all.

The forests have an independent watchdog(?) named British Columbia’s Forest Practices Board (BCFPD). The board oversees the activities of forest companies, their private contractors, and the government on public land. The board audits randomly selected forestry companies to be audited for compliance and enforcement with forest practice requirements, audits the enforcement of the government forest practices requirements, addresses public complaints on forestry practices, and conducts special investigations on forestry issues (mr113). All the work that the BCFPD does has led to notable positive changes in BC forestry. Some of these positive changes include: Less disturbance from logging, smaller cut blocks, better logging roads and proper maintenance, and more deactivation of logging roads (mr113). While reports have noted these improvements, the board still believes that there is room for improvement. Policies and changes are continually evolving to make BC’s forest as competitive and sustainable as possible. Some of the changes that are believed to be needed include new policies for efficiency, more timber availability to smaller organizations, such as first nations or small communities to help long-term economic development, and many others(mr113).

One of America’s greatest conservation achievements is the Wilderness Act of 1964. Fifty-two years later, this act has a legacy to withhold. A legacy that meant something in 1964 and remains the same today: to protect unspoiled land. Even though, through this act millions of acres have been conserved, the key word is continue. That is why America should pass laws to preserve the wilderness before developers spoil them.

Decisions regarding environmental problems require both knowledge and values. Placing value on specific issues can be sorted into four categories of justification: utilitarian, ecological, aesthetic and moral. California Blue focuses on the interplay of environmental issues and ethics emphasizing the conflict between industry and species preservation. Timber cutting in the Northwest United States is a mainstay of the economy. Although clear cutting is not as environmentally sensitive as selective harvesting and redwood cutting, some is essential to America's continued growth and prosperity. To ban timber operations and to throw people out of work, all to preserve an endangered blue butterfly, is to test the limits and logic of ecological priorities. The national policy of preserving endangered species serves the purpose of promoting biological diversity, which if not followed might threaten the ecosystem. This national policy of species preservation is a matter of social policy balanced with the competing interests of the local economy and human needs. Under the utilitarian approach one must balance the benefits of species preservation with the detriment of stopping human activity which threatens that species or the environment in which the

He mentions that the Montana Yaak Valley has not been included in the “already in effect” Wilderness Act of 1964 and so far “not a single acre” (5) has been designated. The Yaak is public land and falls under the government’s passed Act, but it is thought by a good majority of the opposition as “private land.” He also explains that because his “home valley of the Yaak grows big timber and for this reason primarily was excluded from earlier Montana wilderness protection bills in the 1960’s, 70’s, and 80’s” (3). He states why the timber industry is against bills for the protection of wild lands, and that is because it needs the woods to produce labor opportunities. Bass also mentions a strategy formed, which pertained to assigning specific areas within the protected land to be used for recreational purposes, in order to please the opposition. Lastly, he insists that the Yaak, as one of the United States’ lungs, is worth protecting because “it nurtures the greatest biodiversity in the state” (2). The reality is that the Yaak Valley is a relative large area with minimum human involvement, which is perfect to maintain the existence of many fauna and

financial gain but is not best for the long-term or the trees. It is the

Lastly, one of the biggest benefits of the Wisconsin’s Managed Forest Law at the state level has been its effects on Wisconsin’s forests’ ecosystems. Within forests, the MFL has helped to provide wildlife habitat for game and threatened/ endangered species, maintain forest ecosystem health and vitality, conserve and maintain water and soil resources on and around forestland, and promote forest conservation and biological diversity (Gass 10). To help aid in creating sustainable forest environments, the Wisconsin MFL requires that landowners follow mandatory practices including: releasing trees from competing vegetation, reforesting land to meet minimum forest density standards, performing pre and post harvest treatments to insure forest regeneration,

I have read your Traux story and would like to agree, but in some ways disagree. I believe you wrote this story to explain to people, that may doubt your decision to deforest, that there are ways to keep logging companies in business without harming the environment. The Truax story is about a logger trying to reason with the “protector of the trees.” He tells Mr. Guardbark that for every one tree, he plants five. He also mentions that they have set apart land that cannot be deforested, which are called preservation sites. The man also says that by cutting trees, more biodiversity is created. Additionally, he tells Mr. Guardbark that by not logging, steel and plastic would be needed for houses, causing oil and ores to run out. Lastly, he says that if the trees are not reduced, there would be no opening in the forest ground. This is so because trees are constantly growing and can crowd out animals that live underground. The protector agreed with the logger and let him continue his job.

Clearcutting is the custom of cutting down a large group of trees in one area and then growing new trees in their place. Clearcutting has the most impact on the aquatic cycle. It can also intensify the danger of flooding. Tree roots trap the topsoil and when a tree is cut down it allows the topsoil to run off into streams and/or rivers. This also allows streams and rivers to heat up, which allows algae and bacteria to grow. This in turn with the temperature increasing, will destroy the fish and other inhabitants in the stream or river. Clearcutting doesn’t just affect rivers and streams it also disturbs the habitat of the animals that live there. Some animals must move to other parts of the forest, which could be good or bad. It just

Erosion removes the surface soils, containing most of the organic matter, plant nutrients, and fine soil particles, which help to retain water and nutrients in the root zone where they are available to plants. Thus it affects the productivity of plants. The remaining, the subsoil, tends to be less fertile, less absorbent and less able to retain pesticides, fertilizers, and other plant nutrients. There are over 17,000 soil types recognized worldwide. They vary widely in structure, erodibility, fertility, and ability to produce crops. A generalized soil profile for a humid, temperate climate is showed. When the natural vegetation is cleared for agriculture, soils become exposed to erosion and loss of soil fertility. The removal of the above-ground natural

Forests have covered the earth for millions of years, providing habitat and food for animals and humans. These forests have stabilized different ecosystems and have continued the natural cycle that keeps plants and animals in check. The discovery of fire changed all of this. It was the beginning of deforestation, a process that has continued and increased over the last 200,000 years. Humans are the responsible party for the deforestation that has occurred. Humans discovered that animals could be driven with fire. This led to accelerated forest loss due to uncontrolled burning for hunting use (Miller & Tangley 1991: 28). Agriculture was the next problem

Significantly, desertification also cause soil erosion, which means soil surface is worn by wind and water. Desertification makes soil easy to erode by water or wind, as soil is exposed and soil structure is instable without forest. LaI R(2003) says that ““Land area globally affected by erosion is 1094 million ha (Mha) by water erosion, of which 751 Mha is severely affected, and 549 Mha by wind erosion, of which 296 Mha is severely affected.” To control soil erosion, an obvious way is virescence, enlarging forest cover, which can protect the soil far from exposing to strong wind. Also, the roots of plants under ground play a role as a framework, as they are obstructions to soil movement,