Read the article on the tree planting scam, here's an interesting article with a link to a very sensible paper on the wildlands-urban interface scam. I wish someone would investigate what appears to be the majority of current Forest Service Supervisors winking and nodding, leaving the doors open for the timber industry, under the cover of protecting the wildland-urban interface.
"A new paper, "Wildlands-urban fire disasters aren't a wildfire problem," published in PNAS, challenges traditional approaches to wildfire management strategies.
The researchers note that most of the large blazes that destroyed homes, including Lahaina, Hawaii, Talent and Phoenix, Oregon, the Camp Fire that devastated Paradise, California, and the Marshal Fire that charred Louisville, Colorado, were urban conflagrations.
All of these were human ignition blazes that occurred during extreme wind events.
... In addition, the vast majority of prescribed burns or thinning/logging projects never encounter a blaze when they might be effective, but we get all the negatives from fuel reduction projects like disruption of wildlife, spread of weeds from soil disturbance, loss of biomass from the forest ecosystem, loss of carbon storage, loss of snags and down woody debris essential for many wildlife species.
Moreover, a recent study estimated that up to 10 times as much carbon is released by logging as natural disturbances (like wildfire). For instance, 66% of the carbon losses across the West were due to logging, while only 15% was due to wildfire. Thus, logging contributes more climate warming CO2 than wildfires."
This is fascinating, Patrick, and a lot to think about. I don't know much about western forest management, though the Forest Service has I believe always had a reputation of servicing the industry more than the forest. I worked with a guy in Antarctica who spent years methodically fighting bad logging contracts in court. One thing that confuses me here is the suggestion that controlled burns are a negative. We've had a century of fire suppression that needs to be remedied with lots of controlled burns, as I understand it. I get that doing such work miles from communities doesn't make those communities much safer. I suppose they're saying that the intense 21st century fires are going to come to those high-fuel forests, whether controlled or not, so it's best to focus efforts on safeguarding communities rather than trying to modify entire national forests.
I'm really interested in the other finding about carbon release from logging vs. wildfire. But that's an analysis of a difference over time based on the amount of activity, right? It's not comparing how much carbon is lost per acre, say, when logged vs. burned. Still, it speaks to the excessive amount of logging that's wreaking havoc with biodiversity.
It's so good to see you and Heather got through storm and immediate aftermath... We were worried for you out here in Oregon.
Our own battering from the Pacific atmospheric rivers has ceased for for the moment- trillions of gallons of fresh water were dumped on us. But will it always be nontoxic water given increases in atmosphere pollution? Something to consider. Falling on our forests, croplands and reservoirs, the rain may someday become fearsome.
I fear carbon increases greatly, but I am beginning the think the atmospheric rivers are something that have great destructive potential, even in far off Antarctica.
That cartoon of a stranded Santa on his melted North Pole was priceless! I'd love a framed copy to hang in my house! Happy true cusp of the new year..we now start that joyous climb back to the light. So very good to see you safe, and back "on air". We all missed you.
To you as well Jason. You may appear, to someone who looks to the surface of things to see their truth, a euro-American writer, currently living in storm-swept Maine. But I see differently. I see the spiritual nature of a hapa, a uniquely Hawaiian term of one of ethnic mixed ancestry. I see someone who has been here a long, long time- one who has woven into them many traditions, has been many beings. New Agers call such Old Souls and believe that they have lived many places, many planets. I think not. I perceive that all here have never been any other place but Earth- bound here not by gravity but by love and the cherishing of all life here. That is the true hallmark of the hapa. I feel this love is the water that washes all clean except those who fear it.
Today my wife had to patiently guide me to do Christmas shopping at once familiar places. I bore it in good cheer. May your holidays bring you good cheer as well.
Thank you, Michael. Certainly we're all of this place. What we know of other planets could fit in the margins of a book on a single species that we've closely coevolved with. Not sure what to say about your very generous compliment here other than Thank You, and that I love your phrase "bound here not by gravity but by love and the cherishing of all life." Might have to borrow that. As always, I'll try to live up to your compliments. Be well, and congratulations on surviving shopping.
Jason,
Read the article on the tree planting scam, here's an interesting article with a link to a very sensible paper on the wildlands-urban interface scam. I wish someone would investigate what appears to be the majority of current Forest Service Supervisors winking and nodding, leaving the doors open for the timber industry, under the cover of protecting the wildland-urban interface.
"A new paper, "Wildlands-urban fire disasters aren't a wildfire problem," published in PNAS, challenges traditional approaches to wildfire management strategies.
The researchers note that most of the large blazes that destroyed homes, including Lahaina, Hawaii, Talent and Phoenix, Oregon, the Camp Fire that devastated Paradise, California, and the Marshal Fire that charred Louisville, Colorado, were urban conflagrations.
All of these were human ignition blazes that occurred during extreme wind events.
... In addition, the vast majority of prescribed burns or thinning/logging projects never encounter a blaze when they might be effective, but we get all the negatives from fuel reduction projects like disruption of wildlife, spread of weeds from soil disturbance, loss of biomass from the forest ecosystem, loss of carbon storage, loss of snags and down woody debris essential for many wildlife species.
Moreover, a recent study estimated that up to 10 times as much carbon is released by logging as natural disturbances (like wildfire). For instance, 66% of the carbon losses across the West were due to logging, while only 15% was due to wildfire. Thus, logging contributes more climate warming CO2 than wildfires."
From <https://missoulacurrent.com/viewpoint-community-forest/?utm_term=&utm_subject=&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Montana%20Today%202023-12-21>
This is fascinating, Patrick, and a lot to think about. I don't know much about western forest management, though the Forest Service has I believe always had a reputation of servicing the industry more than the forest. I worked with a guy in Antarctica who spent years methodically fighting bad logging contracts in court. One thing that confuses me here is the suggestion that controlled burns are a negative. We've had a century of fire suppression that needs to be remedied with lots of controlled burns, as I understand it. I get that doing such work miles from communities doesn't make those communities much safer. I suppose they're saying that the intense 21st century fires are going to come to those high-fuel forests, whether controlled or not, so it's best to focus efforts on safeguarding communities rather than trying to modify entire national forests.
I'm really interested in the other finding about carbon release from logging vs. wildfire. But that's an analysis of a difference over time based on the amount of activity, right? It's not comparing how much carbon is lost per acre, say, when logged vs. burned. Still, it speaks to the excessive amount of logging that's wreaking havoc with biodiversity.
Thanks for all this, Patrick. Much appreciated.
It's so good to see you and Heather got through storm and immediate aftermath... We were worried for you out here in Oregon.
Our own battering from the Pacific atmospheric rivers has ceased for for the moment- trillions of gallons of fresh water were dumped on us. But will it always be nontoxic water given increases in atmosphere pollution? Something to consider. Falling on our forests, croplands and reservoirs, the rain may someday become fearsome.
I fear carbon increases greatly, but I am beginning the think the atmospheric rivers are something that have great destructive potential, even in far off Antarctica.
That cartoon of a stranded Santa on his melted North Pole was priceless! I'd love a framed copy to hang in my house! Happy true cusp of the new year..we now start that joyous climb back to the light. So very good to see you safe, and back "on air". We all missed you.
Thank you for the good wishes, Michael. Right back at you. May the holidays and the new year bring good cheer and good mysteries to ponder.
Rain, as I wrote a while back, contains all sorts of things, including now PFAS... but perhaps it will wash us clean nonetheless.
To you as well Jason. You may appear, to someone who looks to the surface of things to see their truth, a euro-American writer, currently living in storm-swept Maine. But I see differently. I see the spiritual nature of a hapa, a uniquely Hawaiian term of one of ethnic mixed ancestry. I see someone who has been here a long, long time- one who has woven into them many traditions, has been many beings. New Agers call such Old Souls and believe that they have lived many places, many planets. I think not. I perceive that all here have never been any other place but Earth- bound here not by gravity but by love and the cherishing of all life here. That is the true hallmark of the hapa. I feel this love is the water that washes all clean except those who fear it.
Today my wife had to patiently guide me to do Christmas shopping at once familiar places. I bore it in good cheer. May your holidays bring you good cheer as well.
Thank you, Michael. Certainly we're all of this place. What we know of other planets could fit in the margins of a book on a single species that we've closely coevolved with. Not sure what to say about your very generous compliment here other than Thank You, and that I love your phrase "bound here not by gravity but by love and the cherishing of all life." Might have to borrow that. As always, I'll try to live up to your compliments. Be well, and congratulations on surviving shopping.