Directive Limits Activity in Roadless Areas of National Forests

[Tom Rankin]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/science/earth/29land.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

 

[Waumbek]

Meanwhile, on the ground, a fifth timber sale with 43 acres of clearcut is planned for Carr Mtn. roadless area.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20090530/NEWS03/905300311/1004/NEWS03

 

[psmart]

Meanwhile, on the ground, a fifth timber sale with 43 acres of clearcut is planned for Carr Mtn. roadless area.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20090530/NEWS03/905300311/1004/NEWS03

For further details see the USFS decision issued on May 15th:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/whi.../assessments/stevens_brook/stevens_brook.html

 

[kevinmac]

I stumbled across these articles today.
A quote from this article: "Unfortunately, under today’s announcement, the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire can continue its assault on many of its roadless areas, only because they were not inventoried until after 2000",

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2009/roadless-05-28-2009.html


Note the link to the video at end of this article. It shows action footage of clear cutting at the South Carr Mountain roadless area
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2009/white-mountain-roadless-05-21-2009.html

__________________

 

[Barbarossa]

For further details see the USFS decision issued on May 15th:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/whi.../assessments/stevens_brook/stevens_brook.html

Whenever I pass through an old logging area, I wonder how long ago it took place and how recent the new growth is. I should make a point of studying a logging area as it re-grows. This one seems as good an opportunity as any other.

 

[Waumbek]

5-10 years for the visual impact to dissipate. How long the more subtle, and probably more important, effects (both good and bad) last I cannot say. There was a "show" cut on Rt. 2 in the Shelburne-Gorham area that regenerated more quickly, but I doubt they logged that the way it gets done in the real world.

 

[rocket21]

Whenever I pass through an old logging area, I wonder how long ago it took place and how recent the new growth is. I should make a point of studying a logging area as it re-grows.

One might be able to compare photos of the logging clearcut along the popular PatN route, as an example. It was growing in with perhaps 5' weeds/sapplings a few weeks ago. I think it was cut 5 years ago?

 

[Barbarossa]

One might be able to compare photos of the logging clearcut along the popular PatN route, as an example. It was growing in with perhaps 5' weeds/sapplings a few weeks ago. I think it was cut 5 years ago?

Too much uncertainty. I think I need to stop by the Hubbard Brook Forest HQ and get edjumicated ;-)

 

[peakbagger]

The forest service on occasion will post a sign listing when a particular cut occured. Unfortunately, the woods grow up around the signs and they tend to be hard to read after several years. I have seen these signs along the Gale river road in the past. Recently I noticed a sign along the west side of RT 302 just south of Crawfords notch on a more recent cut.

Unfortunately, there are numerous types of cuts used by foresters to obtain different goals, so just knowing when a forest was cut, isnt going to give a person a lot of insight on a complex issue. The results of logging in general is ugly for a few years after it occurs, along with the results of natural disturbances such as wind throws, ice storms and forest fires. If the logging is done right, it opens up edge and emergent habitat that has a much more diverse wildlife habitat than mature woods. If done wrong it can lead to a low quality forest full of low grade defective trees that take decades to recover. On the whole of it, the forest service cuts that I have observed, were generally well managed and tend to recover quickly.