TREES OF LIFE:FORESTS IN PERIL

May 15th, 2023

5/15/2023

                                                   FINDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE 3

I believe, we can make a difference if we focus our attention on working together and redirecting our management goals for our remaining forested lands. Success will be achieved only when we accept that we are simply one small part of nature, and are willing to join hands with our native brothers and sisters to provide the wisdom and understanding of the vital relations we require from the natural world. It will not be easy and will require eliminating walls that have been erected between dominate society and our indigenous American citizens. We have scientific evidence that proves our indigenous people have occupied the North American continent for at least 30,000 years. Their understanding of nature and balance, developed through empirical observation, has provided “Traditional Knowledges” vital for efforts to restore mankind’s damage to the natural world.
I am frustrated as I watch a national effort by a few, to destroy our ability to work together. Division, hatred and racism seems to be increasing instead of improving. Legislating away women’s rights, questioning the rule of law, and attempting to legislatively limit voting rights; is not the Democratic principles our country was founded on. If we cannot re-build our ability to work together, the future of mankind will be limited.
We have received the privilege of occupying the only planet known to support the complexity of living species that exist on Earth. Human populations are rapidly approaching numbers that will exceed Earth’s carrying-capacity. Changes in our affluent life styles will be required to establish balance and prolong human life, as well as many other species. The important elements provided by tree covered lands in sustaining life on our planet, elevates the necessity of adjusting the management goals for the remaining public forestlands and encourage private forest land owners to do likewise.
I am discouraged because professional natural resource managers seem to hold on to traditional agricultural practice of harvesting what resources we can take from nature, rather than search for better methods of improving the conditions of our remaining life sustaining forest ecosystems. Corporate institutions are obviously driven by profit and loss statements and find it difficult to make the required adjustments. Our politicians spend their time trying to destroy their opponent’s reputation, raise large sums of money to cover the massive costs of their next election and are strongly influenced by lobbyists representing those who financed their last campaign. I am not sure where the needed leadership will come from, but a brighter future depends upon the voters. They must assert their power through exercising the right to vote and select knowledgeable people that are committed to representing the people, not the special interests.
I have watched people, like former Vice-President Al Gore, attempt to lead an effort to solve the issue of climate change, with little success. Several well-known entertainers have participated in efforts to call attention to various environmental issues and to support changes designed to help improve the natural world, yet little appears to change. Nationally, we are investing in programs to reduce the bad effects of burning fossil fuels, but the changes are slow and there are many more solutions to consider. The proper management of our remaining forests offers a significant opportunity! Adjusting other land use practices is another opportunity. What we do to nature we do to ourselves!
I don’t know what the future holds, but I know together we can make a difference if we focus on what the natural world requires to remain vibrant. We must begin by re-kindling our spiritual relationship with nature and the land. Resource managers have to focus on a deeper understanding of nature and how it relates to the sustenance of life. Academia needs to introduce and implement programs that alert students to ecological principles. These programs need to start at the elementary level and continue through high-school. Natural resource and science students, at the college level, should have a strong ecological foundation prior to specializing in the various resource departments.
As you read these articles, please think about how you might help alert others and lead in the development and implement efforts to regenerate nature for a brighter future. History has demonstrated that major change usually requires the insistence of the people, rather than top-down leadership. Good leadership follows the desires of the people. We need to educate and inform the citizens of the facts, so they can insist on realistic reforms that offer a brighter future. The Chief of the Forest Service, USDA, needs to start by initiating a cooperative agreement with several Tribes to form a working committee to develop a plan for how to manage our valuable forested lands to provide balance and sustainability of the life supporting elements these forests provide. Life cannot continue without forests and forests cannot continue to sustain life without the natural diversity of the original forest ecosystems, I call it NATURES WAY. Nature, truly knows best, but now requires help from mankind to recover from the greedy demands of the past.
Remember the Seventh Fire Prophecy of the Anishinaabe people: THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THE WATERS WILL BECOME SO POISONED THAT THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS WILL TAKE SICK AND BEGIN TO DIE, AND THE FORESTS AND THE PRAIRIES WILL LOSE THE AIR OF LIFE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE NEW PEOPLE WILL ARRIVE AND RETRACE THE FOOTSTEPS OF THEIR ANCESTORS TO FIND THE TREASURES LEFT ALONG THE TRAIL. WE WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO PATHS. IF WE CHOOSE THE RIGHT PATH, THE PATH OF SPIRITUALISM AND BALANCE, THE EIGHTH AND FINAL FIRE WILL BE IGNITED AND WE WILL JOIN HANDS WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO PROLONG LIFE ON EARTH. IF WE CHOOSE THE WRONG PATH, THE PATH OF MATERIALISM, MUCH HARM AND EVEN DEATH WILL COME TO ALL THE PEOPLE ON EARTH!
The time to choose has arrived!

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April 24th, 2023

4/24/2023

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FINDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE- PART 2

The daily news continues to bombard us with concerns over the environmental issues we face, however the leadership to identify and implement new strategies to resolve these issues is lacking. Our expanding world population continues to multiply the demand for natural resources from the shrinking forested acreage that remains. We continue to think the solution is to plant more tree seedlings from nurseries, introduce non-indigenous species to try to increase wood fiber production per acre and continue our process of what we call even-age management. This is an agriculture process, of “plant, grow, harvest”, like you would utilize to growing agricultural crops. It follows the original definition of forestry by Gifford Pinchot, “growing trees as crops “. This definition simply does not adequately represent the principles of scientific forest land management. Most tree species have life expectancy's that are several times longer than mankind, and forest covered lands makeup an extremely important part of the natural world, and sustains 80% of all life systems on Earth. Managing, these vital tree covered lands, is far more complex than growing food crops on an annual basis. The science of forestry is managing our forest ecosystems to ensure balance and a sustained flow of the essential life sustaining elements provided by trees. This requires an in-depth knowledge of the ecological connections and relationships within each forest ecosystem. Earth’s lands and seas are an amalgamation of ecosystems, and recent studies indicate that only three percent of our planet’s ecosystems are considered to be in balance and functioning properly. Sixty years ago, when I began my career as a forester, uneven-age management was the preferred management strategy for many tree species, particularly deciduous species. Under this strategy, forest communities were treated with non-commercial and commercial thinning to provide optimal spacing, quality tree growth, removal of dead and diseased trees and provide sunlight to germinate new seedlings within the communities. Under this system, mother trees are left to provide for the establishment of new seedlings for the future. This process helps maintain the original diversity of the ecosystem. Diversity is vital to slow the spread of disease, insect infestation and wildfires. Plantations are single species, single aged and are void of natural diversity. “The extent of diversity is the measure of perfection!” If you examine the variety of life systems on Earth, you will discover that diversity is a required component in the sustenance of all life systems.
We must understand that ecosystems are a complex mix of a multitude of different species working together to allow the ecosystem to function. At least half of the species are in the soil beneath the vegetation and many are microscopic in size. The extinction of just one species can upset the balance and proper functioning of the entire system. History has demonstrated that the introduction of indigenous species can be one of the major causes of ecosystem mal-function. Relying on native local seed sources is an important tool in helping recover damaged ecosystems. Creating plantations with nursery raised seedlings can exacerbate the problem of natural diversity and increase the potential for future catastrophic events such as wildfire, insect and disease outbreaks.
There is much that can be done to aid in the recovery of the damaged ecosystems worldwide. Deforestation continues at an unacceptable rate and is equally responsible for our adverse climate changes as is the use of fossil fuels. While tree covered lands continue to shrink through deforestation, the warming of our atmosphere is melting the arctic permafrost which is another major carbon store house. Without change, a brighter future seems lost.
The question is, where will we find the leadership with the courage and credibility to convince us of the required changes before it is too late? Corporate America has sponsored some tree planting programs which establish plantations, to demonstrate their concern for the environment. I guess plantations are better than no trees, but it is not the ideal answer do to the lack of diversity. You would think the natural resource colleges and universities would be the logical leaders in this field, but I have found very little interest in initiating major changes away from a focus on resource management. We seem to be locked into what we can take from the forests, and find it difficult to re-direct our management to caring for the life sustaining elements provided by forested lands. Our focus should be on the shrinking number of acres of forested lands, and the health and diversity of the remaining tree covered lands. It appears that we have an exciting opportunity for the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service to make a bold move. The Forest Service, once considered a world leader in forest land management, has lost much of its reputation as many of these environmental issues threaten future life on Earth. I suggest that we are at a critical point and time when the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture could initiate a significant change in the management of our remaining public forested lands. I believe this could catapult the Forest Service back to a world leadership position in forest land management.
I recently checked on Tom Vilsack’s, the Secretary of Agriculture, leadership goals for the Department. He presented his desire to implement bold programs including activities to control climate change and other environmental issues. I believe we have an excellent opportunity to form a partnership between the Chief of the Forest Service, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Interior, Deb Haaland, to initiate a bold change in the management of our remaining tree covered public lands. The Native ancestry of the Secretary of Interior can provide access to the traditional knowledge's and understandings of our indigenous people, which can provide the wisdom required to lead this effort. I believe this team has the leadership capability to start us on a path to recover some of the damage our natural world has experienced since the start of the Industrial Revolution. The wisdom of our Native American people about living in balance with nature is essential for creating a brighter future! Now is the time!

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April 15th, 2023

4/15/2023

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   FINDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE!

Listening to the National news daily is stressful and upsetting. There are numerous problems needing realistic solutions to provide a desirable future for American citizens and to strengthen application of the U.S. Constitution and our democratic principles we have given so many lives to establish and support.
Our government institutions were designed to establish realistic rules and regulations that allow our citizens to live together in a free society that works to support equality, freedom and fairness for all. Both the Executive and Legislative branches are elected to assure this goal is achieved and enforced through the rule of law. The other duty of our government is to pool our resources and utilize them to find realistic solutions to complex issues and problems that are beyond the ability of individuals or smaller groups to solve. Working together to achieve these two major responsibilities are the basis for a free Democratic society, which we have spent over 250 years building. Thrust for power and complete control, by extremists has destroyed the effectiveness of our political process.
I have spent the past 25 years reflecting on my life’s experiences, empirical observations and searching for information others have published on humanity’s connection to the natural world. I have learned much from studying how our indigenous people relate to nature. It is very different from how dominant society views nature. Earth does not belong to us; we simply have the privilege of living out our lives on this majestic planet. Somehow, we must accept that we are simply one small part of this complex natural world we call nature. Only then will we be able to see and understand what must be done to provide for future generations.
The application of current scientific management principles to our remaining forest covered lands, provides an excellent example of how we are attempting to force nature to meet our greedy demands. We continue to hold on to the belief that forestry is “growing trees as crops”. In other words, it is nothing more than growing corn, wheat, or any other agricultural crop. This definition is responsible for our current goal of a sustained flow of forest products from the remaining forested lands. Management still focuses on what we can take from the forests, rather than the health, vigor and diversity of the remaining forest cover. We believe we are the master of our own destiny, and can demand, manipulate, change and control nature. Somehow, we must change our ways if we expect to experience a brighter future.
Recently, I listened to singer and song writer Carol King, being interviewed on national news. She has taken on the responsibility of challenging present-day management of our public forested lands, and the Forest Service in particular. I commend her for challenging current management of our forest system lands under the management of the U.S. Forest Service, and support the need to establish new management goals. Change is necessary for the future sustenance of life on Earth. Her main goal appears to be to eliminate commercial logging in our public forest lands. True, current management goals focus on timber harvesting. The truth however is, commercial logging is supposed to be simply one of many tools available to carry out management prescriptions for individual forest ecosystems. It is the management goals and prescriptions that require major changes.
With only twenty-seven percent of Earth’s Forest covering remaining and eighty percent of all known living species requiring trees and forests for survival, we must focus on the condition of the remaining forest ecosystems. The remaining forested lands must be kept healthy and vigorous so can continue to provide the essential elements that support life on our planet. Maintaining the diversity of our initial forest ecosystems is vital to the sustenance of life on Earth. Diversity was designed into the creation of life systems on Earth and life cannot continue without it. Science now realize that climatic conditions are affected by forest cover almost as much as the burning of fossil fuels. The life sustaining elements we require from the natural world include; the cooling effect of shade provided by forests, the purification of water provided by trees, the production of oxygen, the cycling of water into the atmosphere which returns to earth as rain and snow, the prevention of soil erosion, the storage of poisonous carbon dioxide and the ruff surface that reduces wind velocity.
Yes, change is a necessity! It will necessitate changing management goals and strategies, and identifying the tools available for implementing proper management strategies. Timber harvesting is not a goal, but rather a tool. Clear-cutting, designed to maximize wood fiber production per acre, must be returned to the tool box and used only when it is the best treatment for the ecosystem. Even-aged management utilizing clear-cutting, is the major reason we are losing the natural diversity of our original forest cover. We have got to keep the forest communities healthy and vigorous so they can function at optimal levels to provide the essential elements required for life. Preparing prescription for the individual forest communities must replace management actions applied to watersheds, valleys or mountainsides. This demands the ability to read the land and recognize the unique site conditions that determine vegetation species for the site. It means relying on natural regeneration provided by the mother trees, in order to maintain the original diversity of the community. It means copying nature’s way! Change demands, strong leadership and the courage to make a difference!
The next chapter will continue this discussion.

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March 11th, 2023

3/11/2023

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RISING SEA LEVELS

SINCE 1880 SEA AND OCEAN LEVELS HAVE RISEN 9 INCHES AND WATER QUALITY HAS DECLINED AND BECOME A SERIOUS ISSUE. GLOBAL WARMING IS CREATING SERIOUS FRESH WATER SHORTAGES WORLDWIDE AND DROUGHT CONDITIONS ARE DESTROYING AGRICULTURAL CROPS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. BURNING FOSSIL FUELS AND DEFORESTATION ARE THE TWO MAIN CAUSES FOR GLOBAL WARMING. FOSSIL FUEL CONSUMPTION RELEASES HEAT-TRAPPING GREEN HOUSE GASES INTO THE ATMOSPHERE PREVENTING THE HEAT GENERATED ON EARTH FROM ESCAPING. OCEANS AND OTHER WATER SUPPLIES THEN ABSORB THE MAJORITY OF THIS HEAT. WHEN WATER TEMPERATURES INCREASE THE WATER EXPANDS AND HIGHER TEMPERATURES UPSET SEA, LAKE AND RIVER ECOSYSTEMS. AS GLOBAL WARMING CONTINUES, ICE SHIELDS AND PERMA FROST ARE MELTING FASTER THAN THEY CAN BE RESTORED BY COLD WINTER TEMPERATURES. RECENT SCIENTIFIC STUDIES PREDICT WE COULD EXPERIENCE INCREASED SEA LEVELS OF 1.5 TO 5 FEET BY THE END OF THIS CENTURY. UNITED STATES AGENCY’S ARE PREFORMING CONTINUOUS MONITORING AND ASSESSMENTS OF SEA LEVELS, BUT LITTLE IS BEING DONE TO SLOW THE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS THAT ARE CAUSING THE PROBLEM.
SO, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO? UNTIL WE ACCEPT THE FACT THAT HUMAN DEMANDS FOR EARTH’S RESOURCES AND THE EXPANSION OF OUR WORLDWIDE POPULATION, ARE THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF THE CLIMATIC CHANGES WE ARE EXPERIENCING, THE PROBLEMS WILL CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE. JUST YESTERDAY, I HEARD A POLITICAL CANDIDATE SUGGESTING WE HAVE SO MANY TREES THAT WE HAVE NO HUMAN CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH CLIMATE CHANGE. HE OBVIOUSLY WAS IGNORANT OF THE FACTS AND SHOULD NOT BE SEEKING A LEADERSHIP POSITION WHICH WILL REQUIRE AN INDEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE PARTY HE REPRESENTS AGREE. MAYBE IT IS THE NECESSITY OF PROTECTING THE WEALTHY DONATORS THAT PROVIDE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES REQUIRED TO COMPETE IN POLITICAL RACES. WHAT EVER THE REASON, FAILURE TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES REQUIRED TO REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING AND OTHER DEVASTATING ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES, WILL INCREASE AND THREATEN LIFE ON EARTH.
RAISING SEA AND OCEAN LEVELS IS JUST ONE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WE MUST ADDRESS. INCREASED STORM FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY, INCREASED WILDFIRE INTENSITY AND MAGNITUDE, LOSS OF HABITATS, NON-FUNCTIONING ECOSYSTEMS, SPECIES EXTINCTION, SOIL AND BANK EROSION, RISING CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS IN THE ATMOSPHERE, POLLUTED WATER SUPPLIES AND AVAILABILITY OF FRESH WATER SUPPLIES; ARE ALL IN NEED OF SERIOUS MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS. YES, WE HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS TO ADDRESS, BUT UNTIL WE ACCEPT THE TRUTH, LITTLE WILL HAPPEN TO ENSURE FUTURE LIFE ON EARTH. AS LONG AS WE IGNORE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES MANKIND HAS EVER FACED, WE WILL NEVER FIND THE ENERGY AND RESOURCES REQUIRED TO SOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT ARE ACTUALLY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
FAILURE TO ACT WILL BRING DEVASTATING CLIMATIC CHANGES, MAJOR FLOODING, EROSION, SPECIES EXTINCTION AND FOOD SHORTAGES. THE SEA LEVEL RISE HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED JUST SINCE 1993. IN JUST 30 YEARS, WE CAN EXPECT AT LEAST A 10 TO 12 INCH RISE WHICH WILL CAUSE A PROFOUND SHIFT IN COASTAL FLOODING. THIS WILL CAUSE TIDE AND STORM SURGES TO INCREASE AND REACH FURTHER INLAND. SCIENTISTS PREDICT THAT BY THE END OF THIS CENTURY 12 TO 13 PERCENT OF HOMES IN FLORIDA WILL BE FLOODED OUT. ALASKAN VILLAGES BUILD IN COASTAL AREAS ARE ALREADY HAVING TO MOVE HOMES AND OTHER STRUCTURES FURTHER INLAND DUE TO BEACH EROSION. SEVERAL LARGE CITIES IN INDIA COULD EXPERIENCE INUNDATING FLOODING BY 2030. THE EAST COAST CITIES OF THE UNITED STATES; LIKE NEW YORK, CAMBRIDGE, MIAMI, POMPANO BEACH, NORFOLK AND HAMPTON, WILL EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT FLOODING PROBLEMS BY 2050. COASTAL CITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WILL BE THREATENED BY DEVASTATING FLOODS DURING THE NEXT 50 YEARS.
IF THESE FACTS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO CALL US TO ACTION, THERE MAY BE NO HOPE! I HAVE STATED TIME AND AGAIN, THE TWO MAJOR ISSUES CAUSING THESE CLIMATIC CHANGES ARE POPULATION EXPANSION AND DEFORESTATION. WE MUST GET CONTROL OF GREEN HOUSE GASES BEING RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE! WE MUST MANAGE OUR REMAINING FOREST LANDS TO OPTIMIZE THE LIFE-SUSTAINING ELEMENTS THEY PROVIDE! WE MUST CONSTRAIN THE AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE BEING RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE BY WILDFIRES, MANAGEMENT BURNS, DECAYING OLD GROWTH AND DESTRUCTION OF FOREST BIO-DIVERSITY! WE MUST KEEP OUR FORESTED LANDS HEALTHY AND VIBRANT, SO THE TRANSPIRATION PROCESS CONTINUES TO SUPPLY AMBLE RAINS TO OUR AGRICULTURAL LANDS! OUR CURRENT COURSE OF MANAGEMENT WILL NOT PROVIDE FOR OUR DESIRED FUTURE! IT IS HUMANITY’S GREEDY DEMANDS THAT HAVE COMPROMISED THE NATURAL WORLD. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO JOIN HANDS WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD, AND LEAD IN RESTORING WHAT WE HAVE DESTROYED. NATURE NEEDS HELP!! BE CAREFUL WHO YOU SELECT TO REPRESENT YOU IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS! WE NEED LEADERS THAT SEE THE TRUTH AND THE INTEGRITY TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE! WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO PRETEND TO BE IGNORANT OF THE FACTS. THE TRUTH IS STARING US IN THE FACE, AND SCREAMING FOR HELP!

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January 05th, 2023

1/5/2023

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LIFESTYLES FOR THE FUTURE!

With the start of a new year, I am troubled with the fact that so little has been done to alert the public to the damage that has been done to the natural world, and what means to humanity’s future. Climate denier’s, many of our Politicians and turmoil in our religious institutions; have me questioning why people seem to lack concern that we are rapidly destroying Earth’s ability to sustain human life. I have spent years researching and studying the work of the few scientists and scholars that have been attempting to alert us to the truth about the conditions and limits of Earth. Apparently, people are unwilling to accept the fact that we are rapidly approaching the carrying-capacity of our planet and unacceptable changes in living conditions are already occurring. These changes are primarily occurring on the outer fringes of our world population where life has always been challenging. With just a little effort, you can find documentation of how rising sea levels are flooding crop lands, increased temperatures are causing drought conditions resulting in the destruction of food crops, the artic tundra is melting releasing large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere and causing the loss of food sources for reindeer grazing and the list of adverse impacts continues to expand. The people directly affected are screaming for help, but we don’t hear! People living in these fringe areas tend to be invisible, so we ignore the facts as long as our needs are met. We must realize these devastating impacts start with the challenged and poor, but eventually reach the entire world population. In the end, the effluent and elite simply suffer for a longer period of time, but still experience the same devastating ending.
I guess people are so focused on everyday living issues, they just don’t see or care about the rapidly changing condition of our natural world and what it means to humanity’s future. We have also been conditioned to believe advanced technology will provide for our future needs. The truth is we are observing species extinction almost daily as a result of ecosystem destruction. We are also being alerted to significant climatic changes that are occurring worldwide, and food shortages are expected to increase in the near future.
I recently read a brief statement from a young scientist about her interest in expanding studies on sustainability. I responded with a question of “sustainability of what”. I have observed several studies on sustainability which tend to focus on a sustained flow of products and renewable resources from the planet. I was once asked to review a research proposal which was recommending an experiment to fertilize a section of the ocean to provide an increased sustainable flow of fish and other sea food. Imagine the impact of dumping tons of artificial nutrients into the sea along with the tons of chemical fertilizers that are washing into the seas from surrounding land uses. This was another example of humanity’s belief that we can control and improve on creation! When will we realize our advancements in technology are destroying the natural world, not improving it! We simply cannot continue the current affluent life style our developed countries enjoy without triggering disastrous consequences for humanity. Learning how to live and reducing our destructive impact on nature will require adjusting to major decreases in our demand for energy, natural resources, and food.
I am encouraged that some people are concerned about sustainability, but our focus must be on sustainability of our remaining natural world. Continued efforts to provide a sustainable flow of products and resources from the land will result in disastrous consequences and accelerate species extinction, including humans.
I have presented the fact earlier, that we cannot survive without trees and forests. It is the life sustaining elements provided by nature that must be sustained! The future of mankind is dependent upon forest and ocean conditions, controlled land development, reduced deforestation, reduction of toxic chemical usage, reducing climatic changes and adjusting our life-style demands.
We need these young scientists to study and find solutions to saving our remaining natural world. We do not control Earth or our own destiny, for we are only one small part of the “circle-of-life”. A desirable future requires us to understand the multitude of relationships provided by the natural world, and refocus our attention on sustaining NATURE! The next generation is depending on us!
Mankind was placed in the Garden of Eden (paradise), and we have done our best to dominate, conquer and control Earth ever since we arrived! The truth is we were directed to care for and nurture the Land, not DOMINATE and CONTROL it! Our so called “advanced intelligence” is taking us in the wrong direction! Humans are simply a part of NATURE and nature requires help! I hope 2023 intensifies our concern for humanity’s future and alerts us to the necessity of involvement and action!

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December 04th, 2022

12/4/2022

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                                                              INFLUENCING THE FUTURE

I just sat down to draft a new article on my website, when I received an email from Ruth, a friend in New Mexico. It was a notification of Fred’s passing. The Wilson’s were very special people that have influenced our lives in many ways. When Fred and I first met I became aware of the interest we shared in trees, forests and the natural world. We spent five months, the first winter, living adjacent to each other in an RV park, sharing many hours discussing our common interests. Fred was an accomplished musician, composer, educator and an inspiration of how a person, from a very poor back-ground, can achieve outstanding success. Fred’s book, “An American Tragedy as Seen Through the Eyes of a Little Black Boy” tells his life story. Ruth is a nationally recognized consultant in environmental education, and has significantly influenced the field of education through her work. Whenever I occasionally question why it is so difficult to reach people and to get them to appreciate the importance of the natural world in sustaining life on Earth, I think of Fred and his achievements. It provides the encouragement to keep going. Somehow, we must reach the people and redirect our current destruction of the natural world to the caring for and nurturing of our planet and what remains of the natural world.
Ruth has significantly expanded my knowledge of the detailed dependence humans have for forests and trees. She has written several books, developed environmental education curriculum's for public schools and advised national children’s TV programs on environmental presentations. Fred was a strong supporter of Ruth’s work and the contribution she has made to our youth. It has been a real privilege to share a friendship with them.
The example the Wilson’s have set, has encouraged me to continue my efforts to present the facts about what is happening to nature. Empirical observations during my career as a forest scientist, continued study and people like the Wilson’s have provided the incentive to reach out to others with the truth about our current natural world. We have discovered almost ten million different species of life on Earth and science tells us that at least 80% of these species require trees to sustain life. Today, only 26% of the original forested lands remain. We are continuing to deforest our remaining tree covered lands at the rate of twenty football fields every minute worldwide. Yes, we continue to plant new trees where possible, but plantations are void of the diversity found in natural stands of trees. Science is learning more about trees daily, how mother trees identify and communicate with their offspring, how trees communicate with each other and different species, and how trees share and support each other during stressful times. This is all good, but we need to understand more about the relationship’s humanity shares with trees. We need to start introducing our elementary students to ecological principles and to require our scientists to develop a strong ecological foundation prior to specializing in individual scientific areas.
It is my hope that 2023 will awaken the world to the necessity of changing our demanding way of life and manage the remaining natural world for future generations. People like the Wilson’s have been setting the example for some time, it is time for us to become actively involved!

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November 13th, 2022

11/13/2022

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                                               OUR INEVITABLE FUTURE!

The indigenous people of the world lived as a part of nature and developed the principles of life based upon the relations and connections, they depended upon from the natural world around them. This closeness to nature provided the in-depth wisdom of the complex inter-relationships between life systems that literally, millions of different organisms or species share. Sharing the wisdom of nature from one generation to the next, has allowed these people to co-exist in challenging environments for thousands of years. They recognize that trees and humans evolved and thrived with forests. We will always be creatures of the forests.
The Koyokon, the S’ami, the Naganasan and the Anishinabee are just a few of the countless indigenous people whose worldview attest to our fundamental reliance on the forest. Our so called advanced western society, has alienated ourselves from nature and lost our appreciation for the elements that sustain life, including the human species. Our arrogant intelligence has us believing we are the masters of Earth and our own destiny. Unfortunately, the intricacies and complexities of nature are ignored except by a few science-minded individuals. The fundamental focus for affluent ways of life and to Western minds, are founded on progress, peace, democracy and economic growth. We use the Gross National Product (GDP) to measure success rather than the wellness of the people. Capitalism not only alienates and commodifies nature into products and changes people into consumers, it alienates and commodifies many modern-day societies. Our long history of co-evolution with forests has a much longer history then does capitalism, and the ending has not been written yet!
We must begin with the recognition of human’s reliance on natural processes, and acknowledge the awesome responsibility that rests on the shoulders of mankind. We are not born indifferent from our surroundings! If we look to the fragile borders where human life exists, we get a glimpse of what the future may be like. Before the end of the twenty-first century, we will experience a wave of extinctions, trees will leap north, the tundra and Attic ice will disappear, ocean level will rise and cities will flood.
We need to initiate new educational programs to prepare our youth for what is to come. Re-connection to nature will only come when nature itself is the classroom. More than any previous generation, the lives of today’s children will depend upon in-depth knowledge of ecological principles and changes in the nonhuman world. Observation and curiosity are the natural but radical prerequisites for a new relationship with Earth! If we hope to be part of the group of species that co-evolve to survive the inevitable coming changes, we must revive the essential understanding of other living things. Constructing an ecological foundation, within our students, is the only solution. This will be a challenge as our world population continues its shift from rural to urban living. Our indigenous people’s recognition of mankind’s strategic ecology will soon be a primary element in national security and community survival. The forest is a never-ending experiment in co-evolution, and we need help in understanding the complex relationships forests provide for life-systems on planet Earth.
Author, Ben Rawlence suggests, “It has always been the case that life is a moral endeavor, the very act of living a legacy. To look at the forest through the eyes of our indigenous people is to see a world of multiple selves and souls communicating with each other. The leaf talks to the wind, the flower talks to the bee, the roots talk to the fungi – the world is a chaotic, noisy place! When we step into the forest, we are making the world with our bodies, with our feet, our eyes, our breath, our imaginations. A million randomized branching futures are possible”. We must prepare our youth for the future through education and facts, without frightening them, for we are the stewards, still charged with caring for and nurturing the land. The fact is that every move you make, no matter how large or small, matters. When a pebble falls in a pond of water it creates concentric waves that expand until they cover the entire pond. You too can make a difference! Your future, and mine, depend upon our willingness to care and respond!

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October 26th, 2022

10/26/2022

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FOREST ECOSYSTEMS AND HUMAN COMMUNITIES

MY INTEREST IN THE NEED TO RECOGNIZE FOREST COMMUNITIES (ECOSYSTEMS), STARTED IN 1963, WHEN I WAS ASSIGNED TO AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT RANGER POSITION ON THE MARK TWAIN NATIONAL FOREST IN SOUTHERN MISSOURI. IT WAS CLEAR THAT MY MAJOR CHALLENGE WAS TO ASSURE THE DISTRICT MET ASSIGNED ANNUAL TIMBER SALE TARGETS. THE PREVIOUS PERSON ASSIGNED TO THE POSITION, HAD BEEN UNABLE TO MEET ASSIGNED TARGETS WITH THE AVAILABLE BUDGET. HE DECIDED TO SHORT CUT THE PROCESS BY PREPARING ONLY PART OF THE PROJECT AREA BEFORE OFFERING THE ENTIRE UNIT FOR SALE. THIS MEANT WE HAD TO COMPLETE THE CURRENT YEARS WORK PROGRAM PLUS FINISH PAST YEARS UNCOMPLETED WORK, AND REMAIN WITHIN BUDGET. THE UNCOMPLETED WORK LOAD RESULTED IN LITTLE TIME TO PROPERLY PREPARE MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS TO PRIORITIZE FUTURE TREATMENT NEEDS.
I WAS DETERMINED TO COMPLETE ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMS AND ELIMINATE THE BACK-LOG OF UNCOMPLETED WORK. IT SEEMED THE BEST APPROACH WOULD BE TO DEVELOP A VEGETATION INVENTORY OF THE INDIVIDUAL STANDS, SO WE COULD RELY UPON ACCURATE DATA TO SELECT AND PREPARE MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR THE STANDS NEEDING TREATMENT TO IMPROVE VEGETATIVE HEALTH. WE MANAGED TO ELIMINATE THE BACK-LOG IN THE FIRST YEAR, AND BEGIN THE INVENTORY PROCESS. BY THE END OF THE SECOND YEAR, WE HAD FINISHED A PERSONAL VISIT TO EACH INDIVIDUAL STAND ON A TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND ACRE RANGER DISTRICT, A DISTRICT STAND MAP AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM FOR THE DATA.
THERE IS MUCH MORE DETAIL TO THE PROJECT, BUT IT IS SUFFICE TO SAY, THIS EFFORT FORMED THE BASIS FOR MY INTEREST IN UNDERSTANDING FOREST COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS. IN LATER YEARS, I RETURNED TO MY INTEREST IN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS AND FOUND IT DESIRABLE TO CHANGE THE TERMINOLOGY FROM TIMBER STANDS TO FOREST COMMUNITIES.
IN 1965, I ACCEPTED A NEW ASSIGNMENT TO A DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF WORK PROGRAM AT A JOB CORP CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CENTER. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDED WORK AND EDUCATION SKILLS FOR UNDER-PRIVILEGED YOUNG MEN 16 TO 21 YEARS OF AGE. THE REMAINDER OF MY CAREER, PRIMARILY, INVOLVED MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENTS. I FOUND LITTLE TIME TO FOCUS ON MY INTEREST IN STUDYING FOREST COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS. RETIREMENT PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO MY EARLIER INTERESTS AND INTENSIFIED MY CONCERNS FOR THE CONTINUED FORESTRY SCIENCE FOCUS ON GROWING TREES AS CROPS.
FOR THE PAST TWENTY YEARS, I HAVE BEEN ANALYZING MY EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS, ALONG WITH IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE SCIENTISTS, EDUCATORS, THEOLOGIANS AND INDIGENOUS LEADERS. WITH THE INCREASED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT FOREST ECOSYSTEMS, I BEGAN TO REALIZE THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN FUNCTIONING FOREST ECOSYSTEMS AND HUMAN COMMUNITIES. I MUCH PREFER USING COMMUNITIES INSTEAD OF ECOSYSTEMS, AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC TENDS TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT BETTER. I BEGAN WRITING ABOUT THE CONNECTIONS AND DEPENDENCY WE HAVE ON THE NATURAL WORLD. THE ABILITY OF TREES TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER AND TO SHARE WATER AND NUTRIENTS WITH OTHER PLANTS WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM, INTRIGUED ME.
I JUST FINISHED READING A BOOK ENTITLED, “FINDING THE MOTHER TREE”, BY SUZANNE SIMARD, FOREST ECOLOGIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE END OF THE BOOK THAT I FULLY REALIZED HER DEFINITION OF THE MOTHER TREE. PROFESSOR SIMARD’S RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS PROVIDES STRONG SUPPORT FOR MY CONCLUSION, THAT UNDERSTANDING FOREST ECOSYSTEMS COMPLEXITIES HAS LOGICAL SIMILARITIES TO HUMAN ECOSYSTEMS OR COMMUNITIES.
THE AUTHOR’S FAMILY BACKGROUND WAS IN THE TIMBER HARVESTING BUSINESS, WHICH INFLUENCED HER INTEREST IN THE MANAGEMENT OF FORESTED LANDS. HER FIRST RESEARCH PROJECTS REVEALED THE CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PLANTS AND TREES IN THE UNSEEN UNDERGROUND WORLD. THE STUDIES REVEALED THAT NUMEROUS SPECIES OF MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI EXIST WITHIN THE SOILS AND THAT THESE FUNGI INTERACT WITH TREES AND OTHER PLANTS. THERE ARE MILLIONS OF MILES OF MYCELIUM CONNECTING THE ROOTS OF TREES AND PLANTS IN A SYMBIOTIC ASSOCIATION KNOWN AS MYCORRHIZA, FORMING A COMMUNICATION NETWORK BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT PLANT SPECIES. THIS AIDS THE TREE IN ABSORBING MOISTURE AND NUTRIENTS FROM THE SOIL AND PROVIDES FOOD AND SUGARS FOR THE FUNGI. THIS UNDERGROUND NETWORK PROVIDES A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WHICH ALLOWS TREES TO NURTURE THEIR OFF-SPRING AND TO HELP SUPPORT THE WELLNESS OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. EVEN WHEN THE PARENT TREE WAS IN A DYING STATE, IT WAS PASSING ITS STORED NITROGEN AND NUTRIENTS TO IT’S OFF-SPRING TO AID IN THEIR HEALTH AND GROWTH. PROFESSOR SIMARD DISCOVERED THE NEUROTRANSMITTERS WITHIN THE TREE ROOTS, WHICH WERE VERY SIMILAR THE NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN THE HUMAN BRAIN AND HEART. THESE NEUROTRANSMITTERS ALLOWED THE MOTHER TREE TO PASS ON WISDOM TO HER YOUNG AND ASSIST THEM IN ADJUSTING TO SEASONAL CHANGES, CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND OTHER LIFE IMPACTING EVENTS.
PROFESSOR SIMARD’S DEDICATION TO HER PROFESSION WAS PARAMOUNT, TO THE POINT IT RESULTED IN PROBLEMS IN HER FAMILY RELATIONS. HER WORK REQUIRED LIVING SEVERAL HOURS DRIVE FROM HER HUSBAND AND CHILDREN DURING THE WEEK. AFTER EXPERIENCING THE SEPARATION OF HER MARRIAGE AND A SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUE, SHE BEGAN TO RELATE TO THE DEDICATION OF TREES TO THEIR YOUNG SEEDLINGS AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. THIS TRIGGERED A REVIEW OF HER FAMILY RELATIONS, CONCERN FOR HER TWO DAUGHTERS AND THE DESIRE FOR CLOSER FAMILY CONNECTIONS. CONSEQUENTLY, THE STORY OF FINDING THE MOTHER TREE, BROUGHT TO LIGHT THE SIMILARITIES TO HUMAN COMMUNITIES AND THE MOTHERLY RESPONSIBILITIES AND INSTINCTS FOUND THROUGHOUT NATURAL LIFE SYSTEMS.
SIMARD’S FINDINGS OF THE COMPLEX FUNCTIONING OF A FOREST ECOSYSTEM AND ITS SIMILARITIES TO A HUMAN COMMUNITY, VALIDATES MY PRESENTATION OF THE FACTS CONTAINED WITHIN MY BOOK, “HUMANITY’S CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD”. IT JUSTIFIES HOW A FOREST SCIENTIST, STUDYING FOREST ECOSYSTEMS, CAN RELATE TO THE HUMAN WORLD WE LIVE IN? IT IS NOT THE SCIENCE THAT WE RELY UPON, BUT THE ECOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEX FUNCTIONING OF ECOSYSTEMS THAT PROVIDES THE WISDOM FOR OUR FUTURE. IT IS AN ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATION, THAT DISCLOSES THE TOTAL CONSEQUENCES OF OUR ACTIONS, THAT ALLOW US TO MAKE REALISTIC DECISIONS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. UNDERSTANDING HOW EARTH SYSTEMS WERE DESIGNED, CREATED AND FUNCTION IS REQUIRED IF WE INTEND TO PROLONG HUMAN LIFE ON PLANET EARTH! MANAGEMENT OF OUR REMAINING FORESTED PUBLIC LANDS MUST STEP INTO A NEW ERA, WITH NEW KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION AND GOALS. IT REQUIRES ABANDONMENT OF GROWING TREES AS CROPS, AND CONVERTING TO MANAGEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL FOREST ECOSYSTEMS. I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF SCIENTIST AND ECOLOGISTS LIKE SUZANNE SIMARD, BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH. THE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW EARTH SYSTEMS FUNCTION MUST BE INGRAINED IN OUR POLITICAL, CORPORATE, ACADEMIC AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS. THERE ARE NO SPECIES THAT CAN SURVIVE ON THEIR OWN. IT IS THE INTER-CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS DESIGNED INTO THE CREATION OF LIFE SYSTEMS, THAT SUSTAIN LIFE ON EARTH. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ALMOST TEN MILLION DIFFERENT SPECIES ON OUR PLANET, SCIENCE SUGGESTS THERE MAY BE AS MANY AS ANOTHER FIFTY MILLION YET TO BE DISCOVERED. MANKIND’S GREEDY DEMANDS HAVE ALREADY RESULTED IN THE EXTERMINATION OF SEVERAL THOUSAND SPECIES, AND THE LOSSES ARE CONTINUING. SCIENCE PROJECTS WE CAN EXPECT THE LOSS OF 25,000 SPECIES TO EXTINCTION OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS. COULD THE HUMAN SPECIES BE INCLUDED?
THE ANSWER DEPENDS ON YOU AND ME! OUR DISCONNECTEDNESS AND LOST UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEXITY OF HOW NATURE FUNCTIONS, IS ALIENATING US FROM THE NATURAL WORLD. WE POSSES THE WISDOM TO REVERSE THE DAMAGE FROM HUMAN GREED. OUR FUTURE WILL DEPEND UPON OUR WILLINGNESS TO UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THE INTELLIGENCE OF NATURE!

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October 15th, 2022

10/15/2022

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THE EFFECT FORESTS HAVE ON CLIMATE

FORESTS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE BY STORING LARGE VOLUMES OF CARBON DIOXIDE. THEY ARE SECOND ONLY TO THE OCEANS IN SERVING AS GLOBAL STOREHOUSES OF CARBON, BUT IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS ADD CARBON BACK INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. LARGE WILDFIRES PRODUCE A RAPID RELEASE OF CARBON, AND THE DECAY OF DEAD WOOD FIBER RELEASES CARBON AT A SLOW RATE. WE ARE ALL SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH THE PHOTOSYNTHESIS PROCESS, WHERE THE PLANT ABSORBS CARBON DIOXIDE AND THEN MIXES IT WITH WATER AND MINERALS TO FORM A SUGAR SOLUTION NEEDED TO FEED THE PLANT. THE PROCESS TAKES IN A LITTLE OVER ONE POUND OF CARBON TO PRODUCE A POUND OF WOOD FIBER AND THEN RELEASES 1.47 POUNDS OF OXYGEN BACK INTO THE ATMOSPHERE, ALONG WITH MINOR AMOUNTS OF OTHER GREENHOUSE GASES. IN REALITY, ONE TREE PRODUCES ENOUGH OXYGEN IN TWELVE MONTHS TO KEEP TWO HUMANS ALIVE FOR A FULL YEAR. WITH CARBON DIOXIDE BEING A POISONOUS GAS, THE MAIN CONTRIBUTION TREES MAKE IS THE GLOBAL STORAGE OF THIS GAS. THE TROPICAL FORESTS ABSORB ALMOST 2 GIGATONS OF CARBON EVERY YEAR. SCIENCE ESTIMATES THAT IF WE COULD RESTORE A SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF THE FORESTS THAT HAVE BEEN DESTROYED, IT WOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF ABSORBING UP TO A THIRD OF THE GREENHOUSE GASES CURRENTLY BEING EMITTED WORLDWIDE.
THE PROBLEM WITH FOREST RESTORATION IS THE USE OF OUTDATED MANAGEMENT METHODS. OUR FIRST GOAL HAS TO BE REDUCING THE RATE OF DEFORESTATION THAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING. TODAY, WE ARE DEFORESTING THE EQUIVALENT OF 20 FOOTBALL FIELDS EVERY MINUTE WORLDWIDE, WHICH IS AN AREA THE SIZE OF PORTUGAL EVERY YEAR. THE REASONS FOR THE LOSS OF FOREST COVER IS THE NEED FOR CLEARED LAND FOR OTHER USES SUCH AS URBANIZATION, SHIFTING AGRICULTURAL NEEDS AND WOOD PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS. THE CLEARING OF 14,500 SQUARE MILES OF FORESTED LANDS EVERY YEAR WILL BE DIFFICULT TO SLOW, BUT SLOW WE MUST! OUR RAPIDLY EXPANDING WORLD POPULATION WILL REQUIRE MORE CLEARED LAND SPACE FOR FOOD, SHELTER AND SERVICES IN THE FUTURE.
THERE IS ONLY ONE SOLUTION, WHICH IS TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENT FUNCTIONING OF OUR REMAINING FORESTS. WITH THE MAJORITY OF LIVING ORGANISMS DEPENDING ON THE ELEMENTS PROVIDED BY FORESTS AND TREES, WE MUST INTENSIFY THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR REMAINING FORESTS WITH NEW MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES THAT FOCUS ON THE HEALTH, VIGOR AND DIVERSITY; NOT WHAT WE CAN TAKE FROM FORESTS.
THE QUESTION REMAINS AS TO WHAT MUST WE DO TO HELP SLOW THE CHANGING CLIMATIC CONDITIONS ADVERSELY EFFECTING LIVE ON EARTH? BY KEEPING OUR FOREST HEALTHY AND VIGOROUS WE INCREASE THEIR STORAGE CAPACITY OF CARBON. REDUCING THE FUEL BUILDUP OF DEAD AND DYING VEGETATION AND TREATING INDIVIDUAL FOREST COMMUNITIES OR ECOSYSTEMS WILL REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES, DISEASE AND INSECT INFESTATIONS.
MANAGEMENT ACTIONS MUST SUPPORT THE TRANSPIRATION PROCESS BY MAINTAINING TREE COVER SHADE AND KEEPING THE TREES HEALTHY. THE TREES DURING LEAF-ON PERIODS PROVIDE COOLING SHADE, BUT ALSO RETURN VAST QUANTITIES OF WATER BACK TO THE ATMOSPHERE WHERE IT FORMS CLOUDS THAT PREVENT HEAT FROM REACHING EARTH’S SURFACE. TREES ABSORB LARGE QUANTITIES OF WATER USE 3% OF IT, AND EVAPORATING THE REMAINING 97% INTO THE ATMOSPHERE TO FORMING CLOUDS AND MUCH NEEDED RAIN. TREE COVER IS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE PERIODIC RAINS ON EARTH AND THE PREVENTION OR REDUCTION OF DROUTH CONDITIONS. CLEAR-CUTTING LARGE AREAS OF TREES EXPOSES THE SURFACE TO SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN HEAT AS WELL AS RELEASING LARGE VOLUMES OF GREENHOUSE GASES BACK INTO TO ATMOSPHERE. CLEAR-CUTTING MUST BE PUT BACK IN THE TOOL BOX AND SELDOM USED!
FOREST COVER PRESENTS A ROUGH SURFACE WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCES WIND VELOCITY AND CAN EVEN EFFECT WIND DIRECTION. THIS HELPS REDUCE THE SEVERE HIGH WIND STORM DAMAGE, SOIL EROSION AND EVAPORATION OF SURFACE WATER SOURCES. WE MUST ALSO BE AWARE THAT FOREST COVERED LANDS HAVE A DARK SURFACE WHICH TENDS TO ABSORB MORE HEAT AND ENERGY THEN LIGHT-COLORED SURFACES. THIS IS CALLED THE ALBETO PROCESS AND CAUSES SOME INCREASE IN SURFACE TEMPERATURES. THIS PROCESS AMPLIFIES THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEX FUNCTIONING OF NATURES’ WAY.
THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT FORESTS HAVE A STRONG INFLUENCE ON CLIMATE. THEY SERVE AS STORE HOUSES FOR MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF CARBON, PROVIDE AIR-CONDITIONING FOR EARTH, ARE BARRIERS AGAINST WIND VELOCITIES AND ARE THE WORLD MAJOR WATER PUMP. THE BENEFICIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FORESTS MAKE FAR OUT WEIGHT THE LIMITED AMOUNTS OF GREEN HOUSE GASES THAT ENTER THE ATMOSPHERE THOUGH THE TRANSPIRATION PROCESS. OUR FUTURE DEPENDS UPON LIMITING DEFORESTATION AND DEGRADATION OF OUR REMAINING FORESTED LANDS!
WHAT TYPE OF MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES WE APPLY TO OUR REMAINING VALUABLE FORESTS IS CRUCIAL. ONCE WE ACCEPT THAT WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF NATURE’S WAY, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MANAGEMENT ACTIONS WE CAN INITIATE? WITH OVER 70% OF OUR ORIGINAL FORESTED LANDS GONE, WE MUST LIMIT FURTHER CLEARING OF FOREST COVERED LANDS. THE DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY MASSIVE WILDFIRES MUST BE REDUCED. WE CANNOT ELIMINATE WILDFIRES, BUT A MAJOR FOCUS ON TREATING FOREST COMMUNITIES OR ECOSYSTEMS, WILL IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN FOREST BIO-DIVERSITY WHILE REDUCING THE MAGNITUDE AND INTENSITY OF FUTURE WILDFIRES. DIVERSITY IS IMPROVED BY TREATING INDIVIDUAL FOREST COMMUNITIES OR ECOSYSTEMS, RATHER THAN LARGE TIMBER HARVESTING PROJECTS THAT IGNORE THE UNIQUE NATURALLY OCCURRING COMMUNITIES. THE EXPANDING WORLD POPULATION WILL ALSO REQUIRE FURTHER CLEARING OF FORESTED AREAS TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED DEVELOPMENTS FOR HOUSING. IT WILL NOT BR EASY, BUT MUST BE DONE!
EVEN-AGED MANAGEMENT, USING CLEAR-CUTTING TECHNIQUES, IS DESIGNED TO MAXIMIZE WOOD FIBER PRODUCTION. REMOVING ALL TREES DOES REFLECT MORE HEAT, BUT THE REMAINING VOLUME OF FOREST DEBRIS MUST BE BURNED OR ALLOWED TO DECAY, CAUSING THE RELEASE OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF CARBON. USING FIRE AS A MANAGEMENT TOOL RELEASES LARGE QUANTITIES OF CARBON, AND ALL TO FREQUENTLY ESCAPES CONTROL CAUSING PROPERTY DESTRUCTION AND EVEN OCCASIONAL LOSS OF LIFE. RESTORING CLEARED ACREAGE WITH NURSERY GROWN STOCK IS BETTER THAN NO TREES, BUT FOLLOWS AN AGRICULTURAL CONCEPT OF GROWING FOOD CROPS. THE SINGLE AGE SINGLE SPECIES PLANTATIONS TOTALLY DESTROY BIO-DIVERSITY AND SET THE STAGE FOR FUTURE CYCLIC CATASTROPHIC EVENTS, SUCH AS WILDFIRES.
WE MUST INVEST IN OUR REMAINING FORESTS AND NOT RELY ON COMMERCIAL TIMBER HARVESTING FOR THE JUSTIFICATION FOR MANAGEMENT TREATMENTS. THE PROCESS STARTS WITH ASSURING FOREST SCIENTISTS CAN “READ THE LAND” BY ON-SIGHT VISITATION TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES, PLACING MAJOR LIMITATIONS ON THE USE OF CLEAR-CUTTING TECHNIQUES AND A RETURN TO ALL-AGE MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES. IT WILL CREATE MANY JOBS BY HIRING LOCAL CONTRACTORS TO COMPLETE THE ON-THE -GROUND WORKLOAD. PROJECTS WOULD INCLUDE TREE THINNING, DEAD AND DYING TREE REMOVAL, FIREWOOD PRODUCTION AND TREATMENTS FOR INSECT AND DISEASE INFESTATIONS. IT WOULD MEAN RELYING ON THE MOTHER TREES FOR NATURAL REGENERATION, THEREBY IMPROVING THE DIVERSITY OF VEGETATION AGES AND TYPES. CERTAINLY, WE MUST AVOID THE INTRODUCTION OF NON-INDIGENOUS SPECIES AND THEIR ADVERSE IMPACTS ON NATIVE SPECIES.
OUR GOAL MUST BE TO AID IN THE RECOVERY OF THE NATURAL WORLD AND ITS INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEMS, BY COPYING NATURE’S WAY. WE HAVE TAKEN FAR TO LONG, AND EVEN WASTED, THE VALUABLE RESOURCES OF MOTHER EARTH. IT IS TIME TO ASSIST NATURE IN RESTORING ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE ELEMENTS HUMANS REQUIRE FOR THE SUSTENANCE OF LIFE! THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEFORE US! ARE WE WILLING TO MAKE THE REQUIRED ADJUSTMENTS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS?

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September 07th, 2022

9/7/2022

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ECOSYSTEMS AND THE NATURAL WORLD

RETIREMENT YEARS HAVE TAKEN ME ON A JOURNEY IN SEARCH OF A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURAL WORLD AND ITS CURRENT STATUS. THIS JOURNEY WAS TRIGGERED BY CONCERNS AND OBSERVATIONS I EXPERIENCED DURING MY 34 YEARS MANAGING PUBLIC FOREST LANDS. MY CAREER WAS WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOREST SERVICE, CHARGED WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF 193 MILLION ACRES OF FOREST AND RANGE LANDS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. THIS AGENCY WAS ONCE RECOGNIZED AS A WORLD-RENOWNED LEADER IN FOREST MANAGEMENT AND ACTIVELY ASSISTING OTHER COUNTRIES TO DEVELOP FOREST MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. TO THIS DAY, I FEEL PRIVILEGED TO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE BEEN CLOSELY INVOLVED WITH THE NATURAL WORLD.
RETIREMENT PROVIDED TIME TO REFLECT ON THE EXPERIENCES I HAD OBSERVED. I BEGAN TO SEE A PICTURE I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE, WHICH DEVELOPED CONCERNS ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF FORESTRY. I HAD ALWAYS BEEN EAGER TO FIND NEW AND BETTER WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, BUT TRADITIONAL METHODS SEEMED TO WIN OUT MOST OF THE TIME. THIS DIFFERENT PICTURE OF FOREST MANAGEMENT, BEGAN TO DOMINATE MY THOUGHTS AND LED TO A DESIRE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THE NATURAL WORLD FUNCTIONED. FORESTED LANDS MAKE UP A VERY LARGE PART OF THE NATURAL WORLD, AND PREVIOUS AGENCY MANAGEMENT GOALS DID NOT SEEM TO RECOGNIZE THE CRITICAL ROLE FOREST COVERED PLAYED IN SUSTAINING LIFE ON EARTH. AS MY KNOWLEDGE LEVEL INCREASED, SOMETHING KEPT PUSHING ME TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH OTHERS.
I HAVE LONG BEEN CONCERNED THAT LEADERSHIP EXPECTS THE PUBLIC TO HELP SOLVE COMPLEX ISSUES AND PROBLEMS, BUT SELDOM PROVIDE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO INSURE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS. OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS EXPECTS PEOPLE, THROUGH THEIR VOTE, TO PARTICIPATE IN RATIONAL DECISION MAKING WITH EXTREMELY LIMITED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ISSUES AT HAND. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE NATURAL WORLD RESULTING FROM HUMANITY’S DEMAND FOR RESOURCES AND ENERGY, IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE. I FELT COMPELLED TO SHARE WHAT I HAD LEARNED FROM MY EXPERIENCES, OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH. WHY DID SUCH A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE NEARLY 10 MILLION DIFFERENT SPECIES WE HAVE DISCOVERED ON EARTH, REQUIRE FORESTS AND TREES FOR SURVIVAL? WHY WERE WE CLEAR-CUTTING ENTIRE MOUNTAIN SIDES, WHEN FORESTS ARE A MOSAIC OF INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES? WHY WERE WE PLANTING NON-INDIGENOUS TREE SPECIES IN PLANTATION WHICH DESTROYED THE NATURAL BIO-DIVERSITY OF FOREST? THE WHY WAS BECAUSE WE COULD NOT SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES! OUR TOTAL FOCUS WAS ON INCREASING THE PRODUCTION OF RESOURCES RATHER THAN UNDERSTANDING THE CRITICAL ROLE TREES PLAY IN THE SUSTENANCE OF LIFE ON EARTH.
MY FIRST EFFORT WAS A BOOK ENTITLED, TREES OF LIFE-OUR FORESTS IN PERIL. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE WAS TO INTRODUCE THE FACT THAT FORESTS WERE A MOSAIC OF SMALL INDEPENDENT COMMUNITIES, NOT ENTIRE MOUNTAIN SIDES. THESE COMMUNITIES WERE UNIQUE BASED UPON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SITE THE VEGETATION WAS GROWING ON. ALTHOUGH, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE COMMUNITIES OR ECOSYSTEMS MAY BE SUBTLE. THEY ARE IDENTIFIED BY DIFFERENT VEGETATIVE COMPOSITION, ANIMAL SPECIES AND THEIR USE PATTERNS, SOIL TYPES AND CHARACTERISTICS, PLANT PRODUCTIVITY, VEGETATION DENSITY, SLOPE LOCATION AND ASPECT. AN ECOSYSTEM IS A SELF FUNCTIONING COMMUNITY WHERE A VARIETY OF PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES, WORKING TOGETHER, SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE LIFE SYSTEM. WHEN HUMAN DEMANDS CAUSES THE LOSS OF EVEN A SINGLE SPECIES, THE ECOSYSTEM BECOMES UNBALANCED AND LOSSES ITS ABILITY TO SUSTAIN THE ESTABLISHED LIFE SYSTEMS OF THE COMMUNITY.
UNDERSTANDING THAT FORESTS ARE AN AMALGAMATION OF ECOSYSTEMS OR COMMUNITIES, LED TO THE FACT THAT OUR ENTIRE PLANET IS MADE UP OF SELF-FUNCTIONING ECOSYSTEMS, BOTH ON LAND AND WITHIN OUR SEAS. RECENT SCIENTIFIC STUDIES HAVE REVEALED THAT ONLY 3% OF ECOSYSTEMS ON EARTH’S LAND BASE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE INTACT AND FULLY FUNCTIONAL. THE CAUSE OF THIS DEGRADATION IS PRIMARILY THE RESULT OF SPECIES EXTINCTION AND HABITAT LOSS RESULTING FROM HUMAN IMPACTS. ECOSYSTEMS THAT EXPERIENCE SPECIES EXTINCTION EXPERIENCE LOSS OF BALANCE AND DIFFICULTY SUPPORTING THE NUMEROUS REMAINING SPECIES. OVER-HARVESTING, DESTRUCTION OF HABITAT AND POPULATIONS EXCEEDING THE CARRYING-CAPACITY OF THE ECOSYSTEM, ARE SOME OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE AND FAILURE. SCIENCE, ALSO, SUGGESTS THAT IF WE WERE TO MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO RESTORE ECOSYSTEMS, WE WOULD PROBABLY BE LUCKY TO RETURN 20% OF THE OUT-OF-BALANCE ECOSYSTEMS TO FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE. RE-INTRODUCTION OF THE MISSING SPECIES WOULD BE THE MAIN TOOL FOR RESTITUTION. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME SPECIES, PARTICULARLY LARGE MAMMALS, THAT INFLUENCE AND OCCUPY SEVERAL ECOSYSTEMS DUE TO THEIR LARGER HOME RANGE. THEY STILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE BALANCE AND FUNCTIONING OF THE INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEMS.
ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT WHAT DOES IT MATTER? WITHOUT A BASIC APPRECIATION FOR HOW OUR MAGICAL PLANET FUNCTIONS, WE CONTINUE TO DESTROY THE VERY RELATIONSHIPS OUR LIFE-SYSTEMS REQUIRE FOR SUSTENANCE. AS ECOSYSTEMS COLLAPSE AND FAIL, SPECIES EXTINCTION ACCELERATES, INCLUDING HOMO-SAPIENS. THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR REMAINING FORESTED LANDS PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE. CLEAR-CUTTING AND MASSIVE WILDFIRES ARE RAPIDLY DESTROYING NATURAL FOREST ECOSYSTEMS WHICH ARE REQUIRED FOR FUTURE LIFE ON EARTH. ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS, THAT BELIEVE IN THE CONCEPT OF PRESERVATION, HAVE MANAGED TO REDUCE THE TIMBER HARVESTING LEVELS ON NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS BY SIXTY TO SEVENTY PERCENT. THIS MEANS THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN ACRES THAT ARE ACTIVELY MANAGED, AND MORTALITY IN UN-MANAGED STANDS ARE INCREASING THE FUEL LOADS AND WILDFIRE SEVERITY. I AM NOT ADVOCATING TO CUT MORE TIMBER, BUT WE MUST MANAGE MORE ACRES. SILVICULTURAL TREATMENTS DESCRIBE VARIOUS TIMBER HARVESTING PROCEDURES, AND ARE SIMPLE ONE OF MANY PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO MAINTAIN HEALTH, VIGOR, DIVERSITY AND FUEL BUILD UP. SILVICULTURAL TREATMENTS MUST BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ANY VEGETATIVE MANAGEMENT REGARDLESS OF ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY. THE PAST 20 YEARS HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE AS A TOOL TO TREAT FOREST COVER, BY THE U. S. FOREST SERVICE. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE HAS BEEN FAR TOO MANY MISTAKES THAT HAVE RESULTED IN DESTRUCTION OF ECOSYSTEMS, PERSONAL PROPERTY AND LOSS OF LIFE. I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THIS TOOLS HAS LIMITED APPLICATION AND THE COSTLY ERRORS RESULT IN UNACCEPTABLE OUTCOMES. WE MUST START APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO CONDUCT TREATMENT PROGRAMS THAT FOCUS ON FOREST ECOSYSTEM VIABILITY, AND THE AMOUNT OF FOREST RESOURCES PRODUCED ARE INSUFFICIENT TO COVER THE COST OF TREATMENT. THE TREATMENT MUST FOCUS ON IMPROVEMENT OF THE FOREST COMMUNITY CONDITIONS, AND RESOURCES THAT CAN BE SALVAGED ARE THE BY-PRODUCT OF PROPER MANAGEMENT.
IMPROVING FOREST CONDITIONS IS THE WAY TO THE FUTURE! MAXIMIZING RESOURCE PRODUCTION IS NO LONGER WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR MANAGEMENT EMPHASIS. HEALTH, VIGOR AND DIVERSITY IS THE GOAL, AND IT’S CALLED NATURES WAY.

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