TREES OF LIFE:FORESTS IN PERIL
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EDUCATING OUR YOUTH IN ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES!

12/4/2023

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EDUCATING OUR YOUTH
 
MY CONCERN FOR THE NATURAL WORLD AND FUTURE LIFE ON EARTH, SEEMS TO INTENSIFY ALMOST DAILY. RECENTLY, SOME POLITICIANS HAVE DECIDED THEY ARE THE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION AND NEED TO DICTATE AND CONTROL THE TYPE OF MATERIAL THAT CAN BE TAUGHT IN THE PUBLIC CLASSROOMS. PEOPLE LACKING BACKGROUNDS IN EDUCATION AND WITH EXTREME VIEWS, ARE BEING ENCOURAGED TO SEEK POSITIONS ON SCHOOL BOARDS. LIBRARIES ARE BEING FORCED TO REMOVE CERTAIN SUBJECT MATTER BOOKS AND TEACHERS ARE BEING TOLD WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT TEACH. IN MANY CASES, MINORITY HISTORY IS BEING SUPPRESSED IN FAVOR OF WHITE DOMINATION. THESE EFFORTS ARE ALSO SUPPRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES OF OUR VALUABLE NATURAL WORLD. I AM REMINDED OF WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, SEEING MIDDLE EASTERN CLERICS INDOCTRINATING YOUNG BOYS IN THE EVILS OF THE WORLD OUTSIDE. AN EFFORT TO CONTROL THE MINDS of THESE YOUNG MEN AS THEY GROW TO ADULTHOOD. TODAY’S WORLDWIDE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS ARE AT LEAST PARTLY THE RESULT OF THESE EDUCATION EFFORTS. WE MUST LEAVE THE EDUCATION OF OUR YOUTH IN TH HANDS OF THE PROFESSIONALS. 
RECENTLY, THE NEWS IS REPORTING THAT FINDING QUALIFIED TEACHES TO FILL VACANCIES HAS BECOME A SERIOUS ISSUE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED COLLEGE GRADUATES WITH DEGREES AND ADVANCED DEGREES, ARE CERTAINLY, BEST PREPARED TO KNOW WHAT AND HOW TO EDUCATE OUR YOUTH FOR THEIR FUTURE RESPONSIBILITIES. THE POLITICAL CONSTRAINTS BEING PLACED ON OUR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS ARE OBVIOUSLY, DRIVING MANY TO CONSIDER OTHER EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS. DICTATORIAL CONTROL OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM DOES NOT PROVIDE PROPER EDUCATION. PARENTS NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR CHILDS EDUCATION AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR TEACHERS TO MAINTAIN OPEN COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PARENTS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. I HAVE OBSERVED SEVERAL CASES OF HOME SCHOOLING BY WELL MEANING PARENTS. I AM SURE THESE PARENTS MEAN WELL AND SOME ARE WELL PREPARED TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN, BUT THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER STUDENTS AND  A PROFESSION TEACHER.
THERE IS A MAJOR ADDITION I BELIEVE MUST BE MADE IN THE EDUCATION OF OUR YOUTH. WE MUST FIND WAYS TO LIVE IN BALANCE WITH NATURE IF WE CARE ABOUT FUTURE GENERATIONS. RELATIONSHIPS ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF NATURE AND ALL THINGS ARE CONNECTED. AN EXTREME EXAMPLE OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS, IS THE FACT THAT HUMANS CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT THE BACTERIA THAT LIVE WITHIN OUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS LIKE THIS, MUST BE UNDERSTOOD TO PROVIDE A BALANCED EXISTENCE WITH NATURE. UNFORTUNATELY, VERY LITTLE EFFORT IS BEING GIVEN TO TEACHING OUR YOUTH ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS. ECOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF RELATIONSHIPS AND IS NOT USUALLY TAUGHT UNTIL IN THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. CREATION IS BUILT ON RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS, AND IS A FORBIDDEN WORD IN THE CLASS ROOM. SOMETHING IS WRONG!  
MY LONG CAREER WITH THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE, PROVIDED THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH NUMEROUS NEW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES AS THEY BEGAN THEIR CAREER. DEDICATED PEOPLE WITH NATURAL RESOURCE DEGREES FROM WELL KNOWN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, BUT MOST OFTEN, LACKING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ECOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE FOREST ECOSYSTEMS. SINCE MY GRADUATION, MOST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DEGREES NOW REQUIRE ONE OR TWO ECOLOGY COURSES. FAR FROM ADEQUATE! UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEX INTERACTIONS WITHIN INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEMS IS NOW VITAL. WITH 97% OF EARTH’S ECOSYSTEMS CONSIDERED TO BE OUT OF BALANCE AND NOT PROPERLY FUNCTIONING, RESTORATION EFFORTS ARE DEMANDED. CURRENT SCIENCE SUGGESTS UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RESTORE 20% OF THE DAMAGE HUMANITY HAS INFLICTED ON ECOSYSTEMS WORLDWIDE. THESE EFFORTS WILL REQUIRE A UNITED COMMITMENT AND WILL IMPACT OUR LIFE STYLES. WITHOUT MAJOR CHANGES, IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED EARTH’S CARRYING-CAPACITY WILL BE SERIOUSLY STRESSED IN JUST 25 TO 30 YEARS.
TO MEET THE CHALLENGE, WE MUST BUILD STRONGER ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS IN OUR SCIENTISTS, EDUCATORS, CORPORATE MANAGERS AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS. I KNOW THERE ARE STUDENTS THAT MAJOR IN ECOLOGY, BUT THE FEW CONTACTS I HAVE HAD, LEAVE ME QUESTING THE DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE NATURAL WORLD. I HOPE I AM WRONG, FOR WE CERTAINLY NEED THEIR HELP IN SUPPORTING THE NEED FOR STRONGER ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR OUR CITIZENS. 
LENGTHY EXPERIENCE AND STUDY OF THE NATURAL WORLD HAS LED ME TO CONCLUDE, THAT STUDENTS MAJORING IN THE SCIENCES AND EDUCATION CURRICULUM'S NEED TO SPENT THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS BUILDING A STRONG ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATION, BEFORE SPECIALIZING. UNDERSTANDING HOW GEOLOGY, METEOROLOGY, HYDROLOGY, SOILS SCIENCE AND ASTRONOMY, DETERMINE ECOSYSTEMS IS VITAL. HOW HUMAN’S RELATE TO LIFE SYSTEMS AND THE NATURAL WORLD, MOST CERTAINLY IS REQUIRED. THIS IS THE INFORMATION REQUIRED TO BEGIN TO APPRECIATE HOW LIFE SYSTEMS FUNCTION AND SURVIVE, AND IS THE KEY TO OUR DESIRED FUTURE.
THE SCIENCE OF FOREST LAND MANAGEMENT MUST ADVANCE TO RECOGNIZE WE ARE MANAGING MUCH OF THE REMAINING NATURAL WORLD REQUIRED FOR SURVIVAL OF FUTURE GENERATIONS. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT TO MAXIMIZE PROFITS FROM FOREST RESOURCES, BUT TO MANAGE FOREST ECOSYSTEMS HEALTH AND DIVERSITY TO ASSURE A SUSTAINABLE FLOW OF LIFE SUPPORTING ELEMENTS PROVIDED ONLY BY NATURE’S REMAINING FORESTED ACREAGE. YES, MANAGEMENT IS ESSENTIAL, BUT THE GOAL OF OUR MANAGEMENT EFFORTS MUST CHANGE! WE MUST START BY INTRODUCING OUR YOUTH TO THE ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES FUNCTIONING WITHIN NATURE! TO DO LESS, WILL RESULT IN THE DESTRUCTION OF LIFE SYSTEMS ON EARTH!                    
 
 

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CLIMATE CHANGE!

11/24/2023

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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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NATURE'S WAY!

11/4/2023

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CHANGING OUR PERCEPTION OF FORESTS 
 
SINCE THE SCIENCE OF FORESTRY ARRIVED IN THE UNITED STATES, IT HAS BEEN SEEN AS AN AGRICULTURAL PROCESS. IN FACT, THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE WAS PLACED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BECAUSE THE FIRST CHIEF OF THE AGENCY, GIFFORD PINCHOT, DEFINED THE SCIENCE AS “GROWING TREES AS CROPS”. AFTER A 34 YEAR CAREER WITH THE FOREST SERVICE, I NOW SEE THE SCIENCE OF FORESTRY AS FAR MORE COMPLEX THEN SIMPLY FOLLOWING AGRICULTURAL PRINCIPLES.
FIELDS OF AGRICULTURAL CROPS ARE MAN CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF GROWING A VARIETY OF FOODS FOR MANKIND AND LIVESTOCK. ALTHOUGH, THERE ARE SOME PLANTS THAT ARE PERENNIALS, MOST ARE ANNUALS REQUIRING REPLANTING AND CULTIVATING EVERY YEAR. THE FOOD SUPPLY IS OBVIOUSLY CRITICAL FOR HUMANITY’S SURVIVAL, BUT ARTIFICIAL COMMUNITIES ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE ELEMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE SUSTENANCE OF LIFE ON EARTH. THEY ARE NOT PART OF THE NATURAL WORLD.
FORESTS, HOWEVER, ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF EIGHTY PERCENT OF ALL LIVING ORGANISMS ON OUR PLANET. IN 2007, THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, SPONSORED A REPORT ON ABUSE; IN WHICH SCIENTIST SUGGESTED THAT ONE SINGLE TREE OVER A 50 YEAR LIFE CYCLE, CONTRIBUTES $162,000.00 WORTH OF REQUIRED ELEMENTS THAT SUSTAIN LIFE ON EARTH. MANAGING FORESTS IS FAR MORE COMPLEX THAN GROWING TREES AS CROPS!
WE NEED TO SEE FORESTS IN A MUCH DIFFERENT AND MORE DETAILED WAY. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE RECOGNIZE FORESTS ARE A MOSAIC OF COMMUNITIES OR ECOSYSTEMS, AND NOT VAST AREAS COVERED WITH TREES. FOREST SCIENTISTS MUST LEARN TO “READ THE LAND”. WE ARE ALL AWARE THAT VEGETATIVE TYPES AND CONDITIONS ARE A PRODUCT OF THE SIGHT THE VEGETATION IS GROWING ON. SLOPE, ELEVATION, SOIL TYPE, SOIL CHARACTERISTICS, ASPECT, AND AVAILABLE MOISTURE; ALL EFFECT THE SPECIES DIVERSITY AND GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEGETATION ON EACH ECOSYSTEM. UNTIL WE MANAGE EACH ECOSYSTEM OR COMMUNITY FOR IT’S INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DESTROY DIVERSITY. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR NATURAL REGENERATION BY THE MOTHER TREES.
ESTABLISHING PLANTATIONS OF SINGLE SPECIES AND SINGLE AGE CLASSES DESTROY THE ABILITY OF THE TREES TO COMMUNICATE AND CARE FOR EACH OTHER. YES, MOTHER TREES NOT ONLY CAN IDENTIFY THEIR OFFSPRING, BUT FEED THEM DURING STRESSFUL TIMES. READ FOREST ECOLOGIST SUZANNE SIMARD’S BOOK, “FINDING THE MOTHER TREE”. NATURAL REGENERATION FROM NATIVE SEED SOURCES IS A MUST IN ESTABLISHING THE DIVERSITY OF THE ORIGINAL FOREST ECOSYSTEM. REGARDLESS OF YOUR ATTEMPTS TO CREATE ARTIFICIAL PLANTATIONS, NATURES SITE CONDITIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS WILL OVER-WHELM YOUR EFFORTS. THE INTRODUCTION OF NON-INDIGENOUS SPECIES WILL FURTHER ACERBATE THE SITUATION, DESTROY DIVERSITY AND SET THE STAGE FOR FUTURE CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES AND INSECT AND DISEASE OUTBREAKS.
MOST TREES OUT LIVE HUMANS, SOME BY THOUSANDS OF YEARS. WE HAVE BRISTLECONE PINE TREES ON THE WEST COAST THAT ARE OVER 3000 YEARS OLD. THE GIANT SEQUOIA TREES IN CALIFORNIA LIVE TO BE OVER 2000 YEARS OF AGE. I RECENTLY VISITED A COMMUNITY IN SOUTHERN VIRGINIA, AND TOOK AN HISTORIC TOUR THROUGH THE OLD PART OF TOWN WHERE SOME BUILDINGS WERE CONSTRUCTED OVER 250 YEARS AGO. SOME OF THE OAK AND MAPLE TREES ON THE GROUNDS WERE OBVIOUSLY PRESENT WHEN THE BUILDINGS WERE CONSTRUCTED, AND PROBABLY OVER 300 YEARS OLD NOW.
THE LIFE SPAN, COMPLEX CONTRIBUTIONS TREES PROVIDE TO SUSTAIN LIFE, THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY IN OUR NATURAL WORLD AND THE POSITIVE EFFECTS FORESTS HAVE ON CLIMATIC CONDITIONS; SUPPORTS THE FACT THAT FOREST SCIENCE IS FAR MORE COMPLEX THAN “GROWING TREES AS CROPS”. THE FUTURE DEMANDS A STRONG FOUNDATION IN ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES AND THE ABILITY TO “READ THE LAND”. IN OTHER WORDS, OUR PERCEPTION OF FORESTS IS INADEQUATE, AND WITHOUT CHANGE HUMANITY’S FUTURE REMAINS QUESTIONABLE. I AM NOT SUGGESTING CHANGING CURRENT ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE OF TODAY’S FOREST LAND MANAGING AGENCIES, BUT I AM STRONGLY SUGGESTING MAJOR CHANGES IN MANAGEMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR OUR REMAINING PUBLIC FOREST COVERED LANDS. THESE LANDS ARE A LARGE PART OF OUR REMAINING NATURAL WORLD, AND REQUIRE SCIENTIFIC HELP TO PROVIDE FOR THE SUSTENANCE OF LIFE, INCLUDING HUMANS.        

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October 23rd, 2023

10/23/2023

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                          OUR VALUABLE PUBLIC FORESTED LANDS!
 
PUBLIC LANDS, MANAGED BY AGENCIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BELONG TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THESE AGENCIES MANAGE OVER 600 MILLION ACRES, ALMOST 25 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL U.S. LAND BASE. POLITICIANS FREQUENTLY SEE THESE VALUABLE LANDS AS ASSETS THAT HAVE MONETARY VALUE IF SOLD. THESE LANDS MAKE UP A LARGE PART OF THE REMAINING NATURAL WORLD ON THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT. CURRENT FEDERAL LAWS PROVIDE REASONABLE PROTECTION FOR THE SALE OF THESE LANDS.
THE LAST REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION, HAD A PROPOSAL WITHIN THEIR PLATFORM, TO SELL THESE LANDS TO THE STATES. UNDER STATE OWNERSHIP, ALL LEGAL PROTECTION DISAPPEARS, AND THE STATES CAN SELL TO PRIVATE DEVELOPERS WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OR APPROVAL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THIS WOULD BE A MAJOR DISASTER FOR THE NATURAL WORLD AND THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD. OUR HISTORY IS FULL OF NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF          OVER-HARVESTING, MINING, OVER GRAZING AND LAND CLEARING, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACT IT HAS HAD ON NATURE. REMEMBER, ONLY 26% OF THE ORIGINAL FORESTED ACREAGE REMAINS ON OUR PLANET!
WHY IS GIVING THESE PUBLIC FOREST LANDS TO THE STATES SUCH A PROBLEM? EARLY IN OUR HISTORY, WHEN THE LAND SURVEYORS WERE SUB-DIVIDING THE LAND INTO TOWNSHIPS AND SECTIONS, TWO SECTIONS IN EACH TOWNSHIP WERE GIVEN TO THE STATES TO HELP FINANCE PUBLIC EDUCATION. MANY OF THESE TRACTS HAVE SINCE BEEN SOLD TO HELP COVER THE COST OF STATE GOVERNMENT. IN FACT, DURING THE PAST 20 YEARS, STATES HAVE EXPERIENCED MAJOR PROBLEMS STAYING WITHIN THEIR BUDGETS, AND HAVE SOLD INFRASTRUCTURE TO OFF SET REVENUE SHORTFALLS. LAND AND TOLL ROAD SYSTEMS ARE EXAMPLES OF INFRASTRUCTURES THAT HAVE BEEN SOLD, SOME TIMES TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES. IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, THE FORMER GOVERNOR GOT A LAW ENACTED WHICH GAVE HIM THE AUTHORITY TO REPLACE THE EXISTING LEADERSHIP OF SELECTED COMMUNITIES WITH A MANAGER OF HIS CHOICE. IN FLINT, MICHIGAN HE CHOSE TO REPLACE THE MAYOR AND THEN SELL THE PIPELINE THAT SUPPLIED THE CITY WATER, FORCING THE CITY TO TAKE WATER FROM THE RIVER WHICH RESULTED IN LEAD CONTAMINATED DRINKING WATER. SAVING OUR PUBLIC FOREST COVERED LANDS IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR FUTURE!     
POLITICIANS LIKE TO USE TAX CUTS AS A WAY TO ENCOURAGE VOTERS TO ELECT THEM. THESE CUTS PRODUCE MAJOR REDUCTIONS IN REVENUES REQUIRING REDUCTION IN SERVICES. THE POLITICIANS THEN MUST CUT SPENDING WHERE IT IS THE LEAST VISIBLE TO THE VOTERS. OVER THE YEARS THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO CUT OR ELIMINATE GRANT MONEYS TO THE STATES. THIS HAS CREATED MAJOR PROBLEMS FOR STATES BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION, HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE AND NEW CONSTRUCTION ALONG WITH OTHER PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. TAX REDUCTIONS ARE ALSO THE MAIN CAUSE OF SERIOUS INCREASES IN OUR NATIONAL DEPT. 
EXPERIENCE DEFINITELY DEMONSTRATES THE PROBLEM OF TRANSFERRING FEDERAL PUBLIC LANDS TO THE STATES. INSTEAD OF TAKING ON INCREASED COST OF MANAGING THESE LANDS, STATES WOULD FIND IT ADVANTAGEOUS TO SELL TO PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES, THUS LOOSING MUCH OF THE VITAL NATURAL WORLD THAT SUSTAINS LIFE ON EARTH. THE THOUGHT OF ALLOWING THESE LANDS TO BE LOST IS SCARY, AND WILL ACCELERATE THE DEMISE OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. WHAT STANDS OUT, AGAIN, IS HOW GREED AND INDIVIDUALISM HAS OVER-TAKEN OUR SOCIAL VALUES.
I JUST READ AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, SATURDAY APRIL 22, 2023, WHERE THE MENOMINEE TRIBAL ENTERPRISES DISCUSS HOW THEY HAVE MANAGED THEIR FORESTED LANDS FOR CENTURIES. THEY CLEARLY DEFINE THEIR GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN THE HEALTH OF THE FOREST COMMUNITIES AND THE BENEFIT IS THE FINANCIAL STABILITY IT HAS PROVIDED THEIR PEOPLE. DOCTOR MICHAEL DOCKRY, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT TH UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA’S FOREST RESOURCES DEPARTMENT STATES, “IN MANY WAYS THEY ARE LEADING THE FEDS IN HOW TO MANAGE FORESTS”.
SAVING OUR PUBLIC LANDS IS ESSENTIAL! CHANGING OUR MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES FOR THOSE PUBLIC FORESTED LANDS IS VITAL!             
 
 

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NATURE'S WAY TO MANAGE FORESTED LANDS!

10/9/2023

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                                              HOPE FOR TOMORROW, THE WAY OF OUR  
                                               INDIGENOUS PEOPLE                                                                                        
 
IF YOU HAVE READ ANY OF MY PAST ARTICLES, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE INFLUENCE OUR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S VALUES, BELIEFS AND RELATIONSHIPS HAVE HAD ON MY CONCEPTS OF FOREST MANAGEMENT. LIVING IN BALANCE WITH NATURE IS REQUIRED FOR FUTURE LIFE. THE SCIENCE OF FORESTRY, AFTER MORE THAN 100 YEARS OF MANAGEMENT, STILL FOCUSES ON MANAGING THE RESOURCES FROM THE FOREST. WHAT WE CAN TAKE, RATHER THAN WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL FOREST ECOSYSTEMS NEED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE VITAL ELEMENTS REQUIRED FOR LIFE ON OUR PLANET.
APRIL 22, 2023, THE NEW YORK TIMES, PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE ENTITLED, “THE GIVING FOREST”. IT IS ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL WAY THE MENOMINEE TRIBE MANAGE SOME 600,000 ACRES OF FOREST COVERED LANDS IN NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. ALTHOUGH, NOT EXACTLY THE SAME, THEIR MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY CLOSELY FOLLOWS AND SUPPORTS MY MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS CALLED, “NATURE’S WAY”.  THE ARTICLE POINTS OUT THE MOST IMPORTANT MANAGEMENT GOAL IS TO FOCUS ON THE NEEDS OF THE FORESTS THEMSELVES, WITH THE RESOURCE’S SALVAGED FROM HAND TREATMENTS PROVIDING REVENUES THAT SUPPORT TRIBAL LIVING. DR. MICHAEL DOCKRY, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA’S FOREST RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, SUGGESTS, “IN MANY WAYS, THEY ARE LEADING THE FEDS IN HOW TO MANAGE FORESTS”. FORESTERS ROUTINELY COME FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO STUDY THE MENOMINEE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WHICH HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED NATIONS AND CERTIFIED BY THE FOREST STEWARD COUNCIL, WHICH IS THE GOLD STANDARD FOR RESPONSIBLE FORESTRY.
TRIBAL FORESTS ARE GENERALLY HEALTHIER, BETTER MANAGED AND MORE DIVERSE, MAKING THEM MORE RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE ACCORDING TO DR. DOCKRY. SHE GOES ON TO SUGGEST THAT MANY CONSIDER THE ACREAGE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE MENOMINEE, TO BE THE HEALTHIEST MANAGED FORESTS IN THE UNITED STATES.
MICHAEL SKENADORE, PRESIDENT OF THE MENOMINEE TRIBAL ENTERPRISES INFORMED US THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THE EARLY YEARS, TRIED TO ENCOURAGE THE TRIBE TO CLEAR THE FORESTS AND FARM THE LAND. THE MENOMINEE PEOPLE HAD NO INTENSION OF DESTROYING THEIR FORESTS.
THE TRIBE HAS HELD ON TO THE PRINCIPLES OF UNEVEN-AGE MANAGEMENT, WHICH MAXIMIZES DIVERSITY OF AGE CLASSES AND SPECIES. THEY DO NOT CLEAR CUT AND RELY ON NATURAL REGENERATION FROM THE MOTHER TREES. NON-INDIGENOUS SPECIES ARE NOT INTRODUCED AND INDIVIDUAL TREES ARE REMOVED USING HAND TREATMENTS AND MINIMIZED USE OF LARGE EQUIPMENT. TREES TO BE REMOVED ARE SELECTED FROM DAMAGED, DISEASED, FALLEN AND MATURE TREES.  THEY ALSO CAREFULLY SELECT TREES TO REDUCE DENSITY OF REMAINING TREES.  MAINTAINING PROPER DENSITY ENCOURAGES NEW SEEDLINGS GROWTH AND PROVIDES OPTIMAL GROWTH ON THE DOMINATE TREES THAT REMAIN. THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION OF RECOGNIZING AND MANAGING INDIVIDUAL FOREST COMMUNITIES (ECOSYSTEMS) TO IMPROVE DIVERSITY, BUT THE INDIVIDUAL TREE SELECTION PROCESS HELPS MAINTAIN BIODIVERSITY. THEIR SELECTION PROCESS TENDS TO ENCOURAGE THE MAINTENANCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES. THESE COMMUNITIES ARE THE RESULT OF THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS THE VEGETATION IS GROWING ON. THESE CHARACTERISTICS INCLUDE THINGS LIKE SOIL TYPE, SOIL CHARACTERISTICS, ASPECT, SLOPE, ELEVATION AND AVAILABLE MOISTURE.  
THE MENOMINEE PEOPLE HAD NO INTENTION OF DESTROYING THEIR FORESTS, INSTEAD, THEY SAW THE FORESTS AS A COLLECTIVE RESOURCE THAT, IF CAREFULLY HARVESTED, COULD ALLOW THEM TO MAINTAIN THEIR CONNECTION TO THE LAND. THEY SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FOR PLANTS, ANIMALS AND THE TRIBE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. LEGENDARY CHIEF OSHKOSH STATED, “IF THE MENOMINEE TOOK ONLY THE VERY OLD, SICK AND FALLEN TREES; THE TREES WILL LAST FOREVER”.    
THIS EXAMPLE OF HOW TO MANAGE OUR REMAINING FOREST COMMUNITIES, PROVIDES PROOF THAT WE CAN IMPROVE OUR FOREST LANDS AND PROLONG LIFE ON EARTH! HUMANITY DOES HAVE THE ABILITY, COMMON SENSE AND KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS REQUIRED TO HELP RECOVER THE NATURAL WORLD. I CALL IT “NATURE’S WAY” AS IT INVOLVES FOLLOWING NATURE’S METHODS AND NATURAL PRINCIPLES. THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE, STRONGLY DEMONSTRATES THE NECESSITY OF REACHING OUT TO OUR NATIVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IN OUR QUEST FOR PRESERVING OUR NATURAL WORLD. TOGETHER WE CAN ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS! WE CAN PROVIDE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS!  WE MUST REDEEM OUR COMMANDMENT TO “NURTURE AND CARE FOR THE LAND”. THE DAMAGE WE HAVE DONE REQUIRES OUR HELP TO RECOVER! WITH ONLY ONE QUARTER OF OUR ORIGINAL FORESTED ACREAGE REMAINING, AND CONTINUING TO SHRINK, IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NECESSARY! ARE WE UP TO THE CHALLENGE?                

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September 22nd, 2023

9/22/2023

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OUR DISAPPEARING NATURAL WORLD!
 
WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, HUMANITY BEGAN TO ADJUST AND CHANGE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATURAL WORLD.  EARLY SOCIETIES RECOGNIZED THE FACT THAT MANKIND WAS BUT ONE PART OF THE COMPLEX NATURAL WORLD. THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY OFFERED A NEW CONCEPT OF HUMANITY BEING THE DOMINATE SPECIES AND SEPARATE FROM NATURE. THE BIBLE TELLS US MANKIND WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AND WAS TO TAKE DOMINION OVER EARTH AND OTHER NON-HUMAN SPECIES. EXPLOITING THE RESOURCES OF EARTH WAS OUR DIVINE RIGHT, AS EARTH BELONGED TO US. EARLIER SOCIETIES HAD SEEN THEMSELVES AS BELONGING TO NATURE, REQUIRING THEM TO LIVE IN BALANCE WITH THE NATURAL WORLD.
EVEN THOUGH, WE HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THESE PRINCIPLES, MODERN-DAY WESTERN SOCIETY HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE OUR DEPENDENCE UPON THE NATURAL WORLD AND FOCUSED ON WEALTH, AFFLUENCE AND GREED. EARLY MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN RACE, RECOGNIZED THEIR DEPENDENCE UPON THE NATURAL WORLD AND DEVELOPED THE WISDOM OF LIVING IN BALANCE WITH NATURE. LIVING IN BALANCE REQUIRES THE RECOGNITION THAT NATURE HAS LIMITATIONS AND OVER HARVESTING CAN LEAD TO SPECIES EXTINCTION. THEY WERE PART OF THE COMPLEX SYSTEM CALLED NATURE, AND SURVIVED THE CHALLENGES OF A HUNTER-GATHER WAY OF LIFE. INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HAVE MAINTAINED THEIR ECO-FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE TO THIS DAY.
THE PAST TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE HAS SLOWLY CREATED A MODERN DOMINATE SOCIETY THAT BELIEVES EARTH BELONG TO US. EVEN THE BIBLE’S SUGGESTION THAT HUMANITY IS TO TAKE DOMINION OVER GOD’S CREATION, WHICH CONTINUES TO SUPPORT OUR GREEDY INDIVIDUALISTIC DEMANDS. THESE PRINCIPLES OF LIFE WERE SERIOUSLY EXACERBATED WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVELATION IN THE 1850’S. WE BECAME AWARE THAT THE OVER-PRODUCTION PRODUCED PROFIT AND INCREASED WEALTH. IT ALSO SENT US ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH EARTH’S LIMITATIONS. TODAY SCIENTISTS TELL US ONLY 3% OF EARTHS ECOSYSTEMS ARE IN BALANCE AND PROPERLY FUNCTIONING. HUMANITY’S DEMANDS AND POOR MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN DEVASTATING ON THE NATURAL WORLD.  
I HAVE BEEN EMPHASIZING THESE CONCERNS FOR YEARS, BUT HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED THAT LITTLE ATTENTION OR CHANGE HAS OCCURRED. I HAVE POINTED OUT THE FACTUAL ADVERSE IMPACTS THAT ARE HIGHLY VISIBLE IF WE WOULD JUST OPEN OUR EYES, BUT STILL NO ONE SEEMS INTERESTED. I HAVE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE THAT APPEAR TO HAVE SOME CONCERN FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT, VARIOUS MEDIA OUTLETS, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND ACIDEMIA WITH NO SUCCESS. PEOPLE ARE TO BUSY CHASING THE DOLLAR AND CHANGE MEANS INCREASED WORKLOAD AND INVESTMENTS. WE ARE DOING OKAY, SO LET FUTURE GENERATIONS WORRY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS! SELECTING THE DO-NOTHING ALTERNATIVE WILL SERIOUSLY CHALLENGE HUMANITY’S DESTINY!
I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MAJOR CHANGE REQUIRES A SIGNIFICANT EMOTIONAL INCIDENT IN ONE’S LIFE. THE CHANGING CLIMATIC CONDITIONS, RISING SEA LEVELS, CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES, RISING CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS IN OUR ATMOSPHERE AND PANDEMICS ARE SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TO RAISE MY CONCERNS TO A RED ALERT STATUS. IT IS A SURE THING, THAT THE LIMITS OF EARTH’S CARRYING-CAPACITY IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING AND THE SURVIVAL OF THE HUMAN SPECIES WILL BE CHALLENGED. SCIENTIFIC DATA SUGGESTS THESE LIMITATIONS WILL IMPACT OUR LIVES WITHIN THE NEXT 30 TO 50 YEARS.
I AM ALSO SURE, THAT NO MAJOR CHANGE WILL BE INITIATED UNTIL THE PEOPLE ACCEPT THAT MANKIND IS SIMPLY ONE IMPORTANT SPECIES, OF THE TEN MILLION KNOWN SPECIES, THAT MAKE UP NATURE ON PLANET EARTH. THIS ANTHROPOCENTRIC BELIEF THAT HUMANS ARE THE CHOSEN MASTERS OF PLANET EARTH IS ACTUALLY KILLING THE NATURAL WORLD. AS GOES THE NATURAL WORLD, SO GOES THE HUMAN SPECIES. IF THAT DOES NOT GIVE YOU PAUSE, MAYBE THERE IS NO HOPE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS!
ALTHOUGH, TIME IS LIMITED, THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT MUCH OF THE SOLUTION WILL RELY ON TEACHING OUR YOUTH THE IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS THEY SHARE WITH CREATION AND THE NATURAL WORLD. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IS VIDAL, AND MUST EXPAND BEYOND SCIENCE. ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES MUST OVERSHADOW STRAIGHT SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE. THIS IS TRUE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION THROUGHOUT ELEMENTARY, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE. THE OUTDOOR CLASS ROOM PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCING THE STUDENTS TO THE VITAL CONNECTIONS PROVIDED BY THE NATURAL WORLD. ONE CANNOT OVER-EMPHASES THE IMPORTANCE OF ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. OUR SPIRITUAL AND LIVING CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD REQUIRES A DEEP APPRECIATION AND ACCEPTANCE THAT HUMANITY IS SIMPLY ONE SMALL PART OF NATURE!
EVEN THOUGH A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC STATE THEIR BELIEF IN THE DIVINE SOURCE OF LIFE, INVOLVEMENT IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVATES HAS FALLEN TO AN ALL TIME LOW. RELIGIOUS LEADERS ARE CONCERNED WITH THESE FACTS AND APPEAR TO       THINK RELAXING THE MORAL INTERPRETATION OF RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE WILL BRING PEOPLE BACK TO THE CHURCH. DISCUSSIONS I HAVE HAD WITH YOUNG PEOPLE INDICATE A NEED TO FOCUS RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ON INTERPRETING BIBLICAL TEACHINGS TO ASSIST THEM WITH COPING SKILLS FOR DAILY SOCIAL STRESS AND DEPRESSION. PEOPLE NEED HELP WITH FAMILY RELATIONS, MARTIAL RELATIONS, CHILD REARING, POLITICAL PRESSURES, WORK RELATIONS, ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES, EDUCATION NEEDS AND THE LIST GOES ON. OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS ARE STRESSED FOR TIME, WITH OUR MODERN-DAY LIFE STYLES, AND HAVE TO PRIORITIZE ALMOST EVERY WAKING HOUR. LIFE STYLES HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY JUST IN MY YEARS OF OBSERVATION. HOW DOES THE BIBLE PREPARE US FOR BAD THING HAPPENING TO GOOD PEOPLE? CAN IT HELP US DEVELOP THE COPING SKILLS NEED FOR SUCCESS IN TODAY’S STRESSFUL TIMES? PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY YOUNGER PEOPLE, TELL ME THAT RELIGIOUS MESSAGES TEND TO FOCUS ON HISTORY LESSONS OF A TIME LONG GONE. AS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO DRIFT AWAY FROM RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, SURVEYS SUGGEST THE FASTEST GROWING MOVEMENT ARE PEOPLE THAT CLAIM TO BE SPIRITUAL BUT NOT RELIGIOUS.
I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS MEANT BY THIS MOVEMENT, BUT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT SOFTENING RELIGIOUS STANDARDS TO ADJUST TO MODERN DAY ATTITUDES IS NOT WORKING. THERE IS A NEED FOR A NEW REVELATION THAT INVOLVES A FOCUS ON THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE AND BALANCE THAT SUSTAINS OUR REMAINING NATURAL WORLD! WE ARE DESTINE FOR CHANGE. WILL IT BE THE EXTINCTION OF HUMANITY, OR WILL WE JOIN HANDS AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND PROLONG LIFE ON PLANET EARTH?      
       

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August 31st, 2023

8/31/2023

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                         THE DESTINY OF MANKIND
 
MANY PEOPLE TODAY ARE QUESTIONING WHETHER MANKIND IS INHERENTLY VIOLENT OR ARE OUR VIOLENT WAYS A LEARNED BEHAVIOR? IT IS A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER, AS THERE SEEMS TO BE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT BOTH CONCLUSIONS. IF ONE REVIEWS HISTORY, WARS AMONG THE HUMAN SPECIES, APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN A COMMON OCCURRENCE. OUR HISTORY BOOKS ARE FULL OF WARRING EFFORTS TO CONTROL LAND, PEOPLE, RESOURCES AND POWER. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE GENERAL CITIZENS OF MOST PAST CIVILIZATIONS HAVE ENCOURAGED PEACEFUL RELATIONS, AND PARTICIPATED IN WARS ONLY WHEN FORCED TO BY LEADERSHIP. WE ARE EXPERIENCING MAJOR DIVISION AND CONFRONTATION AMONG THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES TODAY. IT IS APPARENT THAT LEADERSHIP IS AGAIN THE CAUSE OF OUR DIVISION AND CONFLICT.
I RAISE THE QUESTION TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHY OUR SOCIETY CONTINUES TO INITIATE ACTIONS THAT ARE RAPIDLY DESTROYING THE NATURAL WORLD WE REQUIRE FOR FUTURE LIFE. MOST PEOPLE I TALK TO ARE CONCERNED AND WANT TO SUPPORT FUTURE LIFE ON EARTH, BUT FEW ARE INTERESTED OR WILLING TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS ESSENTIAL TO PROLONG FUTURE LIFE! WE ARE CONSTANTLY BEING ALERTED TO THE DAMAGE BEING DONE TO THE NATURAL WORLD BY CHANGING CLIMATE CONDITIONS, RISING CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS IN OUR ATMOSPHERE AND RISING SEA LEVELS. THE CAUSE OF THESE CHANGES IS DUE TO POPULATION EXPANSION AND DEFORESTATION, WHICH ARE THE TWO MOST CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES MANKIND HAS EVER FACED.
THERE IS NO QUESTION, OUR EXCESSIVE DEMANDS FOR ENERGY AND RESOURCES HAVE HAD A VIOLENT IMPACT UPON THE REMAINING NATURAL WORLD. THERE IS ALSO NO QUESTION THAT OUR DEMANDS HAVE CARRIED US TO THE EDGE OF THE CARRYING-CAPACITY OF PLANET EARTH! THINGS MUST CHANGE!
ALTHOUGH THE HISTORY OF MANKIND IS FULL OF VIOLENT ACTIONS, I BELIEVE VIOLENCE HAS INCREASED AS OUR WORLD POPULATION HAS EXPANDED, AND RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS ARE MORE PREVALENT TODAY. SOCIETY HAS CHANGED FROM THE DAYS WHEN WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE ISSUES AND COMPLETE MAJOR PROJECTS, WAS COMMON. TODAY, WE ARE FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUALISM. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW TO ACHIEVE OUR FAIR SHARE, PROTECT OUR CURRENT LIFE STYLE, PROTECT OUR FAMILY AND MAKE SURE NO ONE INFRINGES ON OUR RIGHTS. TODAY, OVER EIGHTY PERCENT OF OUR POPULATION ARE URBAN DWELLERS WHO RELY ON THE FEW REMAINING RURAL WORKER TO SUPPLY OUR FOOD, ENERGY AND OTHER RESOURCES.  WE HAVE LOST OUR APPRECIATION AND SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATURAL WORLD?
COMPETITION AND INDIVIDUALISM HAS RESULTED IN EXPANDING OUR VIOLENT ACTIONS ON THE NATURAL WORLD, AND IS DRIVING US EVER CLOSER TO THE PRECIPICE OF THE LIMITED CARRYING-CAPACITY OF EARTH. I AM CONVINCED, THAT THE VIOLENT NATURE OF MANKIND HAS INTENSIFIED WITH THE INCREASED WORLD POPULATION AND THE URBANIZATION OF OUR WORLD POPULATION. THESE TWO SITUATIONS HAVE INCREASED COMPETITION FOR ENERGY AND RESOURCES AND WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE, AS THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES CONTINUE TO SHRINK.
THE DEMISE OF THE EASTER ISLAND CIVILIZATION, CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES WHAT MANKIND WILL EXPERIENCE WHEN THE NATURAL WORLD EXCEEDS ITS LIMITED CARRYING-CAPACITY FOR REQUIRED RESOURCES. CONFLICT BETWEEN THE HAVES AND HAVE-NOTS WILL BECAME EXTREMELY VIOLENT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE HAVES GENERALLY OUT-LIVE THE HAVE-NOTS BUT SUFFER LONGER BEFORE EXTINCTION. EASTER ISLAND WAS A REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE OF THE COLLAPSE AND FAILURE OF AN ENTIRE CIVILIZATION. ACCEPTANCE OF REALITY AND A WILLINGNESS TO WORK TOGETHER IS THE ONLY WAY TO RESOLVE THE INEVITABLE FUTURE FOR MANKIND. WHEN NATURE CAN NO LONGER PROVIDE THE ELEMENTS THAT SUPPORT LIFE, MANKIND WILL BE THE FIRST TO SUFFER AND BECOME EXTINCT!
CERTAINLY, WE ARE SMART ENOUGH TO SEE THE CHANGING CONDITIONS IN THE NATURAL WORLD BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE! FOCUSING OUR MANAGEMENT SKILLS ON THE HEALTH AND DIVERSITY OF OUR REMAINING FOREST LANDS MUST BE GIVEN TOP PRIORITY. THIS MEANS INTENSIFYING MANAGEMENT OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS, FOLLOWING NATURES WAY. MOST OF THE REQUIRED CHANGES CAN BE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT LEGISLATIVE ACTION BY THE CONGRESS. LEADERSHIP HAS THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WITHOUT ADDITIONAL LAWS. AN UNDERSTANDING OF ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES AND HUMANITY’S CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESSFUL ADJUSTMENTS. COMBINING OUR SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE WITH THE TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE'S OF OUR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE CAN PROVIDE REALISTIC AND RATIONAL SOLUTIONS FOR REVISIONS TO FUTURE MANAGEMENT OF OUR INVALUABLE FORESTED LANDS. THE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND DIVERSITY, NOT WHAT WE CAN TAKE FROM THE FOREST COMMUNITIES! LEARNING TO LIVE IN BALANCE WITH NATURE IS MANDATORY.                     
 
  
    

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August 13th, 2023

8/13/2023

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                    WHY PEOPLE CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE ISSUE OF OUR
                                      SHRINKING NATURAL WORLD
 
THE EXPANSION OF OUR WORLD POPULATION IS FACING A MAJOR ISSUE EFFECTING THE SUSTENANCE OF LIFE ON PLANET EARTH. THE NATURAL WORLD PROVIDES THE ELEMENTS, RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS THAT SUPPORT LIFE SYSTEMS ON EARTH AND HAS SIGNIFICANTLY SHRUNK IN SIZE AND ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR LIFE ON OUR PLANET. THE SHRINKAGE IS THE RESULT OF MANKIND’S INCREASING DEMAND FOR ENERGY AND RESOURCES FROM EARTH’S LIMITED LAND BASE. THERE ARE A FEW VOICES THAT KEEP ALERTING US TO THE ISSUE AND OUR FUTURE FATE, IF WE CONTINUE OUR UNQUENCHABLE THRUSTS AND DEMANDS.
WE KEEP DISCUSSING AND APPROPRIATING MONEY TO FIND WAYS TO ELIMINATE OUR DEPENDENCY ON FOSSIL FUELS, MAINLY BECAUSE THE LIMITS OF CRUDE OIL ARE OBVIOUS. CARING FOR THE NATURAL WORLD, HOWEVER, GETS LITTLE ATTENTION. WE CONTINUE TO TAKE FROM THE NATURE WHAT WE WANT, WITH LITTLE CONCERN FOR THE FACT THE NATURAL WORLD IS SHRINKING RAPIDLY, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE SEEM TO CARE LESS. WHY?
THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS WHICH NEED TO BE HIGH-LIGHTED. ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS IS THE MISINFORMATION BEING DISSEMINATED BY CORPORATE, POLITICAL AND EVEN RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR LEADERSHIP. MUCH OF THE MISINFORMATION IS ACTUAL LIES, DESIGNED TO MISLEAD THE PUBLIC TO PROTECT PROFIT MARGINS. THE REQUIRED ADJUSTMENTS WILL AFFECT THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES AND DEMAND INCREASED COSTS TO PROTECT THE REMAINING NATURAL WORLD. OUR CORPORATE INSTITUTIONS ARE OBVIOUSLY, CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT THESE MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS WOULD HAVE ON PROFITABILITY. I BELIEVE, INSTITUTING THE NEEDED CHANGES WITH MORE INTENSIVE MANAGEMENT, WILL CREATE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES, PARTICULARLY IN OUR MORE RURAL COMMUNITIES. THESE JOBS WILL INCLUDE EMPLOYMENT BY THE FOREST LAND MANAGING ORGANIZATIONS, AND CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRIVATE SMALL BUSINESS. THE CHANGES WILL USUALLY NOT INCLUDE TREE PLANTING, BUT RATHER SILVICULTURAL TREATMENTS TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND DIVERSITY, ALONG WITH ENCOURAGING NATURAL REGENERATION OF INDIGENOUS TREE SPECIES.
UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE VERY LITTLE HOPE FOR OUR POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS, AS THERE IS FAR TOO MUCH DIVISIVENESS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS, TO RESOLVE MAJOR PUBLIC ISSUES. COOPERATION TO ACCOMPLISH SERIOUS ISSUES APPEARS TO BE A THING OF THE PAST. WORKING TOGETHER TO RESOLVE MAJOR PUBLIC ISSUES FREQUENTLY INVOLVES CONTROVERSY, WHICH CAN RESULT IN LOSE OF VOTE AT ELECTION TIME. POLITICIAN’S FOCUS IS ON ELECTION AND REELECTION. VOTERS NEEDS AND DESIRES, SEEM TO GET LOST IN THE PROCESS.
RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE REQUIRES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, WHICH MOST CANDIDATES DON’T PERSONALLY HAVE. THEY ARE FORCED TO RELY ON CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE VERY WEALTHY, WHO CONTRIBUTE TO GAIN INFLUENCE FROM THE POTENTIAL CANDIDATE. A SINGLE CANDIDATE FOR SENATOR IN ARIZONA RECENTLY SPENT 49 MILLION DOLLARS JUST IN THE PRIMARIES, AND THEN HAD TO FIND FUNDING FOR THE ACTUAL CAMPAIGN VOTE BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT PARTY CANDIDATES. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY POLITICIANS ARE ACTIVELY SPREADING MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE NATURAL WORLD AND CLIMATE CHANGE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THE TRUTH WILL DESTROY THEIR CHANGES IN ELECTIONS.
I AM EMBARRASSED TO REPORT, EVEN OUR RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE ERRONEOUS INFORMATION ABOUT THE DESTRUCTIVE IMPACT MANKIND HAS HAD ON THE NATURAL WORLD. I STARTED THIS ARTICLE JUST PRIOR TO ATTENDING CHURCH SERVICES WHERE THE PASTOR’S MESSAGE POINTED OUT THAT HUMANITY WAS INCAPABLE AND CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO ASSIST IN IMPROVING OUR SHRINKING NATURAL WORLD. HE CONCLUDED BY TELLING THE PEOPLE WE SHOULD SET BACK AND ENJOY THE RIDE, “JUSTICE IS MINE SAITH THE LORD”. GENESIS CLEARLY STATES, “GOD PLACED MANKIND IN THE GARDEN AND COMMANDED HIM TO NURTURE AND CARE FOR THE LAND”. I HAD HOPED THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL WOULD PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF CREATION AND RE-ESTABLISH OUR SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LAND. WE NEED TO CONTINUE OUR EMPHASES ON REDEMPTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL, BUT GIVE EQUAL ATTENTION TO CREATION AND HUMANITY’S DEPENDENCE UPON THE NATURAL WORLD.
THERE ARE NUMEROUS EFFORTS TO MISLEAD THE PEOPLE, MOST OF WHICH ARE BASED UPON GREED AND SELFISHNESS. WE MUST, HOWEVER, ACCEPT THAT SOCIAL NORMS HAVE CHANGED AND MADE SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENTS IN OUR HUMAN VALUES. OUR WORLD POPULATION CONTINUES TO EXPAND AT AN ALARMING RATE, WHICH AUTOMATICALLY INCREASES OUR COMPETITION FOR THE LIMITED RESOURCES AND ENERGY. THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR WORLD POPULATION ARE NOW CONSIDERED URBANITIES. IN THE UNITED STATES LESS THAN 19% OF THE PEOPLE ARE CONSIDERED RURAL RESIDENCES. POPULATION EXPANSION AND SHIFTS TO URBANIZATION, OBVIOUSLY CHANGE PEOPLES ATTITUDE TOWARD NATURE, AS THEY ADJUST TO THE CROWDED CONCRETE NEIGHBORHOODS AND SHOPPING CENTERS. MANY, ARE NO LONGER AWARE OF HOW THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE SHELFS GET STOCKED. HOW CAN WE EXPECT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURE AND DEVELOP CONCERNS ABOUT THE SHRINKING NATURAL WORLD?
URBANIZATION HAS ALSO CHANGED THE WAY WE THINK AND REACT TO OTHER PEOPLE. WE SPENT OVER TWO YEARS LIVING IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA IN A TOWN HOUSE COMPLEX, AND  MET VERY FEW OF THE NEIGHBORS. WE BOTH, ALONG WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, WORKED FULL TIME AND LEFT AT 6AM, RETURNING AT 6PM. WEEKENDS WERE TIMES WHEN WE TRIED TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO RELAX OUTSIDE THE BUSY BIG CITY LIFE. IT SEEMED THAT EVERYONE WAS CHASING THE GREEN DOLLAR, AND HAD LITTLE TIME FOR VISITING OR ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF NATURE. OUR FOCUS WAS ON GREED AND SELFISH INDIVIDUALISM.
IN MY YOUTH, YOU WOULD HAVE FOUND ME FISHING ON THE SURROUNDING STREAMS AND LAKES, EXPLORING THE FOREST LANDS THAT WERE CLOSE BY, OR HUNTING GROUSE AND RABBITS. FULFILLMENT OF MY LIFE DEPENDED UPON EXPERIENCES IN MY SURROUNDING NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. MY QUIET TIME WAS LISTENING TO COUNTRY WESTERN MUSIC ON AN OLD PHILCO TUBE-TYPE RADIO. BIG CITY LIFE WAS FOREIGN AND MILES AWAY. UNFORTUNATELY, FEW YOUTHS HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TODAY.
WE SIMPLY MUST ADMIT THAT WE ARE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE SHRINKING NATURAL WORLD. WE DON’T UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF NATURE OR THE VITAL ELEMENTS, PROVIDED BY NATURE, THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO SUSTAIN LIFE. IN OUR OWN SELFISH WAY, WE APPARENTLY COULD CARE LESS. WHEN OUR INCOME INCREASES, OUR CONSUMPTION OF RESOURCES AND ENERGY DOES LIKE WISE, AND THE NATURAL WORLD CONTINUES TO SHRINK.
I AM APPALLED BY THE MANY EFFORTS TO LIMIT THE HISTORY EDUCATION OF OUR YOUTH, FOR LACK OF UNDERSTANDING THE PAST ASSURES WE WILL REPEAT OUR MISTAKES. SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE! WE ARE EXPOSED TO MISINFORMATION AND LIES ON A DAILY BASIS. IT IS COMMON TO HEAR PEOPLE EXPRESS THAT THEY DON’T KNOW WHO TO TRUST. A LARGE NUMBER SAY THEY DON’T TRUST THE MEDIA AND POLITICIANS ARE NOT RESPECTED FOR THE TRUTH. INSTEAD, THEY TURN TO THE INTERNET FOR INFORMATION, WHICH IS TOTALLY UNREGULATED FOR ACCURACY.
THE RICHER WE GET THE MORE WE CONSUME, AND THE MORE SELF-CENTERED AND CARELESS WE BECOME FOR THE LIVES OF OTHERS. A RECENT SURVEY BY THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL FOR CLIMATE CONTROL, INDICATE ONLY 11% OF AMERICANS CONSIDER THE SHRINKING NATURAL WORLD TO BE IN THEIR TOP 3 ISSUES OF CONCERN. FOR YEARS SCIENCE HAS BEEN TELLING US ONLY ECONOMIC GROWTH CAN SAVE THE BIOSPHERE, AND WE ARE THE LEADERS IN SOPHISTICATION, INTELLECT AND COMPASSION. THE FACTS SUGGEST JUST THE OPPOSITE. ACCORDING TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL FOR CLIMATE CONTROL, THE U.S., AUSTRALIA AND CANADA ARE RANKED AMONG THE WORST IN FAILING TO LIMIT THEIR MASSIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE GLOBAL ISSUE OF CLIMATE CONTROL.
WE MUST WAKE UP AND ACCEPT THE TRUTH! THERE ARE MANY FORCES ATTEMPTING TO MISLEAD US BY OUTRIGHT LIES. WE HAVE LOST OUR CONNECTION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURAL WORLD. CONTINUED SHRINKING OF THE NATURAL WORLD WILL RESULT IN EXCEEDING THE CARRYING-CAPACITY OF EARTH. COLLAPSE AND FAILURE OF HUMAN CULTURES WILL FOLLOW! I CAN ASSURE YOU; MANKIND DOES HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE AND CAPABILITY TO “NURTURE AND CARE FOR THE LAND”, WHICH WILL RESULT IN EXTENDING LIFE ON EARTH! WE HAVE GOT TO JOIN HANDS WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, IN ORDER TO START A REVELATION TO SAVE OUR NATURAL WORLD! MAJOR CHANGE HAPPENS WHEN THE PEOPLE INSIST UPON ACTION. THE STATUS-QUO IS UNACCEPTABLE!!    
  
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CREATION AND THE NATURAL WORLD

8/4/2023

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                                  THE STORY OF CREATION
 
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS GREW OUT OF MANKIND’S DESIRE TO EXPLAIN AND UNDERSTAND THE MAGIC OF LIFE ON PLANET EARTH, THE STORY OF CREATION. FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, THE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS IN THE GREAT CREATOR HAS SATISFIED THAT QUEST FOR AN UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE ON THIS MAJESTIC PLANET. IT IS AMAZING HOW SIMILAR THE VARIOUS WORLD RELIGIONS VIEW THE STORY OF CREATION, A GIFT FROM THE GREAT CREATOR. IF ONE TAKES THE TIME TO STUDY INTO THE DEPTHS OF CREATION, WE BEGIN TO SEE THE ORDERLINESS, MAGNITUDE AND CONNECTIONS THAT EXIST WITHIN THE NATURAL WORLD. TO THIS DAY, WE HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THE SEVEN UNIVERSES’ AND THE BILLIONS OF PLANETS WITHIN EACH UNIVERSE, WERE CREATED. IN MY ESTIMATION, THE MAGICAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT SUSTAIN LIFE ON EARTH SUPPORTS THE CONCLUSION OF INTELLIGENT DESIGN.
I HAVE SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME ANALYZING THE ABOVE THOUGHTS AS THEY RELATE TO MY 34 YEARS OF EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS IN THE SCIENCE OF FORESTRY. IT HAS FORCED ME TO RE-EVALUATE THE SCIENCE OF FORESTRY AND THE GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR REMAINING  FOREST COVERED LANDS, PARTICULARLY OUR PUBLIC FORESTED LANDS. FOREST LAND MANAGEMENT WAS INITIATED IN THE 1880’S IN THE UNITED STATES, FOLLOWING A LONG PERIOD OF LAND CLEARING FOR AGRICULTURAL USE AND EXCESSIVE TREE HARVESTING TO BUILD A NEW NATION. SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS OBSERVED THE DEVASTATING REMOVAL OF THE TREES, AND DEVELOPED CONCERNS FOR WHAT WAS HAPPENING. PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT, KNOWN FOR HIS HUNTING EXPEDITIONS, WAS CONCERNED AND SET ASIDE THE FIRST PUBLIC FOREST LANDS, KNOWN AS THE YELLOWSTONE FOREST RESERVE. ANOTHER CONCERNED CITIZEN WAS THE FATHER OF GIFFORD PINCHOT, WHO HAD MADE A LARGE FORTUNE IN HARVESTING WOOD PRODUCTS FROM THE EASTERN FORESTS. CONCERNED FOR THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF HIS ACTIVITIES; HE CONVINCED HIS SON TO STUDY FORESTRY IN FRANCE. GIFFORD WAS A FRIEND OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND AFTER A MAJOR CONFLICT WITH SECRETARY OF INTERIOR, BOLLINGER, WAS APPOINTED CHIEF OF THE NEW FEDERAL AGENCY, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOREST SERVICE. GIFFORD’S FRIENDSHIP WITH ROOSEVELT AND HIS DEFINITION OF FORESTRY, “GROWING TREES AS CROPS”, CONVINCED ROOSEVELT TO PLACE THE NEW AGENCY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE NEW AGENCY’S MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLE WAS TERMED, “CONSERVATION-WISE USE”. THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, HOWEVER, TENDED TO FOLLOW JOHN MUIRE’S PRINCIPLE OF “PRESERVATION”.
IN 1905 THE FOREST SERVICE WAS FORMED, AND TO THIS DAY, THE AGENCY REMAINS FOCUSED ON COMMERCIAL HARVESTING OF TREES FROM THE 193 MILLION ACRES OF NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS. THE TIMBER SALES ARE PREPARED BY EMPLOYEES OF THE FOREST SERVICE AND THEN AWARDED TO THE HIGHEST BID BY COMMERCIAL LOGGING COMPANIES.  THERE HAVE BEEN SOME POSITIVE CHANGES, SUCH AS THE MULTIPLE USE- SUSTAINED YIELD ACT OF 1960 AND THE NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1976, BUT TREE HARVESTING REMAINS THE DRIVING GOAL OF THE AGENCY. TRUE, THE HARVESTING LEVELS HAVE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY AS A RESULT OF PRESSURE FROM ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS. THE FOREST SERVICE IN THE 1970’S WAS HARVESTING 11.5 BILLION BOARD FEET OF TIMBER, AND IS NOW HARVESTING BETWEEN 2 AND 3 BILLION BOARD FEET, BUT CLEAR-CUTTING LARGE AREAS OF ECONOMICALLY MATURE STANDS REMAINS THE PREFERRED SILVICULTURAL TREATMENT. NO ATTENTION IS PAID TO THE UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEMS WITHIN THE SALE AREA, AND EVER ACRE RECEIVES THE SAME TREATMENT. THIS TREATMENT IS DESTROYING DIVERSITY, AND TO EXACERBATE THE DESTRUCTION, THE HARVEST AREA IS PLANTED WITH SINGLE SPECIES AND SINGLE AGE CLASS SEEDLINGS TO FURTHER DESTROY DIVERSITY.
WESTERN CONIFER STANDS ARE FREQUENTLY PLANTED WITH SINGLE SPECIES AND SINGLE AGE CLASSES FOLLOWING TIMBER HARVESTING OPERATIONS. ALL TO OFTEN, NON-INDIGENOUS SPECIES ARE INTRODUCED, AND NATURAL DIVERSITY IS DESTROYED. EVEN THOUGH THESE WESTERN NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS WERE LESS DIVERSIFIED THAN THE NATURAL EASTERN HARDWOOD ECOSYSTEMS, THEY STILL EXHIBIT DIVERSITY IN AGE CLASSES AND SOME SPECIES DIVERSITY IF ALLOWED TO REGENERATE FROM THE NATIVE SEED SOURCES. THE DECIDUOUS ECOSYSTEMS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES ARE SHADE TOLERANT AND CONTAIN A MIX OF AGE CLASSES AND NUMEROUS DIFFERENT SPECIES. I WAS PRESENT FOR A MEETING AT THE DUKE EXPERIMENTAL FOREST IN THE UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN, WHEN FOREST SERVICE RESEARCH DIVISION WAS RECOMMENDING TRANSITIONING TO EVEN-AGE MANAGEMENT FOR THE NORTHERN HARDWOOD ECOSYSTEMS. THIS TRANSITION WAS BEING RECOMMEND TO INCREASE THE PRODUCTION OF WOOD FIBER PER ACRE. SEVERAL SCIENTISTS OBJECTED STRONGLY TO THE CHANGE FOR HARDWOOD TIMBER TYPES, HOWEVER THE TRANSITION WAS IMPLEMENTED.
SOON AFTER THE TRANSITION, I WAS TRANSFERRED TO SOUTHERN MISSOURI AND INITIATED A POLICY PAPER WHICH LIMITED THE USE OF CLEAR-CUTTING FOR THE CENTRAL HARDWOOD TYPES, UNLESS THERE WAS A RATIONALE PRESENTED TO RE-ESTABLISH PIONEER SPECIES ON A PARTICULAR SIGHT. THE PURPOSE WAS TO MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE THE DIVERSITY OF THE HARDWOOD ECOSYSTEMS BY USING SELECTIVE AND SHELTER-WOOD SILVICULTURAL TREATMENTS TO PRODUCE NATURAL REGENERATION BY THE MOTHER TREES ON SITE.
 I ALSO INITIATED A PROJECT TO MAP AND COLLECT DATA ON THE INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEMS FOR ANALYZE ON THE DISTRICT. SINCE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE, THE DATA WAS STORED ON MACBEE KEY SORT CARDS. THE DISTRICT WAS 200 THOUSAND ACRES, AND THE AVERAGE ECOSYSTEM IDENTIFIED WAS 35 ACRES IN SIZE. THE STATE OF MISSOURI WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT FOUND THIS DATA VALUABLE IN THEIR TURKEY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND ENCOURAGED ME TO PRESENT A PAPER ON THE PROJECT AT THE 1964 MID-WEST WILDLIFE CONFERENCE. MY PAPER WAS TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT IN MAKING PROPER MANAGEMENT DECISIONS.
THESE EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS FORM THE BASIS FOR MY CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGING PUBLIC FOREST LAND MANAGEMENT GOALS. ADVANCED RESEARCH AND STUDY HAVE INTENSIFIED MY CONCERNS AND LEAD TO A SEARCH FOR PEOPLE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS THAT CAN INITIATE THE REQUIRED CHANGES. FOREST MANAGEMENT CAN NO LONGER FOCUS ON MANAGING THE RESOURCES FROM THE FORESTS. WITH ONLY TWENTY-SIX PERCENT OF EARTH’S ORIGINAL FORESTED LANDS REMAINING, WE MUST REFOCUS ON MANAGING THE FORESTS FOR HEALTH AND DIVERSITY, WITH FOREST RESOURCES BEING THE BY-PRODUCT OF SOUND MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, YET LITTLE EFFORT APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING. EVEN OUR FORESTRY SCHOOLS REMAIN FOCUSED ON TRAINING STUDENTS IN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, RATHER THAN FOREST ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT. WE KNOW THAT DEFORESTATION IS HAVING AS MUCH EFFECT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AS IS THE CONSUMPTION OF FOSSIL FUELS, AND IS DESTROYING THE ESSENTIAL DIVERSITY OF THE NATURAL WORLD. SCIENCE TELLS US THAT EIGHTY PERCENT OF ALL LIFE ON EARTH REQUIRE TREES TO SURVIVE. FORESTS ARE A LARGE PART OF THE NATURAL WORLD, AND CONTINUE TO BE DEFORESTED AT THE RATE EQUIVALENT TO TWENTY FOOTBALL FIELDS EVERY MINUTE WORLDWIDE. AS THE NATURAL WORLD IS OBLITERATED, LIFE ON EARTH WILL DISAPPEAR AS WELL!
DELVING INTO THE DETAILS OF CREATION, REVEALS THE COMPLEXITY OF THE NATURAL WORLD AND HUMANITY’S DEPENDENCE UPON THAT WORLD FOR THE SUSTENANCE OF LIFE! MANAGEMENT OF OUR FOREST COVERED LANDS IS FAR MORE COMPLEX THAN THE AGRICULTURAL PRINCIPLES OF GROWING CROPS. ALTHOUGH OUR BODIES REQUIRE FOOD FOR SURVIVAL, MANAGING OUR REMAINING FOREST ECOSYSTEMS, TO SUSTAIN LIFE ON OUR PLANET, REQUIRES A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS! PROPER MANAGEMENT OF OUR REMAINING FORESTED LANDS IS CRITICAL, AND MUST CHANGE. LIVING IN BALANCE WITH NATURE AND HELPING MAINTAIN THE HEALTH AND DIVERSITY OF OUR REMAINING FORESTED LANDS IS ESSENTIAL!                                              
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July 17th, 2023

7/17/2023

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  WAKE UP WORLD-OUR FUTURE IS AT RISK!
 
I continue to search for the facts and truth about mankind's
destructive impacts on the natural world, by searching for recent
scientific literature and study results. I am frequently amazed by the
number modern scientists that are beginning to recognize the value of
the traditional knowledge our indigenous people have developed
about the natural world and the dependency life systems have upon
that world. Father Thomas Berry, a scholar of world religions,
frequently referred to the need to understand our indigenous
people's wisdom on natures connections to life systems. My wife and
I have been introduced to this traditional knowledge by several
friends of Native American heritage, that have shared their wisdom
passed down from their ancestors. The major difference between the
two society's is the view of how humanity relates to Earth. lndigenous
people see themselves as a small part of the natural world, while our
western society sees Earth as belonging to us and our divine right to
dominate, control and change.
Recently, I encountered two very interesting authors, Mary McAleese,
the first woman President of Ireland, and Ben Rawlence, founder and
director of Black Mountain College in Wales. Mary McAleese remains
active with the United Nations Committee on Climate Change and
published an excellent book of real-life stories of people who live and
depend upon nature to sustain their families. Many were women.
These people have minimal incomes and depend upon the land and
climate condition to provide food and shelter for their families. lt is
amazing that some of these people have become international
spokes-persons involved in alerting the modern world to the climatic
conditions resulting from human demands upon natural resources
and the land. The author points out how people living in these under-
developed situations, are already experiencing devastating adverse
impacts on their ability to sustain their life-styles and traditional ways
of life.
ln Africa, farmers are experiencing flooding followed by long periods
of drought, which has eliminated the successful growing of crops, plus
washing away valuable top soils. ln Alaska, rising water levels and
warming water temperatures, along with increased tree cover from
warming atmospheric temperatures, is causing erosion along streams
and rivers. This is resulting in loss of agricultural lands, top soil and
even necessitates annual moving of houses and structures away from
the rising water levels. This is devastating many local communities,
but it will eventually affect all people as the loss of land surface
worldwide continues. I am encouraged that people living close to
nature and experiencing these unacceptable climatic changes, have
stepped out of their comfort zone to help alert the world to the truth
about climate change impacts.
Ben Rawlence published a book entitled, 'Tree Line- The Last Forest
and the Future of Life on Earth". His book describes his studies,
findings and knowledge of local indigenous people, that live in
extreme northern locations, are experiencing with life-changing
effects resulting from changing climatic conditions. Boreal forests are
the second largest biome after oceans, and encircles the planet in a
continuous green ring and is essential to the health of our planet. The
past 50 years have seen the trees of the boreal forests, moving north
with serious consequences for the future of life systems on Earth.
THE TREE LINE, takes us into this critical frontier where warming
temperatures are causing major geological changes for the
environment and the people. Rawlence, visits this frozen frontier
from Norway to Siberia and Alaska to Greenland. The author points
out that today the term "Tree Line" has come to mean a line on a
map, indicating the growing limits of trees, and evidence of the
narrow time horizons of humans. The environmental changes in
nature demonstrates how humanity has come to take present
habitats for granted. Although we experience limited changes in
climate over an average human life span, tree growth is limited by the
environment that produces them, such as soil, nutrients, light, carbon
dioxide and temperatures. The gradual movement of the tree line has
been constantly advancing or receding, and is an excellent indicator of
climatic condition changes.
The author begins by establishing the importance of trees in
sustaining life on planet Earth, and the fact that only 26% of Earth’s
original forest cover remains. He points out that fifteen billion trees -
thirty million hectares of forest - are cut down every year globally,
and about the same amount is lost to wildfires.
We are then introduced to the indigenous people of the circumpolar
region from Finland to Russia, known as the S'ami. The S'ami once
migrated across the land unhindered, but now are citizens of Norway,
Sweden, Finland or Russia. They have occupied the land, once called
Lapland, for millennia subsisting by hunting and reindeer herding.
Their rock art, depicting their way of life, has been carbon-dated back
to eight thousand years ago. With warming temperatures, the perma-
frost is melting and the lichen rich tundra is slowly being destroyed by
the encroaching trees. After thousands of years, reindeer herding is
becoming a dying life-style, and many of the people are forced to
move to villages close to the sea and convert to the fishing industry.
The adverse impact of climate change is real to these people as they
experience day to day changes.
Moving east into Siberia, we find shocking changes occurring as a
result of warming temperatures. Temperature anomalies for Siberia in
2O2O are frightening at four times higher than global averages,
becoming the highest in the world. There are only four land-based
monitoring stations in Siberia and we need at least ten years of data
collection to make realistic assessments of climate impacts,
consequently we have little information about current conditions. We
do know that there is twice as much green-house gas stored in the
permafrost as currently exists within our atmosphere. Science, also,
projects that 40% of the permafrost will be gone by the end of the
century. The release of greenhouse gases from the permafrost has the
potential to accelerate global warming and effectively end life on
Earth.
We are introduced to the Koyukon people, who have lived as a part of
nature in the frozen tundra of North American, from Alaska to
Greenland. ln the Koyukon tradition, trees can never be cut without a
reason, as they provide so much to life on Earth. The land is the basis
for their worldview. These people have occupied this frozen territory
for thousands of years, and have experienced significant change in
climatic conditions. Canada was once primarily forest covered, but is
currently less than half forest covered.
Climate change continues to impact the land and the sustenance of
life on Earth. The facts are visible for all to see, yet the unnatural is
becoming natural and the unacceptable acceptable, as we continue
our focus on our everyday needs and desires. Fortunately, there are a
few people that refuse to give up the fight to redeem our
responsibilities to care for the land and humanity's future. Ignoring
the facts and truth will only lead to the demise of the human species.
We can still make a difference!
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