TREES OF LIFE:FORESTS IN PERIL
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July 27th, 2017

7/27/2017

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    It has been a very busy time attempting to get settled in our new home, plus the heat has been far more then we are use to. Have also been busy setting up the fund raiser for the documentary. Please check my facebook site and "youcaring" for information on our needs. Your help in reaching interested parties would be greatly appreciated. 
I believe this documentary is very timely and much needed. There has been several media reports recently talking about sustainability and advancements in the use of technology to support increased efforts to plant and regenerate forest cover. I was just watching videos on the use of mechanical equipment to replant and weed recently clear-cut forest sites in Finland. Clear-cutting is a harvesting technique which completely removes all trees from the site. Modern forest science sees this as a significant way to advance the concept of sustainability. These efforts, for me, are driven by the Gifford Pinchot definition of forestry, the science of growing trees, an agricultural process. My forestry education and present day management, defines  forestry as an agricultural process and my 34 years with the Forest Service perpetuated this agricultural concept, resulting in changing my perception of forest science. I now believe the science of forestland management is far more complex than simply plant, grow and harvest trees for human utilization. Our dependency upon the natural world demands a far deeper understanding of the relationships we share with our forest environments. With over 70% of all life on our planet dependent upon forests, it is essential that we adjust our management strategies to focus on forest community health and diversity. Sustainability concepts simply refers to a sustained flow of resources from our remaining forests. If this is all that we require, then the agriculture process of tree plantations is sufficient. If, on the other hand, forests are essential to the future survival of humans and other forms of life, we are going to have to develop a much more detailed understanding of our natural world along with new management strategies to support our long term requirements. We have over one hundred years of experience practicing the science of forestry and we are just beginning to realize the complexity of this long-life plant we  call a tree.  We now know that trees communicate and care for each other, that they are social bodies that recognize and protect their young. Yes, Peter Wohlleben's book, "The Hidden Life of Trees", offers a whole new outlook on the relationships we share with trees and our natural surroundings. It is becoming increasingly evident that when we raise plants in our established agricultural process, they loose their social and survival instincts. Tree plantations are a far cry from our natural forest communities. Forest science and the management of our remaining forestland demands a more complex knowledge of forest community relationships if we are to survive in the future! This will result in a more intense management strategy then we have provided in the past!

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r

7/15/2017

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Moving to Virginia has brought us close to our Nation's Capitol and highlighted what is happening in our political institutions. If one takes the time to truly observe the political activities, or lack thereof, you cannot help but be deeply concerned about our future. Politicians are elected to represent the people and their primary responsibility is to work with their fellow representatives to solve problems and issues for the back home voters. This means to be effective they must work together and find reasonable and logical solutions.
Governments are established for two primary reasons, first, large groups of people find it difficult, if not impossible, to live together without guidelines and regulations. We elect representatives to establish reasonable rules and regulations that allows individual freedoms, with logical safety for all.    The other reason is problem solving. An expanding population is faced with major issues that are beyond their ability to resolve individually, unless they are able to pool their resources. Our country was built on the concept that you solve the problems at the level closest to the problem itself. As the problem grows in size and magnitude, it requires spreading the costs and impacts over a larger population and thereby, pushes the solution to a higher level of government. Take for example the health care issue, which is obviously a nation wide problem. States like Wyoming have only 400,000 residences to finance the issue as compared to New York with several million residences. It makes sense, that finding a cost effective and fair program requires a nation wide approach. 
My concerns for the future, continue to increase as our political institutions appears to move in a more autocratic direction. Just seem like there is a need to make some significant changes.
Campaign financing might be a good starting point. In recent elections, one member found it necessary to spend $ 49 million just to hold on to his seat in the primary election. The last two presidential elections have seen each candidate spend up to $2 billion for a job that pays $400,000. 00 per year.  The costs of obtaining one of these political appointments has become so astronomically expensive that 99% of the elected officials are deeply indebted to their wealthy supporters. who fully expected to repay, by acting on their behalf. In addition there are three lobbyists, paid by outside interests, for each member of Congress. Something needs to be done to our campaign finance laws to correct this situation.
The next problem is the fact that we have only two real choices. The American voter becomes frustrated with one party and votes in one party only to find we are not happy with the newly elected party so, we go back to the only other choice, which we were unhappy with just four years earlier.  To correct this problem we need two significant changes; term limits on Senators and Congressmen and a competitive third party. We put a two term limit on the President but, allow Senators and Congressmen to make full time careers out of being a politician. Simply doesn't make sense!
When I started I suggested my concerns were increasing and I truly believe we are observing the erosion of our democratic principles. This is not the egalitarian democratic principles we learned from our Iroquois brothers and sisters back in 1744. We have long forgotten that it was the Iroquois Federation that formed the pattern for our democratic society and the writing of our constitution. Maybe we need to make a concerted effort to review our history and resurrect our democratic principles by insisting on changing current laws and regulations to   encourage more competition in our election process and revise our campaign finance rules to eliminate the influence of just a few wealthy contributors.
Our system has worked much better in the past and can be restored for a better future if we come together and insist on the necessary changes!   
What do you think?    

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