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October 23rd, 2023

10/23/2023

                          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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