Legal logging is Illegal Logging

Cut no logs. Remove no native trees or plants in Buckland State Forest

This notice is for State Foresters; not just public visitors.

Massachusetts state lands need to be completely returned to the natural landscape. All forms of logging harm the forest. Forestry oversight harms the forest. We do not know how to do oversight; we must get out. Massachusetts forestry schools will always be contributing to the degradation of state lands. They continue to teach old school forestry and resource extraction. They cannot self-regulate.

We do not need you on State lands. Forests benefits the community without being logged, hunted or open to vehicles.

From the Mohawk Trail (State Route 2) you can clearly see a totally protected set-aside species' forest in the center of these mountains above the Deerfield River. Directly on the far side of these mountains looking southwest is Buckland State Forest which is "controlled" by the State of Massachusetts employed foresters and thus it is in danger of legal logging. One can walk cross-country through the forest from one to the other.  Forest protection ends outside of the Species' Forest.

This 21st century the Commonwealth of Massachusetts could have total state land protection, but it does not. Among other things, over a century ago, State foresters created the problems with tree plantations and selective logging. And today State foresters continue this ignorance by the creation of the ugly commercial forest triage "futures" plan.

Led by entrenched commercial foresters they divided state lands into three arbitrary resource driven gerrymanders: "parks", "preserves" and "woodlots".  None of these are set-aside as species' forests and therefore none of these, including Buckland State Forest, is a returned or returning forest.

The century has just begun and the old guard is still here. If individual State Foresters do not protect the species' forests then these foresters have no business being State foresters. They should quit their day jobs let others do conservation.

"If I am a conservationist then what exactly do I conserve?"

Biomass is Bad in the European Union (EU) countries and is bad in Massachusetts state lands.

Buckland State Forest and all state lands are species' forests and must never be legally or illegally logged.

Watch it now – ‘Threatened forests’ the hidden truth behind EU ‘green energy’

In Europe forests were destroyed by burning wood (aka biomass) thousands  of years ago, but some have returned to a natural state. In Massachusetts forests were destroyed a few hundred years ago and many have returned to potentially natural states.

Massachusetts foresters do not make the forest regrow. Nature does this on its own. In Massachusetts the state administrators only see the returning forests as resources. That is because state forest administrators are not qualified to speak for the forests. These state administrators must be replaced by ethical vegans and/or other ethical professionals who have no money or career interests in operating the forests as agricultural lands. Massachusetts forests are not agricultural lands; they are species' forests. Those who actually care about complete forest restoration will demand mature 150 year old forests through out the state.

Buckland State Forest abuts a group of partially conserved forests and one forest (the Species' Forest, Conway, MA) which is totally conserved as a species' forest in perpetuity. Buckland State Forest's triage status must be revoked as woodland (aka woodlot) subsidized wood and biomass extraction.

We are no longer listed with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We were told by a state worker at the state friends partnership that, "Buckland State Forest does not need a friends group".

We are looking forward to another great year. Once again the Buckland State Forest will be included in the Species' Forest Circuit Tour this summer.

All are welcome to join Friends of Buckland State Forest. Call (802) 258 7845 email rhstafursky@yahoo.com.

Easy to Return Buckland State Forest

 Buckland State Forest and all Massachusetts State forests must be returned. This can easily be done. We remove the junk deposited over time and we remove the invasives and non-native species of plants. The magnificent and the mundane forests can and should be returned with little effort.

“Chernobyl is an real example of a species' forest return without "manage, manage, manage". In this case radiation levels keep people out, but proper state laws could do the same if state foresters actually care about the species' forest. Please keep an open mind. Ask, specifically, what do conservationists conserve and who or what are they working for.” ——Dick Stafursky

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/651899/?sc=swhn

Chernobyl de facto species' forest

The species to be controlled in Massachusetts is people. Forest research is to perfect people management. That would mean no hunting or fishing in State species' forests. We need to end bushmeat and ranching on state lands. We need an ethical vegan heading DCR.

The End of Commercial Logging and Pivate Hunting in Massachusetts State Forests Doable.

Organic Buckland State Forest

Fantastic natural landscape of Buckland State Forest, Buckland, Massachusetts (US). This species’ forest is filled with forest storm debris. Most of the rotten logs are pieces of hemlock trees broken off several meters up rather than uprooted. This organic debris prevents human and AUHM (animals under Human management) traffic and thus the local species get all the benefits of forest decay. Buckland State Forest has not been logged in its interior for perhaps a century. We detected no tree stumps. Friends of Buckland State Forest demand that this forest remain a returned species' forest in perpetuity and that logging, hunting and trails not be built or those existing trails on the perimeter and the gravel road to the cell tower not be maintained. Other than removal, invasives, and non-native trees, we tell the state to just let this RSF (returning species' forest) be.

not for people improvements

No stumps

a RSF (returning species' forest)

tree standing free

Massachusetts has Something in Common with China - Political Forestry

Did China just create a model for recovery of the world’s forests?

In the US, after the 19th and 20th centuries, the eastern broadleaf forest grew back from being cleared for cattle and sheep. This was, because of the railroads importing fossil fuel (mostly coal in those days) which replaced firewood. This forest return over all of New England was the first in all the world, yet the farmers of New England don't even know that the Great North Eastern New England Forest is impressive and unique. All politicians, President Obama and Senator Sanders for example, now are giving the go ahead to farmers to once again cut and totally exploit the forests which have taken one hundred and fifty years to re-grow. The proof of the returned forest can be seen anywhere in New England. Stone fences crisscross the land under the now returned forest canopies. There are few pastures, only trees, but this one hundred fifty year progress (via neglect) may be reversed by China-like selfishness. --- Richard H Stafursky

Buckland State Forest is under constant threat from State Forestry planners. Our friends group asks that all logging, hunting and other resource extraction end on Buckland State Forest acres. Actually, ending some destructive practice is easy. No research is required; just end it and the species' forest will return. The centuries of damage by the State of Massachusetts to this species' forest (Buckland State Forest) can be fixed within a few years. Invasive plants will grow less once this habitat "enhancement" is ended and the canopy returns and shades out invasives. This canopy return and the dynamic natural equilibrium which follows will also eliminate the hunter's excuse to manage and kill the mega-fauna for bushmeat.

Both eastern China and Northeastern US have a history of returned forests. The mature forests are our asset, not the biomass, firewood, paper and lumber from these  mature forest. Locals live in the middle of this magnificent forest, but they don't see it. We must praise the result of forest neglect over the centuries. We must not have politicians quietly form their plans for this species' forest destruction.

All are welcome to join Friends of Buckland State Forest, Buckland, MA (US) Please call Richard (Dick) Stafursky (802) 258-7845 Cell

Tree Farms of Evergreen Bad. Foresters are Wrong Again.

Buckland State Forest species' forest must be cured of tree farm past. New England forests must be returned as they were thousands of years ago. It is easy to do this. Europe leads the way for returning native forests. Massachusetts must catch up. State forestry is an embarrassment and all logging on state lands must end. 

Typical broadleaved spcies' forest ideal for Buckland State Forest.

'Wrong type of trees' in Europe increased global warming By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent, from Science  05 Feb 2016:
Vol. 351, Issue 6273, pp. 597-600 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad7270

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35496350

Climate Change

Climate Change

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/12/04/world/europe/ap-climate-countdown-the-latest.html?_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/12/05/world/europe/ap-climate-countdown-the-latest.html?_r=0

Hunting Season (time of great troubles for the animal species)

Trail and right of way used by some hunters to set up blinds. In September it is flooded by storms, but will be soon trodden by hunters.

Hunting is completely unnecessary in the species' forest. This trail, which is also a right of way, which is now flooded with rain water from a September storm, will soon be used by hunters to get deep in the species' forest and kill native animal mega-fauna. For the time being at least, Buckland State Forest species' forest is mostly canopied which maintains the native animals species numbers in a dynamic equilibrium. Under the canopy, hunting actually destabilizes this natural population balance by random killings and by hunters altering animal behavior.

The person who logged this place without consulting the State has appeared in court. Friends of BSF was told by a State ecologist that all logs should be returned to the forest floor for natural decomposition.  We agree.

When large mature native trees are felled by legal or illegal loggers or wood cutters the forest canopy leafs lower to the ground as saplings or, actually on the ground, as brush and weeds. When the uppermost canopy is gone this alters everything. Species' forests are supposed to have complete leafy, bird filled, mammal filled, insect filled and vine filled canopies high high up and out of reach. High canopy leaves limit browsing on the forest floor and thus stabilize deer populations. 

One of the lesser problems in Buckland State Forest species' forest is trash. 

April 2015 Species' Forest Circuit Tour in Cooperation with Friends of Buckland State Forest

SPECIES' FOREST CIRCUIT TOUR

Welcome forest mountain guardians, ethical vegans, ethical vegetarians, ethical conservationists, writers, all progressives and vegan atheists. Free and open to the public!

April 25, 10:00 AM, rendezvous at Deerfield River overlook, visitors center, 75 Bridge Street, Shelburne Falls, MA (US) Free, Public invited.
(802) 258 7845

Towns of Buckland, Conway, Ashfield, Conway Street, Summer Street, South Street, Conway Road, Shelburne Falls Road, Wilder Hill Road, Baptist Corner Road, March Road, Bray Road, Ashfield Street, and the mountains within.

See http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/map_ol/oliver.php .

Same weekend as: Sunday, 4/26, New England Vegfest, Worcester, MA (US)

Illegal logging in Buckland State Forest

Logging without a logging plan.

There will be a public tour by car and on foot at a selected group of mountains in Massachusetts (US). The circuit will be the shortest public road circumnavigation of the selected mountains. On this day it will be ten miles by car stopping at a variety of locations. We will visit several “conserved” forests and learn that conservation means something different to those in control. From the outside forests may simply look the same, but these forest are not protected over time. In some cases you may return in a decade or so only to find the forest logged or gone. How can that be if they are “conservation” land? What is being conserved? You will learn that only a species’ forest set-aside is returned to nature complete. Only the species’ forest is conserved, restored and preserved for the Rights of Nature. There is always some Human purpose which always harms other forests. This tour is in cooperation with Friends of Buckland State Forest.

A species’ forest is of, by and for all the other native plants, animals, fungi and soil microbes which occupy or have occupied their forest. Why does species have an apostrophe?

Species Forest, Inc. is an IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit organization organized in Massachusetts, US. Please call Richard Stafursky at (802) 258 7845 for information or email rhstafursky@yahoo.com. New Web site is http://speciesforest.blogspot.com/, 

old Web site is http://wslfconwaymausa.blogspot.com/ [World Species List]

DCR probing illegal timber harvest within Buckland State Forest

"Report: DCR probing illegal timber harvest within Buckland State Forest"By Mary Serreze | Special to The Republican  March 22, 2015

Triage

Triage

Very, very sad for the forest

Buckland State Forest, Buckland, MA (US) has been triaged as a WOODLAND (aka tree plantation). We sent a complaint to the Massachusetts government administration during the triage, but they did not listen. Triage will be hard to undo, but undo we must.

Forests under state and federal management face the same dangers. Caution! The link here is of most forest organizations in the US and some other nations, but ask yourself the question, "Does this organization listed protect the species' forest or does it protect the rights of people to exploit the forest?" It can't do both. The slightest use of a forest harms the forest forever. There is no win win. The forest always loses if used in any way by people (e.g. trails, logging, hunting) and the forest gradually slips out of the natural dynamic equilibrium which it needs to survive as a species' forest. See federal list http://www.discovertheforest.org/partners/  , US Forest Service (www.fs.fed.us) Forest Partners.

Under the US Obama administration they are getting better at promotion, but the US Forest Service is still run buy the forest resource stakeholders. A stakeholder is an organization or person who has a property or money interest in some action. Ethical conservationists are not stakeholders. As individuals, ethical conservationists have no personal profit as their goal. State and federal foresters and employed ecologists are stakeholders.

Beware of stakeholder words and expressions. Does that word come from a forest industry or was that term co-oped by industry. Beware sloppy words that originally were used by the GREENS, but have been adopted by industry. For example, the word biodiversity has been adopted by nearly all forestry companies who say they are interested in biodiversity when in fact they log native forests and this prevents the return of the species' forest. Also, WOODLANDS is just another name for a tree plantation. "Best practices" is just another name for forest management, yet a species' forest does not need to be managed.

When you see a list of forest organizations find out what is their history.  Don't trust their printed mission statement. See http://speciesforest.blogspot.com/ .

A species' forest is of, by and for all the other plants, animals, fungi and soil microbes that occupy their forest. A species' forest is not managed by or for people.

Join our friends group this spring and summer  2015. All welcome. Our sole purpose is to protect.

Best wishes,

Richard (Dick) Stafursky

802 258 7845 ( c e l l )

Friends of Buckland State Forest, Ashfield, MA (US)

Important words for the Friends of Massachusetts State Parks

OCCUPY

RIGHTS OF NATURE

CLIMATE

DIVEST CARBON

Geneva Forum UN Right of Nature 2014

Conference in United Nations, December 2014 : A Universal Declaration of Rights of Nature ?

Nature

Divest Massachusetts Rally at the State House, Boston 2015

"Woodlands" Is A Term Used By Commercial Foresters.

LinkedIn Question

What have you done for the environment?

Buckland State Forest has been defined as a "woodlands" by logging interests. This designation will make it very difficult for Friends to stop commercial logging here, but Friends will try. For years commercial loggers have looked upon Buckland State Forest with envious eyes and they have quietly made their plans.

If you are not a member of LinkedIn it is easy to do and it is free. The above link will ask you to join.

The above question was answered by hundreds of people both government workers and ordinary people. Ordinary people are great contributors to projects and ideas because their job is not at stake. Too often we go to meetings where professional foresters and professional ecologists answer questions by simply referencing code, law, government policy, "best practice" management practices written by commercial foresters and many other "official" resource guides.

South River State Forest, Conway, MA (US) is only a few miles from Buckland State Forest. It is a little lower in altitude and it is adjacent to the Deerfield River. Other than that the forest is just about the same.

South River State Forest is about to be logged by private contractors. The public cannot trust the reports and studies done by the state. That is because logging in Massachusetts' lands are motivated and legislated by stakeholders and not ethical conservationists. A stakeholder is a person or organization which as a money or property interest in some action. Only ethical conservationists have an interest in the well being of the forest and do not intervene except for true management of human caused problems (such as invasives, forest diseases and non-native species). The healthiest forest is a species' forest (aka a natural forest). Consultants who are hired by the state, by definition, never are independent experts. They are always looking for the next paying customer and that is usually the State.

So check out these global and nationwide thoughts written by stakeholders and non-stakeholder alike.

Massachusetts Commonwealth state species' forest that are approved for logging are renamed "woodland" at the suggestion of commercial logging companies.  This renaming was intentional as to make it appear that logging of these species' forest was the true order of things. No, forests do not have such an innate resource purpose.

Letters and Comments 2014

Letters and Comments

____________________

On Oct 27, 2014, at 10:47 PM, richard stafursky <rhstafursky@yahoo.com> wrote:

Sharl,

Thanks for the note. We are at Friends of Buckland State Forest, MA (US).

Fungi at nearby Flagg Mountain ghost subdivision state land.

We probably will not come to the FN Conference Dec. 6, 2014. For the last year we have been visiting Buckland State Forest from several vantage points. Currently our purpose is to find out the extent of human impact from hunting, snowmobiles and future logging. We probably won't have a plan to get these things banned soon. These are entrenched practices that will be hard to kill, so to speak. That is unfortunate, because they do harm the species' forest of Buckland State Forest. Right next door are Flagg Mountain, the Species List Forest and lands of NEFF. All are open to the public and all can be accesses by walking.

The ghost subdivision of Flagg Mountain is rife with invasive plants. If the nightmare of logging (selective or clearcut) happens those invasives would spread via logging roads to the sun-lit logged areas. The Species List Forest to the east has just about eliminated most of the invasive plants caused by a State illegal logging plan some 21 years ago. That was eight years prior to the Species List Forest being donated. If Buckland State Forest was logged we fear it would also give invasives more than twenty years to invade the area.

Next year we plan to check out reports that there are non-native Norway pine and European larch in BSF. None of us are botanists so it may take a while to confirm this. If there are significant number of non-native trees we will have to devise a plan for their removal and a plan to prevent non-native saplings from growing again. We do not know the extent of the early 20th century tree plantation and we can't even begin to guess on how to eliminate it and return the full canopy of a species' forest in perpetuity. There are several options to choose.

At this time we have only two members of Friends of Buckland State Forest. We have informed the Buckland Town Administrator of our and concerns. She has provided us with some helpful information. We have posted at least one event, but only one person has gone with us. There is a lot of competition from other forests open to the public in the area. In order to get the community involved in defending Buckland State Forest it will take some planning. Our goal is to return the forest complete. A returned species' forest is the healthiest forest. It is best for the climate and the human community. The MSJC has made it perfectly clear that simply by being conservation land all such lands benefit the community. We believe that Buckland State Forest can and should be such a place and it should join with the existing Species' List Forest in northern Conway as a model species' forest. A species forest is of, by and for all the other native plants, animals, fungi and soil microbes that occupy or have occupied that place.

Two years ago Susan and I participated in a FN Conference in Worcester. There was no opportunity for local groups to speak. We had expected that all of the FN Conference would be for friends participation. Instead we were an audience only. In 2015 perhaps this will be different. If so, I would be glad for Susan or me to make a presentation.

Our web site is not well viewed. We are working on this, too.

Best wishes,


Friends of Buckland State Forest
Richard Stafursky
155 Belmont Avenue
Brattleboro, VT 05301
rhstafursky@yahoo.com
802 258 7845 cell


On Monday, October 27, 2014 7:06 PM, Sharl Heller <slheller@comcast.net> wrote:


Hello Richard,

How've you been? Do you have a website or facebook page that we can link to from the Friends Network newsletter and website? Hope to see you at the FN Conference Dec. 6!

Thanks,

Sharl Heller, Facilitator
The Massachusetts Forest and Park Friends Network
http://www.networkingfriends.net

------------

Richard,

Thank you for the update and the link. 

We listened to the suggestions of friends groups and give more time now for groups to share what they are doing with the other groups.

You have a big job on your hands with little support. Keep up the good work.

Best,

Sharl

------------

Buckland State Forest Friends, Buckland, MA (US) Fall 2014 Report

Buckland State Forest Friends, Buckland, MA (US)

Fall 2014 Report

It is almost October 2014 and the Buckland State species' forest will soon be in harm's way by people going there to kill native species. About this time we have seen people carrying in shooting blinds to be installed in trees. During this "season" people will go into the State Forest to kill the local native mega-fauna. Obviously, this will discourage other people from walking in this State species' forest.

The few marked foot trails here are fairly neglected. Most of them are actually old coach roads with stone walls on each side of the ways. Just after Flagg Mountain was purchased by Mass Fish & Game one of these ways was used as access by vehicle to get to the Flagg Mountain boundaries deep in the woods. This way also was used in the recent past by the owner of Flagg Mountain to mark his twenty-four unit ill-fated subdivision plan for Flagg Mountain. Unfortunately, now that Flagg Mountain and Buckland State Forest are State controlled people seeking to kill mega-fauna will no doubt access both species' forests by this one way.

People walking in the woods in the Fall should wear day-glow yellow. Blue and orange are also part of wild turkey colors and might actually put you in gun sights.

Unlike the now dedicated State Flagg Mountain with its invasive infested ghost subdivision the Buckland State Forest has fewer invasive plants. We hope that next year we will walk this species' forest to see the extent of the old tree plantation containing non-native trees. We probably will need help in identifying the non-natives. We have learned that non-native trees can self re-populate especially after trees are cut. We have spoken to State foresters and they have said that the State does not normally kill non-native tree saplings after a forest cut. Reversing the plantation damage will be difficult. If the State removes mature non-native tree species the Buckland State Forest Friends and the State can brain storm to find a way to kill the plantation foolishness of the past.

To be continued . . .

Adjacent to Buckland State Forest, Buckland, Massachusetts (US) is Flagg Mountain recently acquired by the State. The species' forests are vey similar. All Commonwealth lands needs total protection from the extraction of resources.

------------------                               

The natural recovery of a species' forest begins.

Flagg Mountain ghost subdivision in Conway, Massachusetts (US) is now owned by State Fish an Game. The developer put a lot of effort into creating very hard-packed gravel roads into Flagg Mountain. What you see here is not a lawn. It is a road now gone wild. Fortunately for the mountain no houses were built and his dream of a 25-house subdivision was not fulfilled. The developer sold and he now lives in Florida, but the scarred natural landscape remains. State Fish an Game told me that the natural landscape would be allowed to return with only very minor habitat maintenance. No vehicles can access this road. Good!

Abandoned hard gravel roadbed 

Dick Stafursky, originator of the Species List Forest, Conway, MA (US)

Welcome - Friends of Buckland State Forest