Showing posts with label carbon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carbon. Show all posts

Sunday, December 18, 2016

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?"



Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Massachusetts has Something in Common with China - Political Forestry



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