Deforestation

[tanel]

I have a small house by the forest about 130 kilometers from my apartment. Often I hear news from that are when I arrive there during the weekend or whenever I'm able to.
Few weekends ago while arriving there I found a large deforested area. Right next to my house. Surely, it wasn't my forest but it stunned me deeply. I was in shock and couldn't believe what I saw.

Right after arriving I took my camera and went off to see what have happened.
Now, looking back, it seems that I tend to work very differently when I'm effected by such strong emotions.

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While the forest-owner made a profit by cutting down the trees the wildlife whom home it was has only one option- move on to another territory. Sadly, this affects farmers and that arises a whole another problem.
Everything is connected in nature and people should have more respect towards this subject.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

It is happening all over the world.

 

[Nikon Bob]

This is a profession though.
Wood producers grow trees for the wood, then plant some more again. It's just the same as corn or wheat.

It's sad to see though because it is at a much greater scale.

Over here they don't seem to plant nearly enough to cover what has been taken and unlike corn or wheat trees take a tremendously long time to be mature enough to cut again. It really shakes you up the first time you see a heavily logged over area, it looks as inviting as a war zone.

Bob

 

[aad]

It looks horrifying, but remember New England was completely deforested-now it's full o' trees. Long term, possibly for the better if they don't put a mall on it.

Not sure if tropical forest is as resilient.

 

[Pfreddee]

As bad as it looks, it is the only major industry here in Buckingham County, Virginia. It provides work for many county residents; can't be helped. People have to work to afford to live.

We own a 20 acre tract of land in an adjoining county, which we had logged about five years ago. One of the requirements for us to keep a lowered tax rate was to re-plant it in pines, which we did. The pines are doing well.

I also understand that many people consider a forest of only conifers to be unnatural, but if you travel far enough north, you will run into natural conifer forests...

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)

 

[not_in_good_order]

I don't want to get into drawn into a discussion about the complex and emotionally charged issue of logging, but I do want to commend you on the quality of your photography.

 

[Ducky]

I don't want to get into drawn into a discussion about the complex and emotionally charged issue of logging, but I do want to commend you on the quality of your photography.

Agreed, those are very good and very powerful images.

We here in the US have an abundance of tree huggers, maybe we can (please) send over a few.

 

[robklurfield]

nice documentation of a staggering disaster in the making. thanks for sharing these.

 

[semilog]

This is a profession though.
Wood producers grow trees for the wood, then plant some more again. It's just the same as corn or wheat.

In some ways that's very apt, but it makes things seem a bit more benign than they are. A forest is an ecosystem; a tree farm generally requires that the forest first be destroyed, and is by comparison nearly a monoculture. The repeated removal of biomass is generally done in highly unsustainable fashion, over time depleting the soil of essential nutrients. In these respects, much of modern forestry can be compared to strip mining about as easily as it can be compared to our conceptions of conventional agriculture.

 

[semilog]

Just to summarize: in the lower 48 states, we have roughly 5% of our native forest remaining (probably less). Ducky's suggestion is that the people trying to protect what little is left of that remaining treasure should be deported.

Outstanding.

 

[semilog]

It looks horrifying, but remember New England was completely deforested-now it's full o' trees. Long term, possibly for the better if they don't put a mall on it.

Not sure if tropical forest is as resilient.

"Full of trees" is not the same as an intact ecosystem, any more than a gravel quarry is the same thing as a castle, or for that matter the same as Yosemite Valley.

 

[40oz]

I don't know about the OP's forest, but looking at the logs, it appears that was a harvest for wood pulp. Here in northern Minnesota, huge chunks of land are planted for wood pulp. Mostly pine, the trees are planted the same as corn or wheat, and harvested the same. Yes the time to harvest is longer, but the land is leased for hunting/fishing/camping during the cycle, and harvested and replanted every five to ten years.

Pine forests are normally the youngest of wild forests anyway, as they usually are slowly replaced with hardwoods.

I don't look at it as a massacre. It's far better than just cutting old-growth forests to make toilet paper. It might come as a shock to someone unfamiliar with the plant-harvest-replant cycle, but a little understanding of what's going on and why should alleviate the trauma.

The wood piles awaiting shipment are huge here, but nothing compared to what one finds at the pulp plants where the raw material is transformed into paper products. The folks that run the tree operations around here are mindful of the impact of their actions, and make an effort to spread out the harvesting so whole counties aren't clearcut. And the upside of these operations is the land sees absolutley no development as long as it is used for tree harvest operations.

 

[40oz]

In some ways that's very apt, but it makes things seem a bit more benign than they are. A forest is an ecosystem; a tree farm generally requires that the forest first be destroyed, and is by comparison nearly a monoculture. The repeated removal of biomass is generally done in highly unsustainable fashion, over time depleting the soil of essential nutrients. In these respects, much of modern forestry can be compared to strip mining about as easily as it can be compared to our conceptions of conventional agriculture.

That's not quite fair. Any farm field is a monoculture in and of itself. On the other hand, wood pulp tree farms are planted then largely left alone. Undergrowth fills in and provides habitat for all kinds of animals. As the forest grows, it changes from largely open field to densely covered land, and the undergrowth dies off. Wildlife populations change as the nature of the habitat changes over time. By the harvest, the stand is largely unpopulated as there is little undergrowth able to live under the tight canopy of pine boughs.

In many places in Minnesota where paper companies run their farms, there were no forests to cut down when they started. In a lot of places, the soil is too sandy to support traditional agriculture, and there really isn't any topsoil to speak of at all. On the other hand, after several generations of tree farming, the detritus of the process builds the soil.

The process isn't perfect, but I challenge you to come up with a better way to deliver your Kleenex without upsetting your delicate nature.

 

[flip]

I particularly like the first picture.

Somehow, as I start the day reading this, I am reminded of my favorite book: Sometimes A Great Notion.

 

[semilog]

I am not opposing all forestry. I am merely saying that even relatively responsible forestry is not without costs, and that we should be clear-eyed about what those costs are. For example: "Undergrowth fills in and provides habitat for all kinds of animals." Well, no -- not all kinds. Many animals cannot survive in young forest (i.e., any forest that's planted and harvested on the typical industrial scale of 80, or more often these days, 30 or 40 years). This is to say nothing of plants, epiphytes and other kinds of life. Tree farms, without question, have their place. But they should not be confused with old-growth forest.

There's little doubt that the photos are of young trees; none of the stumps are huge.

You can gloss over the fact that only about 5% of the native forest in the U.S. still exists, but satellite data and ground surveys tell us that this is what's left -- if we are optimistic (those are facts). Personally, I hope we can keep at least that much of it (that is, of course my opinion).

 

[Vincent.G]

Nice work there, tanel. Perhaps you can start a photography project with the conservation agency of your country. Or maybe start your personal project documenting the logging activity in your country.

 

[charjohncarter]

We had this same dialema when I lived in my second home state of Oregon from 1956 to 1969. The spotted owl came along and put an end to it. Now if there is any cutting it is done selectively and with replanting. But in the interim many towns went down the drain, including one named Drain. And many people were dislocated and impoverished. If you have an answer please advise.

 

[Vincent.G]

I am glad that I am not a politician.

 

[angeloks]

Let me add some more...

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[Vincent.G]

Nice photos, angelok!