We did one of the jeep tours thru the Grand Canyon several years ago. The driver/guide was a retired forester and we had a conversation on that very thing happening there.
I agree with you also with the current atmosphere in DC and the surrounding area - it will be hard to get such things done.
I have seen some articles where some projects are being started in parts of our NF here in WV though.
I use to hunt in and around the Otter Creek Wilderness area - always had my best luck in the Fearnow Experimental Forest section. LOL wonder why the best hunting was there?
When it comes to the NF so many regulations on the books. I will try to go back here in a few days though and get some of the projects that were suppose to get started there - let’s hope they follow through with them!
It ain’t over yet either. I run into a Sierra club representative in the cranberry last November. Remembered him from the meetings. He went in heavy and came out with an empty pack. Not sure of his intent but, they are up to something again.
Anyways, every time the forest service proposes timber harvest in the revision of the forest plan, it goes to arbitration through the by laws defining multiple use management on the national forest. Due to improved deer habitat being listed on the objectives. However, the exact same TSI prescriptions aren’t opposed when the objectives of those harvests dropped the improved deer habitat bullet. And, replaced it with snow shoe hare habitat improvement.
Fellas, this is a real threat. If you think things are bad now. If this monument goes through, the forest plan prescription in that proposal is to cut the deciduous forest down and replant with spruce. To the point all collaborators of the proposed monument, wants a forest over story of 90% spruce. How bad is that going to be for the wildlife?
It’s important to understand that the Mon forest is under a huge assault to be nothing more then hundreds of year old stands. And the stink riled up by preservation groups, buffaloed the usfs into not cutting timber on the forest for a good bit of time.
Times have changed for the better to some degree but, it’s simply because these groups are simply regrouping. They are going to keep fighting this until they get a compromise of sorts. Which Realistically, they’ve already accomplished that with all the wilderness designations they slid in years ago during the management plan revision. It went from one agreed upon area to 11.
That’s the danger in any idea of a designation. I agree certain areas are unique and should be withheld from aggressive timber management. But, it’s important to understand why the forest was such a hunters haven 30-40 years ago versus today.
The whole forest was ravaged into the early twentieth century. And as it grew and healed, the wildlife came back with due to the habitat those timber harvests created. But, as interests started lobbying Congress from outside the area to stop timber management in the 80’s, the forest matured beyond productive age. And, that’s where much of it lies today.
Not all is lost though. The usfs finally grew a set and are cutting some timber. But, we are way under 1% of total area with any sort of prescription involving timber harvests. And, that is never going to change. There is simply too much money fighting to ensure it stays that way.
As a forester who tried to buy recent sales in the forest, the whole forest needs TSI work. And aggressive at that. And, the usfs is trying to do as much as possible. But, they can’t win this alone. We won’t win it period. But, as hunters, we’d better get involved.
While it will never be like it was. There are areas that preservationists aren’t paying attention to. It’d be wise to suggest timber harvest anytime the area office propose a forest management plan revision. If it goes to arbitration, and it will, only interests that are presented are considered. So, we need to do our part to help the foresters managing the forest, go do what they do best. Which is set up timber sales and market them.
If we can get enough areas with young succession back, we will see a herd increase in those. areas.
I will say this, the deer numbers in the areas I’ve hunted for 35 years, are slowly reacting to sone of these timber stand improvements. But, it will never be to the degree as before because the areas with this management, are currently akin to a pin head on a football field.
