If the people of the North West wish to conserve the environment, why do they clear cut the forest?

Question

If the people of the North West wish to conserve the environment, why do they clear cut the forest?

Answer 1

Why would you assume that clear-cutting is a bad thing? Just because environmentalists oppose it doesn't make it evil. They are the same people who prevented forest management in Yellowstone, stopping the use of deadwood for firewood, kept anyone from removing undergrowth and brush. The result was a fire hundreds of degrees higher than a "natural" forest fire, that destroyed most of the forest. Before they interfered, forest fires moved slowly along the bases of trees, burning up undergrowth  but not harming the mature trees. The trees benefitted from the fire but they can't do that when the fire is so hot it consumes them.

Clear-cutting and replanting can be done responsibly, if you care about this make sure they do replant and have a plan to do so. Young trees soak up a lot of CO2 from the air and keep it trapped for their lifetime, while harvested trees keep most of it locked up until they're burned or rot away. If they get used for building materials, most of that CO2 stays out of circulation until it's released when the materials are destroyed.

As other posters pointed out, if they didn't replant the logging industry would quickly find itself out of business. There are some people who are stupid enough not to care, though, so be sure they're required to re-plant and that the government or a private groups makes sure they do so.

Answer 2

Because the developers have more clout than the environmentalists.

Answer 3

What do you think a wildfire did millions of years ago?   Was the environment destroyed?

Answer 4

They don't care. They said they want to save the forest to look good in everyone's eyes. They really just don't care, and I bet you are one of ten people who know that they are clear cutting the forest.

Answer 5

Obviously for money , the world is screwed and trust me no politician in ths world wants to conserve anything. Kyoto is a joke. Every politician has their hands on that money. The world is going to h**l and no one is talking only whispering.

Answer 6

The forests that are being clear cut are not wilderness forests. They are managed woodlands. Most of them have been clear cut before and were replanted. You can bet your last dollar that there is a reforestation plan before any trees are cut.

Answer 7

They also go back in and plant more trees. If they didn't how long would they be in business.

Answer 8

For some types of forests clear-cutting is actually better for the health of the forest than selective cutting or not cutting at all, because it mimics the natural renewal cycle produced by forest fires.  Saplings that get planted are more viable in an open field than in a mature forest because they are exposed to more sunlight.

Answer 9

They probably got permission from D. C.   Write to your Rep. and Senator to stand up to the business interests involved.

Answer 10

OUR GOVERNOR DONT CARE. EVIDENTLY SHE ONLY COMES OUT OF THE WOODWORK FOR ITS TIME TO VOTE AGAIN. we had a big flood in december 07, washington state's water emergency and wa.ecology recomended THE FAST FLOOD RELIEF PLAN=RESULTS DELETE FLOODS FAST/SAFE AND PERMANENTLY. she ignored it. disaster money she recieved=$310 million. not one penny was used on floods, people. only her pet projects she's turned down the transportation package and educational package. she now comes out of hiding because she wants to be governor again,