Dear Editor:

While 1 appreciate Ross
Muirlicad’s <vironmentalism
and care for the community, I
fear he has a complete anti-
logging bias.

Tt is exactly the kind of
anti-logging attitude in Ross
Muirhead’s-Dec. 20 letter that
results in ecologically and ¢co-
nomically poor management
of forested lands. If such arti-
cles influence the community
and especially municipal
politicians to be biased against
all logging in Greater
Vancouver Regional District

» (GVRD) watersheds, then I
- must speak out against such
. biases.
» In the natural world of
. Pacific coastal forests, trees are
: sémoved through many natur-

al events: fires, wind, insects,
and flooding.

That is why, during most
summers, the GVRD
Watershed Management
Department spends part of
the summer months putting
out forest fires caused by
lightning strikes to old snags.

In effect, by minimizing
the natural clearing processes,
through fire suppression and
other protection measures, an
ecological imbalance is creat-
ed. In other words, by not
having clearings in a forest
system as a result of fire sup-
pression, , pest control, and no

logging combined, we can
create some equally ‘damaging
effects to an ecosystem as we

-would by reckless logging.

If we are to have healthy

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forested watersheds, some for-
est clearings should take place
whether it be through fire or
tree cutting.

Forestry is complex and
deals with several levels of sci-
ence, which I don’t want to
bore readers with; I will how-
ever, simply state that clearing
trees can be done to enhance
the biodiversity of an area.

Logging can be done to
enhance wildlife habitat.
Think of all the plant and ani-
mal species that benefit from
forest clearings such as pio-
neer tree species, shrubs and
flowering plants, and the ani-
mals such as deer, bears, but-
terflies, honey bees, and hum-
mingbirds which go to clear-
ings to feed on shrubs, berries
and flowers. *

‘ ee een REPARATIONS, 6 EI A

Letter laden with anti-logging bias

In forests where recreation
takes place (not the protected
watersheds), clearing trees can
enhance the recreational use
of an arca, creating view-
points, picnic sites and other
activity area And of course,
logging elp the economy

ofan arca, P

What worries me about

Ross Muirhead’s request for

“municipal politicians to step
in and ban watershed logging
and road building,” is that the
community will take a gener-
alist approach to management
of our forests and watersheds.

It is much easier to simply
say “stop all logging,” than to
fook at micro-sites within the
watersheds and identify forest
areas that should be cleared
and areas that should be kept

as old forests.

Anti-logging biases like
any other bias, including
racism, are based on fear and
mistrust. We all hate to admit
to our biases, but if you hear
the word “clear-cut” ‘and you
shudder and have visions of
horrific ccosystem devasta-
tion, you have likely been
indoctrinated with the anti-
logging bias.

T have seen some of those
horrific clearcuts and I have
also secn community water-
sheds where the forest clear-
ings became meadows for
wildlife or resilient young
forests. Logging can be done
in an ecologically sound man-
ner, based on science, based
on balance and the right
objectives.

I hops that the readers will
recognize that there is good
logging and that there is bad
logging. Most of all, I hope
that the community will take a
responsible approach to the
management of our water-
sheds and will accept that
clearing trees can enhance the
health of the forest, can
enhance wildlife habitat and
will have economic benefits.

This letter is not endorsing
massive clearcuts and reckless
logging and unnecessary
road-building in our water-
sheds. It is asking readers not
ee be  pyciudiced aga against any

logging in the water-
sheds, and to trust that forest
clearings, at the right scale.
and in the right location, can

be done to create ecological“

and economical benefits. ;
Jill Deulin a
Freelance Forsst Technician"
and Park Interpreter .- .
North Vancouver _

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