Good answer John.

I agree with you.  We need to move from decisions made on the basis of
financial criteria to those made on the basis of ecological criteria.  This
doesn't preclude commerce or human community, but it does involve a
significant ethical change.  The hope is that we recognise and support it
when it does arise (sometimes we don't, and people protest on the premise
that all practices are bad by definition - my pet bugbear at the moment).

I recently argued that clearcutting above a particular size was only
justified by financial criteria (bigger is cheaper).  I could not think of
many ecological criteria that could justify a clearcut over say 5 hectares
in area.  (I do, however, have a problem with those who condemn ALL
clearcutting irrespective of scale or management practices within the area,
as some species require some scale of gap.)   I had general agreement, other
than for an argument for larger areas in the far northern boreal forests
where permafrost is somehow limiting when scales are too small.  Don't know
the details however.  The point is that ecological considerations ought
(IMHO) to be the key because sustainability is far more often than not
compromised by commercial considerations.  Any forester who, like Leopold,
really cares for the forest ecosystem, must recognise the continuous
conflict between financial decision criteria and what is best ecologically
for the forest.  Financial criteria almost always result in a simplification
(uniformity and reduction of any values not instrumental to commercial or
social return) across large scales, whereas natural ecosystems tend to less
uniformity (more complexity) and more diversity.  The trick is to maintain
that complexity while accommodating humanity.

Chris

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [log in to unmask]
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of John Foster
> Sent: Thursday, 30 March 2000 15:30
> To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Canada Lynx Rare in Maine
>
>
> Good question Chris,
>
> I take the position that Lynx and any other species has intrinsic right to
> exist. There is also another compelling reason why I think the Lynx should
> be conserved and that reason is to maintain the integrity and
> resilience of
> ecosystems. The first regard I would suggest is a response to
> 'held values'
> and 'feelings' which is often (at least by Plato) a neglected term of
> reference. It may be argued that the Lynx is not an economical species to
> manage for, but in fact furbearing animals are an important economic asset
> to Canada. I recently received a large document from an organization
> representing the trapping industry which stated that the industry provided
> $1 billion in value to the economy. In British Columbia that value
> represents about 1000 jobs alone.
>
> Now it may be surmised that the trapping industry impacts on
> ecosystems, and
> that was the case in the last century when the beaver was trapped to near
> extinction in some regions. Since then most trapping is
> regulated, and when
> trappers obtain a licence and a trap line they are required to
> take courses
> in conservation. They total amount of animals trapped is
> regulated and when
> some animal is reduced to a small population, then that species is not
> trapped. Many trappers that I know are reluctant to trap beaver
> as a result
> of the understanding of the habitat and the population status.
>
> One function that Lynx for instance provide in forested ecosystems is as
> predator of hares. Without the Lynx considerable problems arise in conifer
> plantations resulting from herbivory associated with hares. This also is a
> problem with deer where predators are excluded. One solution has been to
> eliminate the preferred browse with herbicides. This is very
> effective with
> broadcast, wide spectrum herbicides like glyphosate. In the early
> trial with
> herbicides the most common usage was on range lands. The herbicide was
> effective in controlling pocket gophers and other rodents that
> were believed
> to consume forbs and grasses. To eliminate the rodents and lagomorphs was
> the goal even though no long term studies were completed to determine if
> cattle and sheep really benefitted since any reduction in forage even for
> the short term could impact range animals.
>
> I quess my answer to your real question about whether logging should be
> stopped in the boreal forests is that I think that modifications to the
> silviculture systems would solve the concerns raised. In fact some logging
> practices are beneficial to wildlife species. For instance, partial cuts
> with long rotations that enhance and rely on natural regeneration are very
> effective at maintaining species at risk such as the mountain caribou, and
> the Grizzly bear. For Lynx in particular it would be an
> improvement if dense
> thickets of natural regeneration are encouraged where lodgepole pine is
> harvested. The emphasis here would be to implement a silviculture system
> that retains lots of small diameter poles that allow pine marten
> the ability
> to capture voles and other microtines. The silviculture systems
> that I have
> implemented often result in dense stands of pine that may be suitable for
> Lynx, and creating small patch cuts would improve the edge
> effects of older
> stands by allowing dead trees to fall and cover more areas that are
> disturbed by logging.
>
> Straying from strict ecological principles at the stand level compromises
> the landscape where populations are dependent on habitat. So
> really much of
> the mistakes made by logging are related to how ecosystems are
> concieved in
> the first place. An ecosystem is a concept. Time is a concept when it is
> used to integrate practices over a large area of forest. Now if it is
> demonstrated that a reliance on natural regeneration, leaving
> more trees in
> the residual stand benefit the forested area, then this should be
> encorporated into law. What I mean by law is that for a law to be
> useful, I
> would think that it is a law based on the 'discovery of reality' (Plato,
> Philebus). A law which is implemented for the purposes of
> sustainability of
> commercial timber species only is not a law based on an law of nature.
>
> Therefore the role of ecologists and resource managers is to
> encorporate and
> uphold laws derived from ecology first. Most of the mistakes that occur in
> forestry result from inadequate testing of practices such as artificial
> reforesation, site preparation, rotation ages based on financial criteria.
> When the full impact of say provenance testing results in plantations of
> conifers infected with needle rust, root rot, and economically damaging
> forest insects, the problem usually occurs long after the first trials are
> completed. Often the results of the testing of the seedlots (families) is
> carried out for a short term and only survival and height growth is
> monitored. This is very poor science especially when those 'preferred'
> seedlots are planted over very large areas.
>
> The forest industry has been very effective at promoting science and
> technology that appears really good to investors, technical professionals
> that determine harvest rates, but often the data and information
> is based on
> short term results that mask more serious problems later associated with
> maladaption of the seedlots. This is becoming a serious problem throughout
> the Pacific Northwest where there are almost infinite ecological
> gradients.
> One extreme example of maladaption is exemplified by Douglas-fir
> in Oregon.
> In this region vast monocultures of nearly uniform Douglas-fir are being
> impacted by Swiss needle cast. In other regions spruce is being devastated
> by the white pine terminal weevil. This is forest insect is the
> basis of my
> post graduate work. In my research I discovered a trend that may indicate
> that spruce are more susceptible to the insect when they are
> moved more than
> 100 meters up or down in elevation from the elevation where the
> parents were
> located. The are other ecological gradients that may impact
> susceptibitlity
> in addition to genetics such as lack of cover, slope, etc.
>
> My interpretation is that there are too many firms and agencies that lack
> understanding of functioning ecosytems within a region. The emphasis of
> modern forestry has been to improve the yield of commercial species of
> timber at the expense of other sensitive species. The cost is
> very great of
> course when plantations fail to perform. So from a purely ethical
> perspective forestry should not set objectives that it cannot
> demonstrate in
> advance of the trials.
>
> There are many facts related to ecosystems from a pure conceptual
> perspective. However the interpretation of those facts is never given any
> full and due diligence. Often pure short term economics becomes the driver
> when there are decisions to be made in forests. We know with reasonable
> certainty short rotation forestry has a great impact on many species, and
> even on productivity of the forest. Ecologists know that cutting
> down trees
> in the boreal and temperate forests in most cases results in
> degradation of
> the forest, loss of species and habitat.
>
> Recently I completed a paper biological diversity in boreal and temperate
> forests. I obtained studies from around the world including the
> Scandinavian
> countries, the US Pacific Northwest and Canada. I found that most
> old growth
> dependent species do not become common in forests unless they are
> older than
> about 140 years. There are many species of epiphytes, arthropods and
> vertebrates (songbirds) that do not enhabit forests younger than that age.
> If they do then they are extremely rare. The ecological role that many of
> these species provide is not adequately understood but in short
> they provide
> resilience to disturbances associated with abiotic and biotic events. In
> particular various predatory insects are more common on older trees and
> forests. Old willows, old birch are incredibly valuable for birds and
> insects, especially lepidoptera. Now one may argue that there is lots of
> mature and old forest, enough to sustain the species and prevent
> extinction.
>
> That argue is being put to rest simply because of the scale at which
> forestry is being practiced on. The most convincing arguement against this
> belief is seen in the annual census of passerine birds in North America.
> Many of these species winter in the tropics. All hummingbirds for instance
> migrate to South America and Central America. These species to
> not reproduce
> there but reproduce in the northern forests. All the other passerine birds
> that migrate here also reproduce here in the summer that I am aware of
> except some such as the crossbil (mates and raises young in the winter).
>
> In the eastern US and Canada during the last century most of the
> white pine
> and spruce were harvested. When this happened the forest insect called the
> eastern spruce budworm built up and turned into an epidemic that began
> devastating huge areas of forests. The insect preferred the
> balsam fir which
> was left behing due to economic reasons. The effect of altering
> the species
> composition of the forest, removing old forest was also accerbated by
> wildfire exclusion. The effect was to create a very large food supply for
> the budworm, and remove habitat for insectivorous birds that would prey on
> the budworm such as the evening grosbeak.
>
> The response of the forest industry sector was to test and implement
> technologies to control the insects. The first successful attempt
> to control
> the insects was with the use of DDT. And this insecticide was
> used over vast
> areas in New Brunswick for instance. It became evident though that the use
> of insecticides was increasing each year, and the use of insecticides was
> not halting the epidemic but sustaining the insects. Perhaps the insects
> were becoming immune to the field doses, budgets and techniques where
> inadequate to combat the insect, but eventually the prob lem had become
> endemic and the requirement to continue spraying accelerated.
> After all the
> insecticides were demonstrated to kill all kinds of beneficial
> insects from
> bees to butterflies, and at some point insectivorous bird populations
> declined and could not regulate the insects.
>
> Eventually it was decided to try natural insecticides and what was first
> used was Bacillus thuriengensis which is a soil bacteria that contains a
> poison that damages the gut of the insect. This works well in one respect
> since many insects and mammal are immune to the insecticide at field use
> levels. The use of Bt has not halted some impacts to wildlife since the
> effective of large treatments is to reduce some insects that are preferred
> food for other species.
>
> What I am saying is really the basis for an ethic of
> responsibility here is
> clear. Forest practices do not emulate, mimic or support the resilience of
> ecosystems unless they are tested and proved far in advance of them being
> implemented. Unless the full ecological impact of clearcutting, artificial
> reforestation, reduction in the extent of old forests, et cetera, is
> determined there is no ethical basis for suggesting that the practice is
> sustainable for all dependent species and processes.
>
> The idealism of forest ecologists and conservationist is often
> sacrificed at
> the alter of short term profits and expediancy. The great opportunity to
> maintain fully functioning ecosystems has been lost in many parts of the
> world as a result of perceived economic need. How many times have I heard
> recently an industry forestry decry how un-important old growth
> forests are
> to the economy. Recently one forester wrote that the rich who can
> go fishing
> on the west coast of BC for salmon and pay $4,500 per week to stay in a
> luxury lodge are really not important since what is really at
> stake are the
> jobs of not so rich people who log clearcuts in temperate
> rainforests. Well
> the fact of the matter is that people need to eat, they cannot eat wood,
> loggers can be retrained to do other jobs, houses can be built from less
> wood, and the ecology of important species like salmon can be preserved. I
> don't get the rationale here. Why does the fact that the demand for more
> wood be the sole driver in determining if 1 % of the worlds remaining
> rainforests in North America shold be protected? What state is the worlds
> existing commercial fisheries in? Well in almost complete
> collapse except in
> the North Pacific. There is no longer a salmon fisheries on the
> east coast,
> and along the coast from southern BC to Mexico.
>
> We blindly progress from natural disaster to natural disaster
> emulation our
> own follies. I recently retorted to the industry professional working for
> the largest clearcutting firm in the world that all their clearcuts were
> doing was emulating clearcuts, and that if they did not stop the
> clearcutting that the market, the consumer would demand that they
> stop. They
> certainly are not making any profit at it. In British Columbia
> after gutting
> the Forest Practices Code of any provisions which would protect water,
> species and habitat they industry reported a substantial loss of
> $1 billion.
> This last year they reported a small profit of $600 million resulting in a
> return on equity of less than one percent. Gosh what a tremendous loss for
> the worlds greatest clearcutting province which is the last place were
> ancient rainforests are being clearcut. The value of the Douglas-fir old
> growth is about ten times what short rotation loblolly pine sells for. You
> cannot use young pine for door and window frames, in fact Chile imports a
> lot of clear old growth wood from British Columbia.
>
> Yes we need to change forestry practices to become holistic, that is to
> honour and obey the laws of ecology, not the laws of the
> boardrooms and the
> short term manipulators of the stock markets. Perhaps one solution is to
> return forest tenure to communities of indigenous persons, and naturalized
> citizens within the dependent forest communities. That solution
> is certainly
> working here. In the Revelstoke area the community forest made a
> profit of $
> 1 million, and all other community forests in British Columbia have made a
> profit and they only sell the logs. The only mill that I know of
> that makes
> a profit each year is Primex which has no forest tenure or private lands
> except to meet 10 % of it's wood supply.
>
> When anyone buys timber or lumber from BC please envision a clearcut that
> may be as large as 500 hectares, located in a community dependent on the
> water, the fish, and the tourism potential. In Europe and in the US and
> especially in Costa Rica this practice would be against the law.
> But this is
> the reality in British Columbia. There is some very good forestry being
> practiced however it is restricted to less than 5 % of the land in public
> forests which represent 95 % of the commerical forest.
>
> Chao,
>
> John
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Chris Perley <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2000 4:12 PM
> Subject: RE: Canada Lynx Rare in Maine
>
>
> > Thanks for this John.  If what you describe is correct, it is
> obvious that
> > some forestry practices are not taking account of wider ecosystem
> > requirements (surprise, surprise).  Their practices should
> clearly change,
> > as should any policies that provide incentives for such an
> approach.  From
> > your perspective, do you see the solution as modify of the practices to
> > accommodate these ethical/environmental considerations, or is
> it to cease
> > forestry practices?
> >
> > Chris Perley
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: [log in to unmask]
> > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of John Foster
> > > Sent: Thursday, 30 March 2000 11:45
> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject: Re: Canada Lynx Rare in Maine
> > >
> > >
> > > There is a tad of truth to the following quote forwarded by Jim:
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > "Canada lynx feed primarily on varying hares, which
> > > thrive in thick growth created by saplings and sprouts that
> > > typically follow tree-cutting operations. In short, evidence suggests
> > > that old-growth forests is poor habitat for lynx. In short, man may
> > > be helping lynx in Maine and in the two other U.S. states where lynx
> > > are found, Montana and Washington."
> > >
> > > The complete truth is that snow shoe hares and varying hares are
> > > abundant in
> > > natural thickets with high densities usually associated with
> > > wildfires. The
> > > most common tree species where Lynx and hares occur are in
> young stands
> of
> > > lodgepole pine and jack pine. The problem with industrial forestry
> results
> > > with herbiciding and density management. With low densities of
> > > pine the Lynx
> > > and other predators can effectively prey on hares reducing their
> > > populations
> > > below the carrying capacity. Secondly, without wildfires,
> shade tolerant
> > > species often survive replacing less tolerant species of trees.
> > > In addition
> > > to this, clearcuts for the most part require artificial reforestation
> with
> > > optimum densities of pine, spruce and other commercially valuable
> species.
> > > The hares are dependent in the winter on shrubs such as willow which
> often
> > > do not regenerate very well on clearcuts, but regenerate very well on
> > > wildfires.
> > >
> > > In my studies I found high levels of willow, microtines, and natural
> > > regeneration of pine on wildfires, whereas on plantations that
> > > were clearcut
> > > in the Montane Spruce biogeoclimatic zone there was often
> > > insufficient shrub
> > > populations to support winter vole populations leading to mortality in
> the
> > > planted pine. This event occurred last year on numerous
> > > plantations and was
> > > accelerated by the effect of the cyclic nature of meadow voles
> > > which have a
> > > 7 year cycle. The impact of the loss of shrubs directly impacts
> > > pine martin
> > > which cannot prey on the voles in clearcuts in the winter
> since there is
> > > insufficient large woody material that permits hunting under
> > > snow. When the
> > > vole populations kill off planted seedlings they do not prefer
> > > the pine but
> > > eat the pine because there is a shortage of preferred browse
> > > which the hares
> > > also depend on. In my studies that looked at wildfires, there
> was dense
> > > regeneration of willow and pine, and there was veirtually no browsing
> and
> > > girdling of the pine.
> > >
> > > Statutory decision makers in Canada are obligated to implement
> > > silviculture
> > > practices to obtain a stand of preferred conifer and deciduous
> > > species that
> > > meet scientific and economic objectives for commercial tree species.
> Only
> > > rarely within any given stand of conifers that are grown for
> commercial
> > > purposes are thickets left in a dense state that would ultimately
> benefit
> > > the hares. So the indirect cause of declining Lynx populations
> > > are the laws
> > > regarding silviculture on public forest lands. In British
> Columbia 95 %
> of
> > > commercial forests are administrated by the government.
> > >
> > > The population of Lynx in Canada is threatened where clearcutting and
> > > density management and herbiciding is taking place. Lynx are not an
> > > indicator of old growth forests except in the driest of the lodgepole
> pine
> > > forests where densities are very high after wildfire. The Lynx is an
> > > indicator of forest ecosystem health though for young seral
> stands, and
> in
> > > fact indicate the health of populations of other species ranging from
> > > species dependent on willow such as butterflies and up to 300
> arthropod
> > > species, various songbirds, grouse populations in lodgepole pine
> infected
> > > with dwarf mistletoe, etc.
> > >
> > > The only really good monitoring of the Lynx that occurs in Canada
> > > that I am
> > > aware of is the annual harvest and reports by the professional
> > > trappers. In
> > > British Columbia the species that is commercially signficant
> in low snow
> > > areas where the hare occurs is the pine marten which is limited
> > > by preferred
> > > winter prey such as voles. The pine martin does not survive
> in clearcuts
> > > unless there is enough down logs to provide snow tunnels in
> the winter.
> > > There BC Trapping Assoc. has published an extensive report indicating
> that
> > > clearcutting impacts the pine martin (Martes americana) this way.
> > > The basic
> > > requirement of the marten is for down woody material greater
> than 20 cm
> in
> > > diameter. In the winter the martin captures the voles by pursuing
> > > the voles
> > > under these logs which act as snow tunnels.
> > >
> > > When clearcutting occurs all logs greater than 12.5 centimeters
> > > which can be
> > > used for pulp or lumber are harvested and removed from the site.
> Moreover
> > > when the clearcutting is completed there is often very poor
> > > regeneration of
> > > willow which is the primary substrate for voles. Additionally the
> > > regeneration of alders and other shrubs is often lower on
> > > clearcuts compared
> > > with fire.
> > >
> > > And it is very important to realize that in a wildfire it is very
> > > difficult
> > > for large raptors to prey on hares due to the prolific
> > > regeneration and the
> > > abundance of snags. The consequence for the trapping industry is
> > > devastating
> > > where clearcuts are frequent, rotation ages are shorter than
> 100 years.
> > >
> > > Chao,
> > >
> > > John
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Jim Tantillo <[log in to unmask]>
> > > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > > Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 10:55 AM
> > > Subject: Canada Lynx Rare in Maine
> > >
> > >
> > > > While this article is now a bit dated, it does help illustrate how
> > > national
> > > > policies that may look good to environmental activists in one
> > > part of the
> > > > country can appear to be wrongheaded or even counterproductive
> > > to outdoor
> > > > advocates in other regions.  jt
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > from:
> > > > http://lynx.uio.no/lynx/nancy/news/me_top.htm
> > > >
> > > >                                   Canada Lynx Rare in Maine
> > > >
> > > >                        Outdoors with Ken Allen
> > > >                        Kennebec Journal
> > > >                        July 28, 1998
> > > >
> > > >                        Many plants and animals in Maine are
> > > living on the
> > > > edge of their
> > > >                        normal range, the northern boundary for some
> > > species
> > > > and the
> > > >                        southern extreme for other ones. This creates
> an
> > > > incredibly rich
> > > >                        array of plants and wildlife, exciting
> > > for outdoor
> > > > folks who roam
> > > >                        our woods and water.
> > > >
> > > >                        At one moment, we may view a critter normally
> > > > associated with the
> > > >                        Arctic or sub arctic such as an Arctic tern,
> and
> > > the
> > > > next, see a
> > > >                        species from more tropical areas such as a
> > > > leatherback turtle.
> > > >
> > > >                        This diversity creates an
> interesting problem,
> > > > though. Some species
> > > >                        that were never numerous in the state
> > > because they
> > > > are living on the
> > > >                        extreme edge of their habitat become
> listed as
> > > > endangered or
> > > >                        threatened. Next, the Department of Inland
> > > Fisheries
> > > > and Wildlife
> > > >                        (DIF&W), already strapped
> financially, ends up
> > > > spending money it
> > > >                        doesn't have, studying and managing a
> > > species that
> > > > never was
> > > >                        abundant in Maine, thanks to limited habitat,
> not
> > > > the hand of man.
> > > >
> > > >                        Canada lynx is a perfect example. The
> > > U.S. Fish and
> > > > Wildlife
> > > >                        Service has proposed listing the lynx as a
> > > > threatened species under
> > > >                        the Endangered Species Act. Related to
> > > the bobcat,
> > > > this large feline
> > > >                        has historically called Maine home. But,
> > > according
> > > > to DIF&W, it has
> > > >                        always been rare and found in the
> northern and
> > > > western-mountain
> > > >                        regions of the state. If this animal winds up
> on
> > > the
> > > > threatened species
> > > >                        list, this state must deal with tighter
> > > regulations
> > > > that may affect the
> > > >                        hunting of other species.
> > > >
> > > >                        Canada lynx feed primarily on varying
> > > hares, which
> > > > thrive in thick
> > > >                        growth created by saplings and sprouts that
> > > > typically follow
> > > >                        tree-cutting operations. In short, evidence
> > > suggests
> > > > that old-growth
> > > >                        forests is poor habitat for lynx. In
> > > short, man may
> > > > be helping lynx in
> > > >                        Maine and in the two other U.S. states where
> lynx
> > > > are found,
> > > >                        Montana and Washington.
> > > >
> > > >                        Old-growth forests are disappearing in these
> two
> > > > western states. Some
> > > >                        people have criticized DIF&W for not
> > > studying lynx,
> > > > but monies for
> > > >                        funding this Department come almost
> solely from
> > > > sports folks. You
> > > >                        can bet most of them prefer studies be
> > > done on more
> > > > prevalent
> > > >                        species such as varying hares or
> ruffed grouse.
> > > > Interestingly, DIF&W
> > > >                        has done little study on these two critters,
> > > > extremely popular with
> > > >                        hunters. DIF&W biologists readily admit they
> have
> > > > little data on hares
> > > >                        or grouse.
> > > >
> > > >                        The lines are drawn between people who want
> more
> > > > work done on
> > > >                        lynx and those folks who desire more
> studies on
> > > > popular species. In
> > > >                        the end, the U.S. Government will have
> > > last say on
> > > > future policies
> > > >                        dealing with Canada lynx, and at the moment,
> are
> > > > planning hearings
> > > >                        for public input.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Canada Lynx
> > > >
> > > > Lynx canadensis
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > MAINE NEWS
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > July 28, 1998:
> > > >
> > > > Canada Lynx Rare in
> > > >
> > > > Maine
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>



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