Thread: Thanks Tom Beno!
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Old 04-01-2003, 06:29 AM
Larry Harrell
 
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Default Thanks Tom Beno!
(Scott Murphy) wrote in message . com...

And just to make things even more confusing

... should we really be talking about "natural" or "historical" or
"adaptations", when the factors (e.g. climate...and we can forget the
argument about whether the change is man-made or not, just recognize
that it is changing) that brought about these forest conditions and
adaptations have ceased to exist and show no signs of returning in the
forseeable future?

As far as mimicking natural disturbance regimes or processes... good
luck. From what I've read and listened to, it can't be done. What
natural process does thinning a stand, loading the trees onto a truck
and shipping them to the next county mimic? Vertical and horizontal
stand structure _maybe_. Then what? Soil chemistry? No. Nutrient
cycling? No. And on and on and on. Too many "No's" to pretend
you're mimicking anything natural. I've heard horror stories of
foresters trying to defend this paradigm in front of the public. I
agree, you've got to do what you can, just don't be so silly as to
think you're mimicking anything natural, and don't dare try to sell it
to anyone as such.
Caveat Venditor.

Scott forestry is mind-boggling!

I guess you got me there. There is no mimicking. After a one-time
entry to reduce both the excess live and dead fuels, you forget
mimicry and just burn the sucka.....over and over and over.....until
your superior "leave trees" have become old growth. Of course this is
based on ponderosa pine forests. Your forests may vary.

Larry controlled burns are fun!