2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes technology television terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

One of the earlier guests mentioned that some large trees such as the ponderosa or lodgepole pines were being affected by moisture stress and insect infestation. I understand that there is a clear need to manage these forests to minimize the potential for catastrophic fire, but what would thinning look like across the scale from very "unhealthy" towards "healthy" forests? If a stand is dominated by large, insect-killed or large standing dead trees, wouldn't thinning amount to more than just selective removal of understory trees as presented in the old growth examples? At what point does thinning turn in to traditional harvest through patch cuts or clear cuts?

posted 4 years, 9 months ago
view in context