Treehuggers against trees

A brief article with a historical perspective on wildfires in the west. Here are a few paragraphs:

"With wildfires burning, it is useful to turn to the wisdom of the ancients. When the pioneers first entered the great forests of America, they found that the Native Americans had managed the forests for centuries. Their woodlands contained very few big trees—maybe fifty such trees per acre."

"In the 1890s, the average Ponderosa pine stand would have held twenty to sixty trees per acre. A century later, it holds three hundred to nine hundred trees."

"The wildfires we see year after year are in fact the result of well-meaning but foolish policies imposed to the detriment of forests, wildlife and people."

Link to Denver Post article.

Open Solution Thread (Hijacked by Rabid Environmentalist)

Updated post: May 20

Just what will happen to Tom Robak's beautiful dream log home on the West Fork of the Bitterroot River, just below the confluence with Nez Perce Creek? Will he have to tear it down before it's even finished or will he prevail in court? All we can say is stay tuned.

What does this have to do with forest management? Not much other than Tom Robak is the founder of Big Sky Coalition. But one guy named Matthew Koehler, WildWest Institute, makes it part of his business to keep you abreast of anything to do with this organization that might negatively influence how you feel about our organization's agenda.

To make it easy for you to think negatively about us, he's reposted two news articles concerning this issue as comments to this post.

We trust you can make up your own mind.

Meanwhile, back to our regularly scheduled programming:

Spectator or Activist?

Here's your opportunity to change the ongoing forestry dialog for the better. Leave a comment of any length about what you think are the most realistic solutions to mitigating forest overgrowth and fire management issues in the Bitterroot National Forest.

When it comes to the USFS, what policies and practices would you like to see improved, and why?

Regarding the dialog between stakeholders on forest management issues, what would you like to see improved, and why?

Missoula Independent Calls Foul on BSC and Senator Rick Laible

By: Independent Staff
Posted: 05/01/2008

"State Sen. Rick Laible (R-Darby) used his position as chair of the state’s Fire Suppression Interim Committee to pimp his personal agenda April 28—failing to mention a significant conflict of interest until being publicly shamed by a local watchdog."

Link to full article and comments.

Healthy Communities and Forests Symposium Agenda

Big Sky Coalition Public Rally: Kalispell, May 18
Flathead County Fairgrounds

2:00-2:10 Welcome: Flathead Business and Industry Association and Big Sky Coalition
2:10-3:00 Jack Ward Thomas: "The Risks of Doing Nothing to manage Our Forests"
3:05-3:40 Dr. Mark Jergens: "The Health Effects of Breathing Wood Smoke"
3:45-4:15 Wally Bennett: "Fuels and Fire, the Chippy Creek Fire, a Case Study"
4:20-4:50 Bruce Fox: "Forest Service Vegetation Mgt., Past Present & Future"
4:55-5:45 Dave Bunnell: "The Historic Role of Fire in the West"
5:45-6:00 Closing Comments

Members of Big Sky Coalition are planning to charter a bus to attend this rally, and discuss our agenda with attendees. If you would like to join us, please contact Tom Robak at tom@bigskycoalition.org.