This is a “destroyed” forest “devastated” by a high severity blaze. But the abundance of flowers, aspen and shrubs makes this burn incredibly important for wildlife. Photo by George Wuerthner
I am again reading about a forest service plan for logging/thinning based on the idea that wildfires “destroy” the forest. Whether the agency […]
Continue Reading →The recently released Custer Gallatin National Forest Service plan shrinks interim wilderness protections for the 155,000-acre Hyalite Porcupine Buffalohorn Wilderness Study Area (HPBH WSA).
The HPBH WSA was established by Senate bill S. 393 in 1977. Among the mandates in the Act: SEC. 3. (a) says: “Except as otherwise provided by this section, and subject […]
Continue Reading →Looking down Cache Creek from Republic Pass, Yellowstone NP, WY
One of the many excuses used to justify “thinning” and logging today is to preclude massive wildfires. Notwithstanding, there is considerable evidence that such actions do not impede large fires, which only occur during extreme fire weather; people still use this as an […]
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Relict “historic” cottonwood along Missouri River. Photo by George Wuerthner
One hundred forty-nine miles of the Missouri River in Montana is a designated Wild and Scenic River. It is also within the 375,000 acres Missouri River Breaks National Monument, which includes the Lewis and Clark and Nez Perce National Historic Trails. […]
Continue Reading →Cattle grazing Mojave National Preserve, CA. Photo by George Wuerthner
The 1964 Wilderness Act requires federal agencies to protect and manage designated wilderness areas “to preserve its natural conditions.” Given that all domestic livestock are exotic alien animals and hardly contribute to “natural conditions,” one might assume that livestock production would be […]
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Note the lack of plant diversity on the left side of the path which was “treated” to “restore” the forest. Photos by George Wuerthner
These two images display a recent example of a forest “restoration” project designed to improve the “health” of a ponderosa pine forest. The area to the […]
Continue Reading →Pronghorn in Upper Green River Allotment, Bridger Teton NF, Wyoming. Photo by George Wuerthner
A recent article in Wyofile by Argus Thuermer was full of quotes from the ranchers grazing the Upper Green River allotment on the Bridger Teton National Forest in Wyoming.
https://www.wyofile.com/ranchers-grizzly-suit-imperils-rights-wildlife-migrations/
The Upper Green River grazing Allotment at 170,000 […]
Continue Reading →Large old growth grand fir like this pictured could be cut if the 21-inch rule is discarded. Photo by George Wuerthner
Old-growth fir trees in the Lookout Mountain Proposed Wilderness, Ochoco National Forest, Photo by George Wuerthner
The Forest Service is proposing to remove the prohibition […]
Continue Reading →Juniper removal below Abert Rim, Oregon Photo by George Wuerthner
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is now taking comments on a massive vegetation project for the Great Basin and adjacent areas of the Colorado Plateau. The PEIS for Fuels Reduction and Rangeland Restoration in the Great Basin (the Fuels Reduction and […]
Continue Reading →An ecologically ravaged forest ecosystem on the Deschutes National Forest, Oregon. Thinning the forest to allegedly preclude wildfires releases a tremendous amount of stored carbon. Photo by George Wuerthner
Gifford Pinchot, first chief of the U.S. Forest Service said: “Conservation is the foresighted utilization, preservation and/or renewal of forests, waters, […]
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