Dear Sirs, I have great reservations in making any comments in this list lest it should be misconstrued as self-advertisement, again. Nevertheless, I do hope that we can clear the air in this debate by these two fine gentlemen. On Thu, 30 Nov 1995, Bret Diamond wrote: > On 11/30/95, Richard Vlosky responds to my post: > > > > Well, no wonder our forests are so screwed-up. Is this really what > > > they're teaching in forestry school these days, that "the primary reason > > > to sustainably manage forests is to produce forest products?" > > > > NO, OF COURSE NOT. I AM REFERRING TO THE NEED TO MANAGE FORESTS WITH A A > > HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE THAT INCLUDES MARKET AND ECONOMIC FORCES. I AM A > > STRONG PROPONENT OF MANAGING FOR BIODIVERSITY, SO LETS GET THIS POINT > > STRAIGHT. I JUST WAS TRYING TO MAKE THE POINT THAT WOOD PRODUCTS ARE SUCH > > AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR LIVES AND THAT TO MANAGE SUSTAINABLY NEEDS TO > > TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT. > > Do you believe that A) current management practices are sustainable, and > B) that we can maintain a sustainable level of harvest if we continue to > export 50% of the PNW cut, and C) that over-cutting has not so damaged > our supply that a refractory period would not be in order, and D) do you > believe that old-growth forests are a renewable resource? > The question here is not whether old-growth forests are a renewable resource but whether timber by itself is a renewable resource. Secondly, if one wishes to discuss about whether current management practices are sustainable. One should compare timber with base metals. Or to go one step further, what about plastics eg. PVCs for that matter. Are metals and plastics bio-degradeble ? Are they environmental friendly ? Are metal ores renewable and sustainable ? If not, which would one prefers to use ? Metals and plastics, or, timber ? Answers please. > > > And all the > > > Assistant Professor of Forestry at Louisiana State University can do is > > > criticize him for failing to acknowledge that the production of lumber is > > > the primary goal of forestry. > > > > I DID NOT CRITICIZE (AS YOU ARE SO CLEARLY ARE DOING), BUT RATHER ONLY > > OFFERED AN OPINION. AFTER ALL, HE DID ASK. AS AN OLD EMPLOYER ONCE SAID > > TO ME, IF YOU DO NOT WANT A RESPONSE, DO NOT ASK THE QUESTION. > > I stand corrected, he did ask for input, this was not something you took > upon yourself to admonish him for. > > > > Do forestry schools not even bother to at > > > least pay lip-service to the notion of biodiversity anymore? > > > > I HOPE NOT. > > Could you elaborate on this? > > > What you > > > describe Richard, is a tree farm, not a forest. > > > > NOT COMPLETELY ACCURATE. ALTHOUGH TREE FARMS ARE AN IMPORTANT PROVIDER OF > > TIMBER FOR FOREST PRODUCTS, STATE, FEDERAL AND PRIVATE NON-TREE FARM LAND > > BASES ARE ALSO SOURCES OF WOOD AND WOOD PRODUCTS. > > These forests are also home to thousands of plant and animal species, > provide us with the air we breath, and, most importantly, managed to > survive for thousands of years without our "management."> > > True, no doubt about it. But so is the ocean and the earth under one's feet. If one studies the roles of the plankton in the ocean, and the those of the earthworms and ants. One would be amazed by these small and wonderful creatures. But does that mean we should wind-up the shipping and fishing industries ? That we should stop building homes, schools and roads ? Is there anyone in this list who does not live in a house and does not travel by road everyday, or does not have wooden furniture ? Answers please. > > If the fate of our > > > forests, (federal and private) rests in the hands of students who will be > > > educated by the likes of you, and any of your collegues who hold a > > > similar contempt for the natural world and a complete lack of respect for > > > our place in it, then I pity us all. > > > > > In my country, 80 per cent of the material in the wooden furniture industry comes from rubberwood. The rubberwood comes from the rubber tree plantations. Is this a problem ? Or would one prefer us to use metals and plastics instead ? Of course, we have too have forest reserves and forest plantations as well. The question of the management of natural resources and the various factors of production has no easy answers. And no one has all the answers. To balance the two is even more difficult. We can play god by displaying an appearance of omniscience but we will only fool ourselves. > > OH, PLEASE. ...BY THE LIKES OF ME, EH? IF YOU KNEW ME, YOU WOULD KNOW > > THAT THIS STATEMENT IS, TO USE KIND INTERNET LANGUAGE, UNTRUE. > > Again, I stand corrected. I do not know you, only your words. I > apologize if my post was perceived as a personal attack, it was not > intended to be. > > Don't worry, I am no better in this area. > > I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION ON A RATIONAL LEVEL. > > I think we could all benefit this suggestion. > > Bret Diamond > Oregon, USA > diam9018@tao.sosc.osshe.edu > Nelson Wong Malaysian Timber Council Malaysia
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