Jerry West, the Janitor writes: >I would just like to point out that in Patrick's home territory of >British Columbia we clearcut on very steep slopes. Who cares about soil >erosion? We have land slides bigger than city blocks and salmon streams >that are trashed beyond belief. And it is not for nothing that Nootka >Island is called by most of those who have seen it, even loggers, Nuked >Island. So, Aristotelis, clearcutting is possible on steep slopes, it >may be immoral but it is possible, just ask Patrick and his sponsors in >the BC forest industry. It doesn't make much sense to compare Greece with British Columbia. In hot, dry forests it is often best to use some form of selection, even single tree selection where the tree species are capable of regenerating in partial shade. The issue of soil loss by landslides is important, but in British Columbia this is a minuscule amount of the total area. Yes, even small landslides can cause negative impacts on salmon streams and should be avoided. But it is also very clear that overfishing, hydro-electric dams, agriculture, and urbanization, are far more destructive of salmon than logging, the effects of which are temporary as the impact of soil erosion is easily healed in time. Immoral is a big word to apply to the obtaining of wood by hard work. I would think twice about characterizing the people who do this work for all the rest of us as "immoral". Cheers Patrick Moore, Greenspirit http://www.greenspirit.com May the Forest be With You Snail Mail: 4068 West 32nd Avenue Vancouver, B.C. V6S 1Z6 Canada
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