[MassChestnutOrchards] Globe article on clear cutting in MA

Sat Mar 13 13:17:56 EST 2010

Rufin,
 thanks for standing up on the side of reason and science , too many go on the side  editorial excitement
Guy

-----Original Message-----
From: Rufin Van Bossuyt <rufin at charter.net>
To: masschestnutorchards at masschestnut.org
Sent: Sat, Mar 13, 2010 10:58 am
Subject: Re: [MassChestnutOrchards] Globe article on clear cutting in MA

There are three letters to the editor in today's Boston Globe that are 
ritical of the recent article on clear-cutting. The are entitled:
. Focus on missteps of clear-cutting obscures states vital role.
.Emotion overcomes reason in land management.
. We need to hear from the foresters.
They can be seen at boston.com
I also sent a letter to the Boston Globe but it was not used. I find that it 
as not saved in my Sent Items file as I responded through their web site.
 said that the reporter should come back a year or two after the clear- 
utting and see the reproduction.
he DCR had a timber harvest behind my house several years ago. Seed trees 
ere left. The forest consists of white pine, white oak, red, black and 
carlet oaks, red maple, black birch and some American chestnut sprouts. 
here was an almost complete cover of huckleberry and low bush blueberry 
resent but they produced almost no fruit in the shade.
ow a few years later the hardwoods have resprouted, there are many healthy 
eedlings and the berries have had abundant fruit. Sedge is very present now 
nd it was not present before the harvest. Obviously seeds were present and 
hen sunlight came in , up came the sedge.
uring the fall while on a walk, I came upon a large flock of robins that 
as feeding on the berries. Good habitat.
arl Anderson, a resident of Upton and a TACF member passed away a few years 
go in his mid-nineties. He had told me about working in the woods as a 
oung man for his uncle who owned a timber harvesting company . The 
arvesting was all clear-cutting. It produced timber and firewood and even 
he pine branches used to start the fires in a nearby foundry were 
ollected.
n 1935 the state purchased the cut over "wood lots" ( purchase price could 
ot exceed $5 per acre) and they are now the Upton State Forest.
n 1830 map of the town indicates that except for very difficult terrain 
reas the land consisted of pasture and crop land. Very little forest.
Rufin

----- Original Message ----- 
rom: "Fred Hebard" <Fred at acf.org>
o: <masschestnutorchards at masschestnut.org>
ent: Friday, March 12, 2010 1:51 PM
ubject: Re: [MassChestnutOrchards] Globe article on clear cutting in MA

 don't know much about New England forests, but forests re-establish
rolifically in the southern Appalachians after clearcutting.
helterwoods or other silvicultural regimes may be helpful in
reventing early succession trees that produce numerous wind-borne
eeds --such as yellow poplar and red maple-- from taking over a
ite.  Or some other silvicultural practice might be prescribed for
ncouraging desirable species.
However, clearcutting itself is often the best means of establishing
esirable stands.  Unfortunately clearcutting has been demonized in
rder to alter the behavior of the Forest Service and other land
anagement agencies.  And the demonization has transmogrified in the
ublic mind into an established fact, that clearcutting is
ecessarily a bad forest management practice, when it's not.  It's
ust another tool in the toolbox, that has to be evaluated in
hoosing the best silvicultural prescription to achieve the desired
bjectives, while keeping the long-term health of the ecosystem in mind
Fred
Frederick V. Hebard, PhD
taff Pathologist, Meadowview Research Farms
merican Chestnut Foundation
4005 Glenbrook Ave.
eadowview, VA 24361
Email: Fred at acf.org
eb: http://www.acffarms.org
hone: (276) 944-4631
ax: (276) 944-0934

n Mar 12, 2010, at 11:54 AM, Mirick, John O. wrote:
> My thought is that we should use up any political capital that we
 may have by weighing in on this issue.

 John

 From: masschestnutorchards-bounces at masschestnut.org
 [mailto:masschestnutorchards-bounces at masschestnut.org] On Behalf Of
 Yvonne Federowicz
 Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 11:25 AM
 To: masschestnutorchards at masschestnut.org
 Subject: Re: [MassChestnutOrchards] Globe article on clear cutting
 in MA

 It sounds like some of the cuts might have made it more difficult
 to re-establish forest, since they didn’t properly do a
 “shelterwood” cutting? Would these also make it more difficult to
 plant chestnut?

 It would be good to hear from Bruce, Dennis and Lois.  I doubt
 we’ll be in the position to make any official statements anyhow as
 a group, probably not an issue – unless someone cuts our trees or
 improperly prepares a site that is agreed upon for one of our
 plantings, in the future.

 Re. expressing opinions - seems more like a situation where
 Massachusetts residents might want to express opinions as citizens,
 or forestry professionals – as Bruce has done.

 On 3/12/10 10:03 AM, "Gary Jacob" <gjacob at comcast.net> wrote:

 Interesting article.  It is too bad that a state like Massachusetts
 should be setting such a bad example.  I think it is important,
 however, that we not take a position or express any official
 opinions concerning this issue.

 What we should do is to begin thinking about different planting
 plans we would use, for future American chestnuts, depending on
 whatever harvesting situation we may find.

                 Gary

 From: masschestnutorchards-bounces at masschestnut.org
 [mailto:masschestnutorchards-bounces at masschestnut.org] On Behalf Of
 Jamie Donalds
 Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010 10:21 AM
 To: orchard mgrlist
 Subject: [MassChestnutOrchards] Globe article on clear cutting in MA

 Hi All,

  Here is an article in the Globe I found this morning about clear
 cutting in MA. It has a quote from Bruce Spencer.

 I would like to here more about this issue and how it might affect
 future restoration plantings at Quabbin  and elsewhere.

 Does this effect any plans for our seed orchard  at Moore State Park?

 Perhaps Bruce , Dennis or Lois  would be interested in talking on
 this subject at the April Meeting?

 Food for thought,

 -Jamie

 http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/articles/2010/03/04/
 a_clear_cut_controversy/

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