A federal judge in Grants
Pass Oregon dismissed a legal challenge to logging
trees in roadless areas killed by the 2002 "Biscuit"
fire. This challenge was
launched by (so called) environmental groups
and has been bouncing around
the court for four years while the timber rotted.
So, how is the environment helped by keeping dead
and rotting trees in the
forest, rather than harvesting them and replanting?
Well, it certainly isn't. Dead
trees foster insect infestation and make it impossible
to replant. Check out:
ENVIROS ARE AFTER THE GREEN IN YOUR WALLET - NOT IN THE FOREST
Congress has put a really stupid provision in
the law that if an "environmental"
suit is filed and won, the litigators get their
"legal" fees paid. These organizations
get contributions from a gullible public to pay
expenses, then the file suits and
when the win one they get a big $ gift from the
government.
In the case of the Biscuit fire trees, it remains
to be seen if there is enough value
left in the dead timber after four years of legal
wrangling to make it economic to
harvest them.