Talk:Logging/removed

Logging is controversial due to its potential environmental and aesthetic impacts. Scientists have estimated that forests once encompassed 40 to 50 percent of the globe. This large quantity has been dramatically diminished to a mere 30 percent. It is these natural woodlands that must be conserved to ensure the survival of natural systems and the human race. Unfortunately, forests are not only becoming subjected to various natural disasters, but are also being destroyed by loggers throughout the world. The acts being taken by the people and companies associated with logging must be restricted or the planet's forests will not be restored. although there is no consensus amongst wcologists logging is an important factor in global deforestation . This issue imposes numerous detrimental impacts upon the environment. If the world continues to deny the effects of logging, then the functioning of the ecosystem will be adversely affected.

Logging has provable benefits for forest conservation. The inherent economic value of logging encourages forest conservation and in developing countries, forest tracts designated for logging are at least 8-10 times larger than those limited areas set aside as nature reserves.. Logged forests hare much better for wildlife conservation, carbon storage, and other ecosystem services than alternative land uses such as cattle ranching or conventional agriculture .

Skidder in Oregon.

Impact of tree harvesting

The large-scale effect of the removal of trees is the impact on the level of carbon in the atmosphere, with its consequences on global climate. Besides the carbon release due to possible burning associated with logging, or possibly with wood processing, the removal of trees prevents carbon from being captured by the trees from the atmosphere. Deforestation, frequently associated with logging, has been assessed to be in fact responsible for 17 percent of annual global carbon emissions, a level higher than the one from emissions due to transportation.One of the most prevalent global concerns today is over the abundant and increasing amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It is the accumulation of these gasses that contribute to the rapid climate change feared by society. Unfortunately this is another consequence of logging. Luckily techniques have been developed that can limit the amount of carbon dioxide accrued as a result of logging. In an effort to provide evidence that there is a significant amount of carbon retained by reducing logging damage, an experiment was performed. The purpose of this experiment was primarily to influence major logging corporations to reduce the amount of damage produced. Pinard and Putz claimed that an alternative for reducing net emissions is to “lessen damage to residual forests during selective logging, thereby retaining additional carbon in biomass” (Pinard and Putz, 1996, p.278). Both Pinard and Putz compared forests logged according to reduced-impact logging guidelines with forests logged by conventional methods. The results displayed a 62 percent difference in the carbon retention in the forest with the reduced-impact logging guidelines. This tremendous difference was much unexpected. Evidence such as this contributed to the formation of Reduced Impact Logging Techniques. In addition to several restrictions, RIL techniques can aid in the management of the harmful impacts of logging.

Logging is responsible for an immense amount of the decline in forest diversity. This is a consequence of the current frequency and nature of this disturbance imposed upon the environment. Many scientists conclude that the reason for the reduction of diversity in the forests is due to the introduction of invasive species. However, this theory had never been proven. As a result both Brown and Gurevitch decided to investigate the impacts of logging on tropical forest vegetation in Madagascar, a hotspot of biodiversity. They both “investigated the effects of limited logging on the presence, persistence, and impact on native species on forest composition in Ranomafana National Park in southeastern Madagascar” (Sokal, Gurevitch, & Brown, 2004, p.6045). The study revealed that logging had in fact been the primary factor contributing to the establishment of invasive species. Unfortunately with the dominance and persistence of these species, native species are incapable of recovering, leading to extinction. Many individuals perceive a loss in biodiversity and exotic plant species as an insignificant reason to enforce restrictions on logging. People very often respond to the results of research similar to this with the statement, “a loss of biodiversity is not going to affect me”. An abundant amount of our medications come from plants including many on the endangered species list. It is also the complex and numerous amounts of species that keep our ecosystem in a balance. Extinction of species will contribute to a tremendous collapse in ecosystems. This failure of a sustainable environment will cause agricultural problems, creating a lack of food for millions of individuals throughout the globe. The amount of casualties a year as a result of malnutrition and starvation will increase dramatically. It is very unfortunate that we continue logging with little to no restrictions, unaware of the detrimental consequences of this process. Climate change is yet another downfall of the process of logging. The effect on ecosystems and on biodiversity is the small-scale effect of unrestricted logging.

In altering the balance of animal and plant species, logging, if not limited to sufficiently small areas, alters the ecological system of the forest. Removal of trees alters species composition, the structure of the forest, and can cause nutrient depletion. This may provide opportunities for some species while creating a loss of opportunity for others, altering the natural ecological equilibrium. Trees providing midday shade to streams which may alter the stream's temperature either by preventing the sun from shining on the water by day, or by preventing the water from radiating the heat back at night.

Impact of logging operations

Modern ground based logging operations require the use of heavy machinery in the forest. In some areas roads must be built which often causes habitat fragmentation and increased edge effect. The use of heavy machinery in a forest can cause soil compaction. Harvesting on steep slopes can lead to soil erosion, landslides, and water turbidity. Logging on saturated soils can cause ruts and change drainage patterns. Harvest activity near wetlands or vernal pools can degrade the habitat. Forest machines use oils which, if not handled carefully, can cause pollution. Roadbuilding for access to timber in frontier forests often opens up areas previously not accessible, which facilitates further development such as farming.

Effect on global climate change

In an effort to determine the effect of logging on global climate change, two scientists (Shukla and Sellers) performed an experiment. This experiment consisted of a coupled numerical model that was representative of the Amazon. The model was manipulated to simulate the conditions that logging would impose upon this tropical rain forest. The outcome revealed a significant increase in surface temperature and a decrease in precipitation. Many scientists have agreed that it is climate change that is one of the most problematic issues of our generation. It is proven that as temperatures continue to rise, so too will human mortality . It is very{{Which?} unfortunate{{Which?} that this is one of the consequences of logging. Climate change can contribute to any of the following: heavier rainfall cause flooding in many regions, extreme drought, extinction, strength and frequency of natural disasters, increased frequency of heat waves, acidic seawater (Shukla and Sellers, 1990, p.1324). The impacts of logging are no longer a theory, but are in fact a reality that the globe must confront right now . A combination of all of the consequences could potentially cause the demise of the human race. Fortunately , if action is taken immediately then we can rid ourselves of these concerns.

Contribution to extinction

The chance of survival for an abundant amount of species has been reduced due to logging. Plant species throughout the globe are becoming extinct because they are incapable of restoring themselves and reproducing. Both Flavia Costa and William Magnusson were determined to discover the reasoning for this issue and whether it was in fact logging that was the contributor. As a result they studied herbaceous plants of tropical rainforests and examined the effects of logging intensity, time after logging, and skidder tracks on the composition and diversity of this ground-level herb community. The results indicated that the ground herbs are not adversely affected by logging at different intensities. Despite all the harmful effects that logging has on the environment, forests that are exposed to logging can still be compatible with the conservation of the ground herb community. However, the characteristics of logging such as the “large gap openings and especially the opening of logging roads and tracks may favor the colonization of exotic species and pioneer species from secondary succession” (Costa & Magnusson, 2002, p. 808). This contributes to an immense{{Which?} amount of competition for the native species, making survival a difficult task . Other problems imposed upon the native species are the physical damage caused by the logging process including tree telling, extraction, and road construction. Both Magnusson and Costa have concluded that it is in fact the combination of these issues that is contributing to the extinction of species in logged areas. It is very unfortunate that an abundant amount of species are diminished due to the poor practices of the human race. Due to this very frequent extinction of species, the amount of diversity in forests throughout the globe is being tremendously reduced.

Mitigation

These problems can be mitigated by using low-impact logging and best management practices, which set standards for reducing erosion from roads. Damage to streams and lakes can be reduced by not harvesting riparian strips. Mitigating the effect of logging can require the full restriction on logging on ecologically important lands, such as forests with a high level of biodiversity. Technological advances in logging equipment can reduce ruts and soil disturbance. Processors and forwarders with caterpillar tracks or other designs to lower ground pressure help to reduce machine impact.

Reduced impact logging is a policy that involves the reduction of tree felling, yarding, and hauling. These practices include: directing tree felling, developing stream protection areas, decreasing damage to the soil, reducing the amount of wood wasted, and preventing erosion by restricting the incline of the roads. By utilizing these techniques, major corporations would be enabled to reduce the amount of damage imposed around the neighboring forest, decrease the erosion of the soil, limit forest fires, and increase the recovery of the forest (Putz, Sist, and Frederickson, 2008, p.1430). Unfortunately RIL methods require a greater amount of expenses due to the increased amount of management and supervision necessary. The development of the restrictions involved within this policy were stimulated by the tremendous hardships that logging imposes upon the environment. The majority of large logging companies have failed to follow any of the techniques suggested to reduce the detrimental impacts of logging. The primary concern of these multinational corporations has solely been to accumulate as much profit as possible by any means necessary. The attitudes and careless actions of these companies can no longer be tolerated. The continuation of life on earth should not be risked for these corporations to make an extra buck.

The dilemmas that are correlated with logging have yet to be prioritized by foresters, politicians, and people throughout the globe. There has been a lack of science about logging integrated into policymaking leaving little encouragement for the development of regulations and restrictions on this environmental issue. Fortunately scientists are starting to stress the importance of the development of restrictions on logging, and are providing valid evidence that makes it impossible for skeptics to disprove{fact}}. The operations by loggers must be modified to halt and prevent the escalation of any more negative effects. This issue must be combated immediately to ensure the survival of the human race.

There is, however,an environmentally sensitive way to extract timber. These modern techniques may seem, to some, not to be so modern. Logging with horses is an old method of timber extraction being used during modern times to reduce the environmental impact of conventional logging. Modern horse loggers are referrred to as "biological woodsmen" who practice "restorative forestry" using animal-powered extraction. One of the goals is to educate the public about the issues surrounding this old technique so that the public views the forest and the horses in a new light. Education is the key to success in this business. The public needs to be informed of what is happening to their forest and inspired to do everything they can to help restore them. These "biological wooodsmen" employ the following techniques:

• Diseased trees are cut first. This opens up the area so that the healthier trees will not have to compete for light, nutients and water.
• Only 30% of the trees are cut so that the others can grow and be worth more money in about 10 years as sawboard.
• When a tree is cut, the logger makes sure that the falling tree will do little damage to the surrounding trees.
• Logs are hitched to horses using a chain and then dragged to an open area where they can be cut and loaded onto trucks. The use of horses through the forest means that no new roads will be created,thus preserving more woodlands and preventing soil erosion and water pollution which can occur from bulldozed logging roads.