Forests

Native forests are as diverse as native rangelands or any other healthy ecosystem.

Like rangelands, forests produce oxygen, sequester carbon, provide wildlife habitat and play a role in the water cycle.

As a source of lumber and wood products such as paper, much of our forest land particularly through the southeast has been converted to a monoculture of softwood pines, managed under industrial systems. It has produced a glut of softwood and timber stands that are in declining health.

In national forests, the mixed timber stands tend to suffer from benign neglect. Bowing to pressure from outside groups with little understanding of nature’s processes, the forest managers “preserve” the forests by simply leaving them alone. Lack of thinning, a proliferation of undergrowth make them the forests prime targets for disease and uncontrolled fire.

Forests, like rangelands, benefit from managers who consider the big picture and manage for balance.

Latest articles

Read more about forests and forest management practices:

Ecologist Suzanne Simard Wants To Change The Way We Look At Trees

“As discussed in this article, the key to healthy forests is (1) tree species biodiversity, and (2) healthy soil life.  

How Holistic Planned Grazing Works in 60 Seconds

How does holistic planned grazing heal the soil? We explain it in this short introductory video.   For more visit: http://savory.global Note: this post was originally posted to this site on August 2, 2021

The Case for Destroying Old Forest Roads

For the first 100-years of its history, the mission of the US Forest Service was to make public forests accessible for a host of human activities. Beginning 40-years ago the opposite mentality took hold. These […]

Fuel, Fire, and Wild Horses

Wildfire continues to devastate the American West at increasing rates.   As this video is posted, wildfires are burning across more than 768,000-acres of land in twelve Western states, and 500,000-acres in Canada. Ten fires […]

How We Treat Wild Horses

This video was created by Wild Horse Fire Brigade, a non-profit dedicated to expanding wild horse populations in order to reduce fire hazard on public lands. They challenge viewers with this question: “Do you want […]

Climate Scientists Say We Should Embrace Higher CO2 Levels

“According to this article, rising CO2 levels actually help the planet.  

Elk in Paradise: Rancher, Ecologist, Hunter

Here is an excellent video by the Property and Environmental Research Center (PERC) a free market conservation think tank based in Bozeman.   Quoting PERC: The ancient pathways of elk are the heartbeat of the […]

Wildlife Using a Log Bridge in Pennsylvania

This multi-season video shows bears, deer, bobcats, grouse, beavers and many other species crossing or swimming under a log which has fallen across a Pennsylvania stream. Credit: Robert Bush.     NOTE: this post was […]

Wild Horses Coevolved with Wildfire on The North American Landscape

Here is a good article with many valuable ideas on  managing wild horses. These are controversial to say the least.   Let us think about this issue holistically: Horses are COMPLEMENTARY to — not COMPETITIVE […]

Team Wildfire to Bring Mechanical Hurricane to Wildfire Fighting

Here is an interesting way to fight wildfire. It’s high tech, but does not use the chemical suppressants which are so toxic to the environment.   The BEST way to fight fire is by wildfire […]

Hunting With the Dark Wolf | Wild Yellowstone

A pack of hungry wolves hunts elk in the middle of Yellowstone’s cold winter.      National Geographic Wild (http://bit.ly/NatGeoWILD) is a place for all things animals and for animal-lovers alike.

Preserving The Future of Grouse, Woodcock and Hunting

Ruffed Grouse are numerous in the Yellowstone area, including Pitchstone Waters. This excellent video from the Ruffed Grouse Society discusses why “Hands-Off” forest management policies are destroying the health of national forests, and dragging wildlife […]

Wildlife Killing Contests – The Movie

The polite and restrained movie appearing below is not anti-hunting. In fact, it should be mandatory viewing for all hunters and wildlife lovers.   While most of the contests target predators, each shot fired damages […]

Fuel, Fire, and Wild Horses

Wildfire continues to devastate the American West at increasing rates. According to some, the plan that could combat the danger of forest fire lies in the complicated history and present role of the wild horse. […]

Everybody Knew the Invasive Grass of Maui Posed a Deadly Fire Threat, but Few Acted

As discussed below, the Lahaina fires were caused by excessive dry fuel accumulated over many years.    The only sustainable way to control this dangerous buildup is by grazing. But common sense is stopped by […]

If a Tree Falls in the Forest…?

“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” is a philosophical thought experiment that raises questions regarding observation and perception. Physicists and philosophers […]

Carbon Offset Market Opens to Small Southern Timberland Owners

Here is a good article about using carbon credits to encourage private landowners to engage in better forestry practices.   While most carbon credits are environmentally and economically dubious, if we insist on these subsidies, […]

Incentivizing Wildlife Stewardship

The Endangered Species Act has prevented 99% of listed species from going extinct, but only 2% of listed species have actually recovered. Property & Environment Research Center (PERC) believes we can do better.     […]

PG&E Scraps Tree-Trimming Program Once Seen as Key to Fire Prevention

As discussed below, California’s big electric company says it can’t control wildfires with chainsaws.   As discussed for years on this blog, the ONLY cost effective and sustainable way to reduce wildfires is with animal […]

The American Heritage of Wild Horses

As discussed in the article below, horses DID NOT arrive in the Americas around 1492: They were already there.   Horses evolved in the Americas; horses did not exist anywhere else before 17,000 years ago. […]

US Forest Service Burn Started Wildfire That Nearly Reached Los Alamos, New Mexico, Agency Says

As reported below, another prescribed burn went out of control in New Mexico with very bad results. Plenty of folks are up in arms  about how these burns are conducted, but none seem to question […]

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