August 25, 2019
Human Blog 2: Deforestation
As the Human Group, we continue our study concerning the interactions between forests and humans. This time, we will look at another important part of forest disturbance, deforestation. We made the video below summarizing some of our thought and ideas about this topic.
The different types of land ownership in the USA have different forest management policies, thus leading to different ways of deforestation. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), private individuals own 60%, the Federal Government owns 33%, and State and public agencies and American Indians own the rest of the land1. For national parks, which belong to the ownership of Federal Government, the minimum human interaction is the top policy. While for other types, human can do anything so long as they comply with the environmental regulations set by the government.
Clear-cut and selective-cut rank the top two deforestation methods. By definition, clear-cut refers to forestry practice in which most or all trees in an area are uniformly cut down2. Most of the time, people do clear-cuts for economic reasons. Being a leading lumber producer, Washington State logs can either be exported or used domestically. Clear-cuts are strictly regulated by the government, and afforestation is a must after every harvest.
Houses built using timber in Pack Forest Center, WA. By Qifeng Wan
Ecological impacts are another big concern with clear-cutting. Imagine an area with dead trees after a huge pest attack. In an unhealthy state, dead trees may catch fire much more easily, leading to an uncontrollable fire catastrophe and enormous loss, both ecologically and economically. Thus, to clear-cut the area in advance would reduce the loss to a large extent, creating benefits.
Trees attacked by pests, Mt Crystal, WA. By Qifeng Wan
Last but not least, people sometimes clear-cut because they have to. For example, the photo below tells a story– Once upon a time, people who lived by the Nisqually River wanted to control floods on the river, so they built a dam by Elbe, WA, and created Alder Lake. Before it was filled with water, the people cut down all the trees for other use.
Stumps left over from clear cutting (Photo by Yida Sun)
However, clear-cut may not be so favorable for our ecosystem as it tears down everything, changing the structure of ecosystem in the area thoroughly, exposing it to potential disequilibrium in the long-term.
Another deforestation method is selective-cut. As the name implies, it means selecting over-mature or sick trees in the forest to cut out of the concern of maximizing economic and ecological effect. Economy and ecology are the most frequently concerned issues when selective-cut happens. Selective-cut has ecologic benefits. For example, it helps to maintain biodiversity. Less trees means less competition for nutrients and sunshine, thus actually benefiting the trees and the wildlife. In some wetlands, to cut trees which encroach wetland area will guarantee the existence of the wetland, so the wetland will function in its most suitable state.
Wetlands, By Shenghua Wan
For economic factors, leaving the most vigorous trees means the maximum harvest value in respect of both the quantity and quality, prospering the timber industry.
Timber industry, by Shenghua Wan
In conclusion, whether we choose to clear-cut or selective-cut, we must consider the ecological, economic, biological, human and all other effects.
References
1. https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/CAT87209991/PDF
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearcutting
