| Ever wondered why the Forst Service appears in the federal hierarchy in the Department of Agriculture instead of the Department of the Interior? Here's a clue. More than 4 million acres of state forest land could become more susceptible to disease and tree-killing pests if an Upper Peninsula state senator's bill becomes law, scientists and environmentalists opposed to the measure say. The bill introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, would remove promotion of biodiversity -- the variety of species within a habitat -- and restoration from state Department of Natural Resources' forest management duties. It also would prohibit the DNR from designating land specifically for achieving or maintaining biodiversity. "It sounds like they want to grow forests in a Christmas tree farm sort of way, like you're growing corn," said Northern Michigan University biologist Alan Rebertus. "It's bad forestry."
It is bad forestry. It's also thinking that's 100 years old when it comes to evolving thoughts on conservation. Today, the Forest Service treats national forests not as rows of tree-like crops, but of holistic systems that support not just trees but wildlife. This is a dumb piece of legislation, written by primitive minds, which is probably why we have to hope that the governor will have the thing killed quietly when it gets to the House or veto it when it lands on his desk. |
