Solutions to global forest plantation ecological problems
Solutions to Global Forest Plantation Ecological problems : A huge amount of Global native forest, savanna and grassland is being supplanted by global timber companies with non-native forest in order to meet the growing global demand for timber and paper caused by human overpopulation of the planet. Many of these non-native forests are comprised of highly flammable invasive fire adapted trees that if not managed well by light fire and thinning, can erupt in catastrophic wildfire. These wildfires are economically damaging to the plantations because of poor fire management policy. Ecologically these plantation forests are severely damaging to the environment because they are planted in dense stands that shade out any native ground cover so necessary for native plant and animal species to survive.
One of the topmost global vegetation specialists and prescribed fire advocates Neels de Ronde has been working for a long time with the global timber companies to not only use prescribed fire to mitigation wildfire, but make these forests more ecologically friendly. Neels has especially developed a good working relationship with South African plantations to help make the forests more ecologically supportive. This action is in sharp contrast to those environmentalist organizations like Greenpeace who are using legal tactics to deal with this global threat to native forest and grasslands. Some more native radical activists in countries like Chile have gone ever further in desperation as to torch these plantations in times of drought and high wind.
Neels de Ronde has an upcoming advanced prescribed fire vegetation course in South Africa this September and one of the topics to be included will be how to best deal with the issue we are here discussing. He believes that the collaboration between he and the South African timber companies can be expanded to other countries such as Chile to modify current ecological devastating timber company practices as in South Africa. I would think that where possible timber companies should be planting native trees rather than imported varieties. Even the Southeastern US is threatened by invasive timber culture.
In addition I believe we here in the Southeastern United States can prove to the global timber companies that economic benefit and ecological conservation do not have to be mutually exclusive. Widespread clear cutting on a frequent rotation can be very damaging to fire adapted ecosystems. In the Southeastern United States Herb Stoddard beginning in the 1920s and expanded on later by Leon Neel, both working for quail plantations in the South, developed a timber practice that mimics natural process. (These quail plantation operations also suggest another environmental friendly income source for global timber plantations, the creation of commercial conservation parks for endangered and threatened species on timber company properties.)
This enlightened forestry practice not only produces comparable income to clear cutting, but it is very ecologically constructive and aesthetically pleasing. The Stoddard – Neel Approach is actually a modern form of the native practice of cultural burning. Native peoples managed fire in a way that fed and sheltered them, but also created these wonderful old growth cathedral forests that have mostly now been wiped out by modern man due to poor logging and fire exclusion practices.
The Stoddard – Neel Method or Approach is being used extensively in the Southern United States to not only manage old growth type forest but to rebuild whole ecosystems with native trees like Longleaf Pine. This is in sharp contrast to the highly ecological unfriendly practice of clear cutting large acreages and then replanting. What the Stoddard – Neel Approach does is clear the land to be ecologically reconstructed and plant Longleaf Pine, wiregrass and seed in other native vegetation.
But instead of clear cutting as the trees mature the ecological conscious forester starts thinning the forest in about 15 to 20 years, but only enough for the forest canopy to come back together in 5 years. In each five year cycle only those weaker and damaged trees crowding out the stronger trees are cut and the other beneficial result is that sunlight gets to the forest floor to provide groundcover for native species of plants and wildlife.
The forest is burned on a regular basis simulating natural process as does the thinning. In a hundred years the reconstructed old growth cathedral forest develops large holes in the forest due to lighting strikes and bug kills and even wind damage. The plantation owner can either allow these holes to seed in naturally, or clear cut out the spaced out trees and replant small acreages over decades. The result is a constantly rejuvenating forest of great economic benefit that to the inexperienced eye appears to be an old growth forest.
To explore these and other solutions to global ecologically unfriendly timber farming and fire exclusion problems folks can easily contact Neels and hopefully participate in his upcoming 5 day long advanced prescribed fire management course in South Africa. We also would love to have those with an interest in national and global prescribed fire join our Association of Fire Management Activists
Facebook group and network prescribed fire issues and solutions with us.
One of the topmost global vegetation specialists and prescribed fire advocates Neels de Ronde has been working for a long time with the global timber companies to not only use prescribed fire to mitigation wildfire, but make these forests more ecologically friendly. Neels has especially developed a good working relationship with South African plantations to help make the forests more ecologically supportive. This action is in sharp contrast to those environmentalist organizations like Greenpeace who are using legal tactics to deal with this global threat to native forest and grasslands. Some more native radical activists in countries like Chile have gone ever further in desperation as to torch these plantations in times of drought and high wind.
Neels de Ronde has an upcoming advanced prescribed fire vegetation course in South Africa this September and one of the topics to be included will be how to best deal with the issue we are here discussing. He believes that the collaboration between he and the South African timber companies can be expanded to other countries such as Chile to modify current ecological devastating timber company practices as in South Africa. I would think that where possible timber companies should be planting native trees rather than imported varieties. Even the Southeastern US is threatened by invasive timber culture.
In addition I believe we here in the Southeastern United States can prove to the global timber companies that economic benefit and ecological conservation do not have to be mutually exclusive. Widespread clear cutting on a frequent rotation can be very damaging to fire adapted ecosystems. In the Southeastern United States Herb Stoddard beginning in the 1920s and expanded on later by Leon Neel, both working for quail plantations in the South, developed a timber practice that mimics natural process. (These quail plantation operations also suggest another environmental friendly income source for global timber plantations, the creation of commercial conservation parks for endangered and threatened species on timber company properties.)
This enlightened forestry practice not only produces comparable income to clear cutting, but it is very ecologically constructive and aesthetically pleasing. The Stoddard – Neel Approach is actually a modern form of the native practice of cultural burning. Native peoples managed fire in a way that fed and sheltered them, but also created these wonderful old growth cathedral forests that have mostly now been wiped out by modern man due to poor logging and fire exclusion practices.
The Stoddard – Neel Method or Approach is being used extensively in the Southern United States to not only manage old growth type forest but to rebuild whole ecosystems with native trees like Longleaf Pine. This is in sharp contrast to the highly ecological unfriendly practice of clear cutting large acreages and then replanting. What the Stoddard – Neel Approach does is clear the land to be ecologically reconstructed and plant Longleaf Pine, wiregrass and seed in other native vegetation.
But instead of clear cutting as the trees mature the ecological conscious forester starts thinning the forest in about 15 to 20 years, but only enough for the forest canopy to come back together in 5 years. In each five year cycle only those weaker and damaged trees crowding out the stronger trees are cut and the other beneficial result is that sunlight gets to the forest floor to provide groundcover for native species of plants and wildlife.
The forest is burned on a regular basis simulating natural process as does the thinning. In a hundred years the reconstructed old growth cathedral forest develops large holes in the forest due to lighting strikes and bug kills and even wind damage. The plantation owner can either allow these holes to seed in naturally, or clear cut out the spaced out trees and replant small acreages over decades. The result is a constantly rejuvenating forest of great economic benefit that to the inexperienced eye appears to be an old growth forest.
To explore these and other solutions to global ecologically unfriendly timber farming and fire exclusion problems folks can easily contact Neels and hopefully participate in his upcoming 5 day long advanced prescribed fire management course in South Africa. We also would love to have those with an interest in national and global prescribed fire join our Association of Fire Management Activists
Facebook group and network prescribed fire issues and solutions with us.