November 3, 2022
Lumber Harvesting Responsibly
For many years Lumber as a vital resource has been harvested by clearing large swathes of land. The argument for clear cutting damage has been “it’s for you”, to keep the cost of lumber down by doing this type of harvesting called clear cutting. After seeing that destruction, people fought against that sales narrative in order to implement laws that required some areas to be replanted after the harvest instead of the landowner or company just selling the depleted land once it was harvested. Other companies in their business model have regularly replanted because they own huge parcels of land and wanted to keep their land to do so again. They harvest trees and replant every few decades like you would grow a seasonal crop.
All this harvesting is so destructive to the not only the trees but to the land and ecosystem that depends on survival there. The micro life and entangled ecosystem within the forest and the land is stripped of generational animal and plant growth. Restarting that forest sets animal and plant habitat back decades, never maturing or developing to become fully stable, always on the verge of calamity.
International competition for lumber is what has kept lumber prices down but at a huge cost. We put huge monetary resources into international actors that call no place their home, they see all forests as a commodity to make money. Destruction of that environment is not their problem if that government is going to allow or can be made to allow it. Often the indifference and focus on making money leaves lands and forest that we don’t see in our communities or country destroyed all over the world. We are not changing the way we get lumber just spreading destruction world wide. On top of it the jobs are removed from our country for lower wages elsewhere. So large scale international forestry competition should be looked at and likely stopped. We don’t want a race by international harvesters to destroy as much as possible to make as much as possible as fast as possible.
What is the answer for responsible Lumber harvesting? Some have thought many product changes have done good things. Using grasses that grow fast like Bamboo and trees like Poplar that grow faster. Some trees have been bioengineered to grow faster. However, this is still basing the harvesting of trees on the same Destructive Game plan that destroys generational animal and plant wildlife habitat. Harvesting large swaths destroying the fragile land and habitat that supports life and needs generational stability to survive through hard times. Some have fought for selective harvesting not clearing chunks of land. I think this is part of the answer, with a couple other twists.
Let’s change the game plan of how we look at harvesting-
No more clear cutting at all. Here are three complimentary visions to selective harvesting that I have imagined would give us what we need, expand into an innovative industry and sustain our lumber needs.
#1 In mature forests, tree harvest would be by selective harvesting of Trees by helicopter and cable to pull up the harvest. It is not as destructive to the land and their would be a limitation on the amount of removal. So, if there is an order for a type of tree product then as long as we have rules that don’t destabilize mature forests and lands then surgically harvesting and thinning trees out of a forest by helicopter cable to a nearby logging / hiking road for transport will have minimal need for foot traffic on the ground.
#2 Create Zoning for Tree farming on all farm land and private land near forests.
#3 By creating vast networks of farmland with fast growing trees on existing farmland- many willows, cypress, bamboo, birches, aspens, magnolias, and others can sometimes grow vertically 6 feet a year plus that growth all the way around the tree. It’s a full-time job to keep these pruned every year if you’re using these trees and plants in a city. They grow so fast in not only height and width, but also in numerous sapling sprouts from the mature limbs and trunk. With a big enough network, a program could harvest just sapling growth from the trunks and mature limbs to create enough engineered wood products for construction, pallets, industrial and hobby project needs. Then a percentage of the fast growing trees and bamboos could also be harvested beyond sapling growths in full tree or plant form to satisfy solid wood needs. Those percentages and amount of farmland would need to be calculated to satisfy each countries needs and a vast engineering industry researched and created to make products from the trees being allowed for harvest. Automation could be a key factor in Farmed Trees every year. Automated cutting running on Railing could be erected and trees would be planted next to the automation. Every year, turn on the cutting rails and watch your harvest and mostly ground free collection happen with a flick of an automated switch.
If we combine the mind set of no more destroying fragile land and utilizing these three visions we would create a new tapestry of industry and be at the forefront of innovation. At the same time jobs would expand and we would be buying in Country products by in Country farmers. This is a sustainable future while adapting to our worlds needs. In turn, we will be able to live alongside nature, watching animal and plant life grow and mature, not destabilize life every time we need resources. This is how we can use selection, zoning, automation, engineering, our in country farmers, a variety of trees, a variety of harvesting skill sets to responsibly get what we need and actually strengthening our country, our leadership and our relationship with nature.
Sean Phillips