HomeMy WebLinkAbout113022 Remnant of old-growth forests in western Washington________________________________
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Commissioners:
The attached map shows how cut-over our region is—or was, since this map is dated 2012.
The dark green areas are original forest lands. As you can easily see, there is a straight line separating eastern Jefferson County from the darker-green areas within Federal Park and
Forest land. Essentially, all of eastern Jefferson County has been cut over once—or more, less a few tiny scraps, notably including the Quimper Wilderness near Beckett Point.
As for western Jefferson County—we all know how cut over the county is, excepting Federally protected Park lands and higher elevation lands in watersheds like Bogachiel, Hoh, etc.
Timber consumption has all but annihilated our county’s non-Federal original forests which date from at least 1750 A.D. in most cases. What a sorry, sordid history this is.
The industry must accept limitation now that the ancient forest is destroyed. Future timber operations must be limited to carefully managed second and third growth forestlands—on private
holdings. DNR must focus on reforestation of the millions of cut acres—not facilitate the ‘harvesting’ of the percent or two of remaining old growth that is the heritage of the Evergreen
State.
Please hold the line and let us cling to the fragments of our forest heritage that still exist.
Forest Shomer
Port Townsend