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Home My WebLink About022623 FW_ _WAStateLands_ Penny Wise Forest follow-up (0002) ________________________________ From: Josey Paul Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2023 1:35:11 PM (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) To: ronaldnrichards@gmail.com Cc: Jessica Randall; to: Griswold Mona (DNR); cc: WELKER TODD (DNR); Heidi Eisenhour; ROSANBALM DREW (DNR); Bill Turner; Ocker Kenny (DNR); Washington State Lands Working Group; Teri Wright; Greg Brotherton; bnr@dnr.wa.gov; Kate Dean; John Talberth; Judith Parker; Ed Chadd Subject: Re: [WAStateLands] Penny Wise Forest follow-up ________________________________ ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them. ________________________________ Most leave trees do blow down, Ron. The timber industry is undergoing rapid industrialization, focusing on maximum returns on investment, not maximum yields of timber. It's a strategy that is leading to somewhat less crowded plantations that forgo thinnings. It varies quite a bit, but until recently, 2-year-old nursery seedlings were planted in densities of 2,000 to 4,000 stems per acre, with pre-commercial and/or commercial thinnings dropping that density down to 400 stems per acre (which is a tree every 8 feet or so). Final harvest, when crown heights become too crowded to support more growth, comes at 40 years. The current strategy is to use biocides to kill off all plants that compete with the young doug fir seedlings, which are planted in high density. Higher densities lead to fast early growth and uniform size. Abstract: <https://www.fs.usda.gov/pnw/olympia/silv/publications/opt/417_ScottEtal1998.pdf> Test plantations were established in western Washington and Oregon to compare tree growth at six initial planting densities ranging from 300 to 2960 trees/ha (120 to 1200/acre). A size–density relation was visually apparent 3 to 4 years after planting. Inventory data from the oldest 11 trials (5 or 6 years after planting) showed that initial spacing strongly influenced early growth of coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii). Average height and diameter at breast height were progressively larger as planting density increased; at the widest spacing (lowest stand density), average height was 75% and average diameter at breast height was 67% of that at the closest spacing. But this density sharply increases H/D ratios (height to diameter) -- meaning trees are taller, but smaller in diameter. Higher H/D ratios made the trees less stable. The spindly trees with dese crowns and no lower branches rely on surrounding trees for protection against wind and snow. Take those surrounding trees away with thinning, and the spindly survivors are easily blown down. Planted stands <https://forestbioproducts.umaine.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/202/2010/10/wilson3.pdf> generally develop less variation in tree sizes than the naturally regenerated stands they replace (Wilson, 1998). Limited variation of tree sizes within a stand increases the H/D of dominant trees (Wilson, 1998). Increasing H/D values reflect decreasing stability. As Mona says, these blow downs have some habitat value, but the trees are small and widely spaced, so the value is fairly limited. Mona deals with the Habitat Conservation Plan rules the guild the DNR, which are different from the Forest and Fish Rules that undergird Forest Practices that private timber companies must follow. Her blow downs are larger and more valuable than those you find in private plantations that the UW paper is talking about. The UW's idea that private timber companies are leaving any significant number of trees is wrong. Here are two harvest levels from two FPAs along the strait. They all call for 100 percent harvests, which is typical. This is from M&R This is from Rayonier: As the timber industry evolves, it is moving away from over-planted stands. Pre-commercial and commercial thinnings are expensive and provide less value. So they plant at lower densities, hoping for about 400 stems per acre. This is one such stand that was never thinned and is about to be harvested. This is what the crowns look like. They have no protection against the wind. The UW represents the financial interests of the timber industry. And the timber industry is lobbying the Legislature to force the DNR to switch to shorter rotations -- from the current 60 years to 40 years. If they are successful, they will get a 20-year windfall of trees -- all of those in the 40- to 60-year class. And it is the private timber industry that logs DNR lands. But that's not all. Tree farms in New Zealand and South Africa grow doug fir plantations that are much more productive than plantations in Washington and Oregon. So the industry -- which has tree farms in those other countries -- is adopting more intense forestry practices similar to those in New Zealand. The strategy calls for: 1) No thinning, to reduce costs and keep initial planting costs low. 2) Use genetically modified trees that grow fast in thick stands up to 40 years. 3) Spray tree farms much more often with biocides, including pre-emergent scorching (spraying biocides to kill all vegetation before planting seedlings), followed by several more applications of biocides to keep down plant competition. 4) Dropping heavy loads of urea nitrogen pellets over multiple years to greatly increase growth. The DNR is a logging agency. Its officers are highly motivated to log for the benefit of trust beneficiaries. When the marbled murrelet regulations were passed in the late '90s, the DNR quickly logged as much of its murrelet habitat as possible before the new regulations took effect. With the rising concern for legacy forests, it will do the same thing. But all state agencies are required by HB 2528 to create rules based on timber-industry science, which say it's better to store carbon in wood products than in forests, that it's better to burn wood pellets to make electricity than it is to use conventional fuels, that biofuel, biomass, biochar, etc., taken from the forest are considered carbon neutral. By this law, the entire timber industry and every sector within it is required to be considered carbon friendly. That law has to change. On Sun, Feb 26, 2023 at 11:41 AM Ron Richards <ronaldnrichards@gmail.com <mailto:ronaldnrichards@gmail.com> > wrote: I want to call your attention to the third paragraph of the attached letter written by Mona Griswold, DNR's Olympic Region Manager. The letter regards a debate over compliance with "leave tree" requirements of the Penny Wise timber sale. After asserting how valuable leave trees are, Ms. Griswold asserts that "Even if leave trees are broken down or blown over, the trees still serve a vital habitat function." This seems to conflict with the following exerpt from a University of Washington paper available online at 15 Leave Trees: Why and How (washington.edu) <https://courses.washington.edu/fe450/projects /99_hoodcanal/Chapter15/Ch_15.htm#:~:text=Both%20the%20Washington%20State%20Forest%20Practices%20Rules%20%28FPR%29%2C,number%20of%20trees%20per%20acre%20after%20timber%20harvesting.> . "If the stand is very dense with a high H/D, 100 or higher, it is very likely that trees left in dispersed retention may blow over due to small root wads or break due to rain or snow loads on their crowns. This defeats the purpose of the leave trees if they are doomed to be windthrown or broken." I fully recognize that the University of Washington cannot be considered a trusted authority on forest practices, but when the university does assert there can be damage from a tree being felled it should certainly be considered noteworthy. But more significant to me in Ms. Griswold's statement is the importance she attaches to leave trees fallen to the ground My observation is this, if one leave tree serves such a vital function, just imagine the collective vital function that would have been provided by all the trees removed during a logging operation. Ron Richards. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: 'Jessica Randall' via Washington State Lands Working Group <pnwfca-wastatelands@googlegroups.com <mailto:pnwfca-wastatelands@googlegroups.com> > Date: Mon, Jan 30, 2023 at 4:14 PM Subject: [WAStateLands] Penny Wise Forest follow-up To: Griswold Mona (DNR) <mona.griswold@dnr.wa.gov <mailto:mona.griswold@dnr.wa.gov> > Cc: WELKER TODD (DNR) <todd.welker@dnr.wa.gov <mailto:todd.welker@dnr.wa.gov> >, Heidi Eisenhour <heisenhour@co.jefferson.wa.us <mailto:heisenhour@co.jefferson.wa.us> >, ROSANBALM DREW (DNR) <drew.rosanbalm@dnr.wa.gov <mailto:drew.rosanbalm@dnr.wa.gov> >, Bill Turner <bturner@spi-ind.com <mailto:bturner@spi-ind.com> >, Ocker Kenny (DNR) <kenny.ocker@dnr.wa.gov <mailto:kenny.ocker@ dnr.wa.gov> >, Washington State Lands Working Group <pnwfca-wastatelands@googlegroups.com <mailto:pnwfca-wastatelands@googlegroups.com> >, Teri Wright <twright57e@gmail.com <mailto:twright57e@gmail.c om> >, Greg Brotherton <gbrotherton@co.jefferson.wa.us <mailto:gbrotherton@co.jefferson.wa.us> >, bnr@dnr.wa.gov <mailto:bnr@dnr.wa.gov> <bnr@dnr.wa.gov <mailto:bnr@dnr.wa.gov> >, Kate Dean <kdean@co.jefferson.wa.us <mailto:kdean@co.jefferson.wa.us> > Dear Ms. Griswold, and others Please see the attached letter in response to your email about the Penny Wise timber sale. I've also attached your letter (from 1/19/23) for easier referencing. Sincerely, Jessica Jessica Randall A Resident of Jefferson County, WA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Washington State Lands Working Group" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to pnwfca-wastatelands+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com <mailto:pnwfca-wastatelands+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com> . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pnwfca-wastatelands/160270115.1376572.1675124032401%40mail.yahoo.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pnwfca-wastatelands /160270115.1376572.1675124032401%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> . 伅蔪뿁ᨔ⺼阽浱⯃䡣稣忀녒擈ᬆ锺旞ሯࠣꯟ百⫆藕튢谢䠹밬峥먅쩀��்㞛퇅埚ය쨛囉ðᣮ瑢蛝佼삾쪏�솎⚀ṵ豏ꬿ桺⫘玍�洋迀꺋貽䈙Ǎ脏烈佻뀥补쯣ণ䤪㆙렷Ꭷ耫㹰迢嵷ݬ⃆뎇Ꜿ絯賽偓峘릘럘렦䢆걅髁ꮁⳬꈚ쇣꧆뿑ᱢ鴂죆ȹ눋ꎤ亯�౐勾촪鋣軐ꨠ零ꡰ鸳韓咶५핗ﷸ辧ǎ輰敺⟅펞鸇݅䴁藱艀୽潾輝�里댋Ꮩ炯揦ᴁ蒁鐕Ⳡ銶샧忎쁒윸觴녱섅캍敨咧㢯॔銸ⳣ嶑识એ珞囶ㅘ馲｜则壡湰₊�ᝢ칹챢巣㠁焸뾁馴 덙쑧ᝠ೘팼堖欘岆⺰⭚닧赝꾱糕ᗌ呲�ሹ돓ዷᩝ훷뾭陈⿄꽪悔袭翳林᥊ヾ濩쏫靇䱤❏䁛͑흣�昇꡵硦Ⲕ㎧듈哞�ｼౖ饳쨵莨ﴏ᳍颊横૖全ί̶牣죣��鱌叉폂⺳ﲊ崊빏芠잠䖎斶䝎Ẏ䫎볬틦韹漵曆ᔻ妘ﲵ≿鱃览延<