Preserving Forests
As citizens of an affluent country you may imagine that preservationist domestic policies are conserving resources and protecting nature. Yet, consumption necessitates resource extraction elsewhere and oftentimes under weak environmental oversight. This Harvard paper suggests that not cutting timber may hurt the Earth's environment.
In 1991, Americans consumed nearly 530 million cubic meters of wood and wood products. One may visualize total present demand as a train of 2 million fully loaded boxcars encircling Earth at the equator. Each year, to satisfy this national appetite, enough wood must be obtained somewhere in the world to load that train (Dekker-Robertson and Libby, 1998). As bad as this is, substitutes may be worse, requiring more energy and non-renewable resources such as oil and aluminum.
Why Remove Trees in Forests?
Experimental thinning and burning treatments can restore dense ponderosa pine forests to historical conditions and natural fire disturbance regimes.
Dan Walters: We want and need lumber, but balk at cutting the trees
At one time, California produced most of the lumber it consumes, but in-state production has plummeted from nearly 5 billion board-feet in 1988 to well under 2 billion today, creating an immense paradox...California now imports 75 percent of the lumber it uses, thus exporting the jobs and other economic benefits of a strong timber industry, as well as its environmental impact, to other states and nations, principally Canada.
Stewards of Soquel
Stewards of Soquel are a non-profit group for Soquel Demonstration State Forest.
California Licensed Foresters Association
Information on sustainable forests in California and the role of foresters.
Society of American Foresters - Northern California Chapter
Learn the thoughts of professionals in forestry.
Califorests.org
California has more than 300 state parks, five national parks, and four million acres of designated wilderness. The challenge for all of us is how to use our forests and still preserve their beauty and health.
Greenspirit by Patrick Moore Founding Member of Greenpeace
Dr. Patrick Moore has been a leader in the international environmental field for over 30 years. He is a founding member of Greenpeace and served for nine years as President of Greenpeace Canada and seven years as a Director of Greenpeace International. "How can we make this world more beautiful and green? The answer is, by growing more trees and then using more wood, both as a substitute for non-renewable fossil fuels and materials such as steel, concrete and plastic, and as paper products for printing, packaging and sanitation."
Forest Pests - Bark Beetles
Bark beetles are tiny insects that can do more than their share of damage. They are endemic in a normal forest. However, when the trees are stressed by overcrowding the situation can reach epidemic proportions. In some areas of southern California, bark beetle infestation has reached epidemic proportions, killing hundreds of thousands of trees and creating an extreme fire hazard condition
CDF Archaeology Program
Information about CDF's commitment for protecting the unique resources of California's prehistoric and historic past.
Archeological Publications about BMDSF and other places
From Coyote Press
Effects Of Prescribed Burning On Obsidian Hydration Bands
Field experiments conducted at Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest, Lake County, California, during Spring 1998 involved placing obsidian specimens with previously measured hydration bands at soil surface in the path of several small broadcast burns and one slash pile burn. In laboratory experiments obsidian specimens with previously measured hydration bands were heated at temperatures ranging from 100 to 300 °C (38 to 149ºF) for periods ranging from 1.3 to 24 hours.
The USDA/NRCS PLANTS Database
This Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories. It includes names, plant symbols, checklists, distributional data, species abstracts, characteristics, images, plant links, references, crop information, and automated tools.
Lake County Visitor Guide - Bicycling / Bike Paths
Bike paths in Lake County including BMDSF
Lakeport's Bicycle Rack
Bike stuff
CA Dept of Fish and Game-Living with Wild Animals
Information about encountering wild animals.
