A few years ago a logger friend suggested clear cutting some of the aspen on our Brimson property. I was hoping he would take some of the balsam, but he said there is no market for it. About two years ago, he and his partner cruised the property to assess how much they would cut. I thought they would be working that winter. They never did because “It was too damn cold!”
Last fall some people expressed interest in buying the property. My wife was eager to sell and I went along reluctantly. I called my logger friend to tell him not to cut because of the possible sale. Well, the buyers couldn’t get a loan unless there was a working well. Our dug well hadn’t produced much water in probably ten years. We sure didn’t feel like spending the money to have a drilled well. End of sale.
I called my logger friend back and said he could start when ready.
I assumed he would be cutting in an area of about two football fields, and so I said I would pick up the slash. I would use it for chips or firewood.
We walked the area in which they were cutting and discovered a clump of five large birch trees, each probably at least fifteen inches in diameter at the base. One was already rotted, and my wife and I cut that down and salvaged the bark for fire starter. We thought we would cut the other four down after the loggers were through. But they offered to cut them down for us, and they even dragged them to the landing area (the place where they put cut logs on a truck to take the chip-board company).
Meanwhile, they kept working across the property until they had cut double what I thought they would. And then they cut three times what I thought they would. Then the spring road restrictions went into force and they stopped. They want to come back next year to take even more!
Before I go on, let me say a few words about clear cutting. Aspen (popple or poplar) is a weed! It is a large plant whose root system extends over several acres and keeps putting up shoots wherever conditions are right. When we bought the property, an area had been clear-cut a few years before. In fact, we have an aerial photo that was taken after the clear cut – “desolation” for acres and acres. When we bought the property, that area was covered with thousands of trees one to two inches in diameter and eight to ten feet tall. A few years later, I was taking out trees for firewood that had fallen over; they were three to five inches in diameter or larger.
Also, a DNR forester who did a stewardship plan for us, said, “If you want moose, clear cut!” We did see a few moose tracks about that time, but we haven’t seen any for years. It may be wishful thinking, but I think I saw a single moose track on one of our trails a week or two ago.
And, many of the smaller trees that were not knocked over by the heavy machinery are six to eight feet tall and greening nicely. Oh, about ten years ago, the Forest Service put out a contract for clear cutting on the property that runs behind ours. The only way we know it was clear-cut is that there are no really big trees.
One of our disappointments in our first few years owning the property was all of the dying or dead birch. They were so far gone that only their bark was useful, and we haven’t even collected all of that yet. Birch is a tree that grows out of old stumps, and we now have hundreds of newer birch trees. I made up a rule of thumb that if I couldn’t put my thumbs together and reach my forefingers around the birch, it was a candidate for firewood.
Those trees are safe for awhile. I finally got the four big birches cut into rounds for splitting and am awaiting the loan of a splitter. We may have three to four years worth for our cabin. our sauna, and our fireplace in Duluth.
Meanwhile, I am working through a jumbled pile of “slash” that must have been thirty feet long, ten feet wide, and six feet high. The majority of it is four to fifteen inches in diameter and from four to sixteen feet long. These were either too small or two crooked to take to the chip mill. I think I have the pile down to about a sixth of what it was. And the pile of rounds of aspen is probably three times the size of the stacked birch.
Meanwhile the pile of stuff too small for firewood keeps growing. For a change of pace I do put that through my chipper and pave the paths with the result.
The problem with all this wood cutting and splitting is that I don’t have time or energy to keep all the paths mowed or cleared of brush. I haven’t even taken the time to go around “The Path”, a triangle that is about three-quarter of a mile in length. And there are two other loops that I have neglected over the years.
My wife insists, and I agree, that the loggers should clean up the slash of next year’s cutting, and even clean up what I haven’t removed of this year’s slash. After all, as that same DNR forester said, “Don’t make it a sweat farm!”
Showing posts with label logging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label logging. Show all posts
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Oso, Washington mudslide: sometimes I don’t like to be proven right
I have been wondering if the disastrous mudslide in Oso, Washington was caused by excessive logging. Could it have been only that there was far more rain than normal? My concern was affirmed by Timothy Egan, “A Mudslide, Foretold”, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/opinion/sunday/egan-at-home-when-the-earth-moves.html”, New York Times, 2014-03-29.
Twenty-five years ago, in the same valley, he witnessed a mudslide from over-logging. The hill above Oso had possibly been logged beyond the legal limit.
I just can’t write anything more at the moment about this predictable catastrophe. I’ve written before about short-term profit and few are taking up Pete Seeger’s chorus, “When will they ever learn?”.
Twenty-five years ago, in the same valley, he witnessed a mudslide from over-logging. The hill above Oso had possibly been logged beyond the legal limit.
I just can’t write anything more at the moment about this predictable catastrophe. I’ve written before about short-term profit and few are taking up Pete Seeger’s chorus, “When will they ever learn?”.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
For the benefit of schools or for the benefit of large corporations?
"This land ultimately belongs to Minnesota’s children – our public schools have been waiting decades for this funding. I am a big supporter of the Boundary Waters and this bill has been crafted in a way to make it even better. The lands of Superior National Forest were set aside for the benefit of all Minnesotans. Undoubtedly, the BWCAW [Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness] serves as a reminder of our nation’s legacy; but the BWCAW is more than just a legacy—it’s a springboard for Minnesota’s future."
- Rep. Chip Cravaack, R-MN 8, email to constituents
Rep. Cravaack has sponsored legislation to remove Minnesota School Trust Lands from the BCWAW. But is this to provide access to resource extraction or to swap for Federal Land elsewhere? If Minnesota School Trust Lands can be sold, why doesn't the Federal Government pay Minnesota for the lands and let the trust buy land elsewhere? I read his wording as the first, resource extraction. In fact, in his email he states "These lands within the BWCAW cannot be logged, leased, or mined."
Would you want to canoe past a clear-cut island or fish in waters with mining tailings?
- Rep. Chip Cravaack, R-MN 8, email to constituents
Rep. Cravaack has sponsored legislation to remove Minnesota School Trust Lands from the BCWAW. But is this to provide access to resource extraction or to swap for Federal Land elsewhere? If Minnesota School Trust Lands can be sold, why doesn't the Federal Government pay Minnesota for the lands and let the trust buy land elsewhere? I read his wording as the first, resource extraction. In fact, in his email he states "These lands within the BWCAW cannot be logged, leased, or mined."
Would you want to canoe past a clear-cut island or fish in waters with mining tailings?
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Christmas trees - De-forestation, Crops, or Weeds?
Some people claim that by having no Christmas tree or by using an artificial tree they are saving a tree. Really? Where do Christmas trees come from? Tree farms! When the trees are cut, more are planted in their place. How about saving a wheat stalk and not eating bread?
It isn't as if somebody is clear-cutting vast swaths of pine trees and never replanting. It isn't as if somebody is cutting vast swaths of conifers to build a humongous parking lot.
What many people don't realize is that many trees are weeds. Not that they are useless plants, but they grow all by themselves without human aid. On our property in Brimson we have thousands of balsam, some ideal Christmas trees, most all jammed together. They sprout up in fields. They crowd out firewood trees. Just about everything but the long-gone white pine grows by itself. The only white pines we have we planted, and many of them have served as deer feed or buck-antler scratching posts. Ah! Kill a deer and save lots of trees.
When we first bought the property, we saw dozens of dying birch, a foot or more in diameter. All are gone except the rotting logs bound up in some really good fire-starter. Now twelve years later we have hundreds of birch. We only transplanted four from the power-line right of way. Many of these wild birch are now suitable for firewood.
Where balsam doesn't grow, the predominant trees are aspen. These live about 30-50 years and then come crashing down on other trees. Of course, trees rotting on the ground can spread disease to other trees. Next year we'll have a logger selectively cut some aspen for us. By doing so, we may see moose tracks once again. Moose love aspen shoots. Ah! Kill a moose and save lots of trees.
In addition to the above species, we have red maple, willow, black spruce, white spruce, tamarack, chokecherry, hazel, alder, and others all growing merrily without our help.
Sure, we cut paths through all these and use the cuttings for firewood or chip them for the paths. But guess who uses the paths the most? Wild animals! There are tracks of wolf, deer, bear, squirrel, rabbit, and mouse all over these trails.
Besides wild life habitat and our enjoyment, these trees have another important purpose – carbon sequestration. These trees probably soak up more carbon dioxide than we create driving to our cabin and back and more than we create with our heating fires.
It isn't as if somebody is clear-cutting vast swaths of pine trees and never replanting. It isn't as if somebody is cutting vast swaths of conifers to build a humongous parking lot.
What many people don't realize is that many trees are weeds. Not that they are useless plants, but they grow all by themselves without human aid. On our property in Brimson we have thousands of balsam, some ideal Christmas trees, most all jammed together. They sprout up in fields. They crowd out firewood trees. Just about everything but the long-gone white pine grows by itself. The only white pines we have we planted, and many of them have served as deer feed or buck-antler scratching posts. Ah! Kill a deer and save lots of trees.
When we first bought the property, we saw dozens of dying birch, a foot or more in diameter. All are gone except the rotting logs bound up in some really good fire-starter. Now twelve years later we have hundreds of birch. We only transplanted four from the power-line right of way. Many of these wild birch are now suitable for firewood.
Where balsam doesn't grow, the predominant trees are aspen. These live about 30-50 years and then come crashing down on other trees. Of course, trees rotting on the ground can spread disease to other trees. Next year we'll have a logger selectively cut some aspen for us. By doing so, we may see moose tracks once again. Moose love aspen shoots. Ah! Kill a moose and save lots of trees.
In addition to the above species, we have red maple, willow, black spruce, white spruce, tamarack, chokecherry, hazel, alder, and others all growing merrily without our help.
Sure, we cut paths through all these and use the cuttings for firewood or chip them for the paths. But guess who uses the paths the most? Wild animals! There are tracks of wolf, deer, bear, squirrel, rabbit, and mouse all over these trails.
Besides wild life habitat and our enjoyment, these trees have another important purpose – carbon sequestration. These trees probably soak up more carbon dioxide than we create driving to our cabin and back and more than we create with our heating fires.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Save a tree? Why?
Starbucks has been running a commercial to encourage people to bring reusable travel mugs instead of asking for a paper cup. The commercial shows people putting Starbucks paper coffee cups on the pavement, eventually creating a picture of a tree. One of the slogans is "One person can save trees, together we can save forests." Ironically, they are not saving coffee beans. As each person places a cup on the pavement, it is quite obvious that it still contains coffee! That was lots of coffee to use for a single ad. I will admit that the cups had to be weighted in case of a breeze.
Minnesota Public Radio has a campaign to get people to become sustaining members. On the air they are saying "Save a tree" because it will reduce their mailings because sustaining members will be automatically charged each month. Additionally, for each new sustaining member they will have a tree planted in the member's name.
I don't like to see waste and I like to conserve resources by recycling, but I think these "Save a tree" campaigns are somewhat misguided.
First, the much of the wood pulp for paper comes from private lands. When held by a forest products company, they are managed for sustainability. When a tree is taken from such land, it is replaced by planting or by natural regrowth.
Second, the primary source of wood pulp is aspen and balsam fir, both which regrow naturally. In fact, I call them both weeds. Aspen regrows quickly from root suckers. Balsam fir grows from seed cones without much effort. In fact, both kinds of trees continually spring up in any area of our Brimson property that we don't keep clear.
I am very allergic to balsam fir, getting a severe skin reaction any time I have to trim a balsam or cut one down. I've talked to a logger friend about removing many of them, but he says there is no market for balsam. I may have to hire him to remove some near the cabin; they are too close, especially with drought conditions.
"No market for balsam" may be an indication that many recycling efforts are "paying off". Consider also that many paper companies have been downsizing. One could change the slogan to "Save a tree; fire a logger."
Worse yet, the value of private forest lands is increasing so much that forest product companies are selling their land to real estate companies. These companies are selling them off in smaller parcels to individuals. When this happens the individuals take out trees for driveways and buildings. See "Breaking Up the Forests".
The breakup of the forests could have consequences for wildlife. One could change the slogan to "Save a tree; starve a moose." Somebody long ago told me that if I wanted moose, clear cut. When we bought our property, there was a recently cut area of aspen (aka poplar or popple). The stand was about eight-foot high and we occasionally saw moose tracks. Now the stand is twenty to thirty-feet high and we haven't seen a moose track for years. Moose aren't completely gone from our area. One of our Brimson neighbors found two dead bull moose with locked horns: "Shed Hunter Finds Two Minnesota Record-Book Moose Locked After Battle to the Death".
Moose aren't the only tree predators. One could change the slogan to "Save a tree; shoot a deer." We have made many efforts to plant trees. Our most successful was white spruce. We had some success with sugar maple with probably half the seedlings turning into twelve to fourteen foot trees. We tried red oak and they are all gone. We had hoped to plant hundreds and hundred of white pines, but deer took a big toll on them. We initially stapled paper to the tips in the fall (the recommended practice), but the deer would bite the top off below the paper. We tried putting circles of fencing around individual trees, but the deer would reach in with their tongues and pull the tips out. We put screen around the fencing and that seemed to work. Unfortunately, for all this protection, we couldn't protect against drought. Several of the trees that survived the deer turned brown and died. I think of the 200 or more pines that we planted over a two-to-three year period, only about forty have survived and only about twenty are taller than me.
We have been harvesting aspen for firewood, both for our cabin and for our Duluth house. I think we used about eleven trees last year, almost all aspen. We are starting to use some birch; it is finally getting to fireplace size after a big die-off several years ago. But our job may have become easier. One could change the slogan to "Save a tree; stop the wind." Except for some trees that were in the way of other trees, we have been harvesting broken tops. The best yet are the four-inch diameter trees that were snapped off in a big wind storm or two. The woods looked like it was full of a jumble of toothpicks. When we can get to those without bark, all we have to do is cut them into fireplace lengths, no splitting. These are just great for having a fast, very hot fire to warm the cabin quickly.
Ah yes, fire. One could change the slogan to "Save a tree; start a forest fire." A mature forest is much more likely to burn and over a wider area. If we reduce our harvest of trees too much, we will have more forest fires. It is nature's way of providing for large-scale renewal.
I think where we really have to be concerned about trees is in urban areas. I regret that we no longer have any of the back yard trees we once had. A silver maple and a birch became too old. An ash provided easy access to our attic for squirrels, and three smaller birch just got in the way of the power and telephone lines. Other than our arbor vitae, trees in the front yard are out of the question because of sewer lines. Boulevard trees are impossible because the boulevard is only two feet wide.
Overall it is going to be more difficult to have neighborhood trees. Wider streets leave less room for trees. The ongoing sewer work in Duluth is going to lead to more front-yard trees being taken down or fatally stressed. Disease and age are going to do in many mature trees.
About the only places left for lots of trees are parks. Do we want to spend the tax money to keep our parks green? It's either spend the money on a healthier environment or spend the money on health care.
Be careful what you wish for, you may get the opposite.
Minnesota Public Radio has a campaign to get people to become sustaining members. On the air they are saying "Save a tree" because it will reduce their mailings because sustaining members will be automatically charged each month. Additionally, for each new sustaining member they will have a tree planted in the member's name.
I don't like to see waste and I like to conserve resources by recycling, but I think these "Save a tree" campaigns are somewhat misguided.
First, the much of the wood pulp for paper comes from private lands. When held by a forest products company, they are managed for sustainability. When a tree is taken from such land, it is replaced by planting or by natural regrowth.
Second, the primary source of wood pulp is aspen and balsam fir, both which regrow naturally. In fact, I call them both weeds. Aspen regrows quickly from root suckers. Balsam fir grows from seed cones without much effort. In fact, both kinds of trees continually spring up in any area of our Brimson property that we don't keep clear.
I am very allergic to balsam fir, getting a severe skin reaction any time I have to trim a balsam or cut one down. I've talked to a logger friend about removing many of them, but he says there is no market for balsam. I may have to hire him to remove some near the cabin; they are too close, especially with drought conditions.
"No market for balsam" may be an indication that many recycling efforts are "paying off". Consider also that many paper companies have been downsizing. One could change the slogan to "Save a tree; fire a logger."
Worse yet, the value of private forest lands is increasing so much that forest product companies are selling their land to real estate companies. These companies are selling them off in smaller parcels to individuals. When this happens the individuals take out trees for driveways and buildings. See "Breaking Up the Forests".
The breakup of the forests could have consequences for wildlife. One could change the slogan to "Save a tree; starve a moose." Somebody long ago told me that if I wanted moose, clear cut. When we bought our property, there was a recently cut area of aspen (aka poplar or popple). The stand was about eight-foot high and we occasionally saw moose tracks. Now the stand is twenty to thirty-feet high and we haven't seen a moose track for years. Moose aren't completely gone from our area. One of our Brimson neighbors found two dead bull moose with locked horns: "Shed Hunter Finds Two Minnesota Record-Book Moose Locked After Battle to the Death".
Moose aren't the only tree predators. One could change the slogan to "Save a tree; shoot a deer." We have made many efforts to plant trees. Our most successful was white spruce. We had some success with sugar maple with probably half the seedlings turning into twelve to fourteen foot trees. We tried red oak and they are all gone. We had hoped to plant hundreds and hundred of white pines, but deer took a big toll on them. We initially stapled paper to the tips in the fall (the recommended practice), but the deer would bite the top off below the paper. We tried putting circles of fencing around individual trees, but the deer would reach in with their tongues and pull the tips out. We put screen around the fencing and that seemed to work. Unfortunately, for all this protection, we couldn't protect against drought. Several of the trees that survived the deer turned brown and died. I think of the 200 or more pines that we planted over a two-to-three year period, only about forty have survived and only about twenty are taller than me.
We have been harvesting aspen for firewood, both for our cabin and for our Duluth house. I think we used about eleven trees last year, almost all aspen. We are starting to use some birch; it is finally getting to fireplace size after a big die-off several years ago. But our job may have become easier. One could change the slogan to "Save a tree; stop the wind." Except for some trees that were in the way of other trees, we have been harvesting broken tops. The best yet are the four-inch diameter trees that were snapped off in a big wind storm or two. The woods looked like it was full of a jumble of toothpicks. When we can get to those without bark, all we have to do is cut them into fireplace lengths, no splitting. These are just great for having a fast, very hot fire to warm the cabin quickly.
Ah yes, fire. One could change the slogan to "Save a tree; start a forest fire." A mature forest is much more likely to burn and over a wider area. If we reduce our harvest of trees too much, we will have more forest fires. It is nature's way of providing for large-scale renewal.
I think where we really have to be concerned about trees is in urban areas. I regret that we no longer have any of the back yard trees we once had. A silver maple and a birch became too old. An ash provided easy access to our attic for squirrels, and three smaller birch just got in the way of the power and telephone lines. Other than our arbor vitae, trees in the front yard are out of the question because of sewer lines. Boulevard trees are impossible because the boulevard is only two feet wide.
Overall it is going to be more difficult to have neighborhood trees. Wider streets leave less room for trees. The ongoing sewer work in Duluth is going to lead to more front-yard trees being taken down or fatally stressed. Disease and age are going to do in many mature trees.
About the only places left for lots of trees are parks. Do we want to spend the tax money to keep our parks green? It's either spend the money on a healthier environment or spend the money on health care.
Be careful what you wish for, you may get the opposite.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Why was my site suddenly so popular?
When I checked the statistics on my web site this morning I was surprised to see over 100 hits for Thursday. Gosh! I've been lucky to get 10-15 a day.
When I looked at the details, I found there were 65 hits for "Once Upon a Lake", a fable about the rise and fall of the fortunes of the city of Toulouse.
Was this only a few people looking at the page several times or was it a lot of people looking at it? Did somebody make a reference on a more popular site than mine? If so, it was in a chat room and not on a Google-searchable site. The only reference I found was for the page itself.
When I looked at the details, I found there were 65 hits for "Once Upon a Lake", a fable about the rise and fall of the fortunes of the city of Toulouse.
Was this only a few people looking at the page several times or was it a lot of people looking at it? Did somebody make a reference on a more popular site than mine? If so, it was in a chat room and not on a Google-searchable site. The only reference I found was for the page itself.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
I tried to cut my leg off
Well, not really, but I came close.
I was cutting stumps flush with the ground. I was working on the last for the day and in a rather awkward kneeling position. I knew that I should be careful and shifted my legs to be farther away from the chain saw.
Then I shifted again and the chain saw came out and caught in the knee of my jeans, ripping a small part. I looked closer and it also ripped the knee of my long johns. I thought I felt a small cut on my knee. I put the saw down and walked into the cabin to look at it.
I pulled down my pants and long johns, and sure enough there was a bloody streak across my knee.
My wife got out the first aid kit, swabbed the cut with an antiseptic wipe, put a gauze pad on the cut and fixed it with adhesive strips, and for good measure she wrapped it all with an elastic bandage.
My knee is not as good as new yet, but I am quite ambulatory. In fact, we went snowshoeing later. Not very far; we had to cut a lot of snow-laden brush bent over the path. Afterwards, the brush cutting made my shoulders hurt more than my knee did. Also the cut knee hurt less than the other knee which has been sore for over a year.
However, as I write this, my cut knee is reminding me that it is damaged. My next step is to take a shower, see how it looks, and have my wife redress it.
Interestingly, I'll be seeing a dermatology nurse practitioner on Tuesday for some other skin problems, some of which are on the cut leg. Will she be surprised!
I was cutting stumps flush with the ground. I was working on the last for the day and in a rather awkward kneeling position. I knew that I should be careful and shifted my legs to be farther away from the chain saw.
Then I shifted again and the chain saw came out and caught in the knee of my jeans, ripping a small part. I looked closer and it also ripped the knee of my long johns. I thought I felt a small cut on my knee. I put the saw down and walked into the cabin to look at it.
I pulled down my pants and long johns, and sure enough there was a bloody streak across my knee.
My wife got out the first aid kit, swabbed the cut with an antiseptic wipe, put a gauze pad on the cut and fixed it with adhesive strips, and for good measure she wrapped it all with an elastic bandage.
My knee is not as good as new yet, but I am quite ambulatory. In fact, we went snowshoeing later. Not very far; we had to cut a lot of snow-laden brush bent over the path. Afterwards, the brush cutting made my shoulders hurt more than my knee did. Also the cut knee hurt less than the other knee which has been sore for over a year.
However, as I write this, my cut knee is reminding me that it is damaged. My next step is to take a shower, see how it looks, and have my wife redress it.
Interestingly, I'll be seeing a dermatology nurse practitioner on Tuesday for some other skin problems, some of which are on the cut leg. Will she be surprised!
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