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ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES in rocky mountain coniferous ...

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themselves, the traditional <strong>in</strong>dustry practices, the compl iance with State and Federal<br />

laws, and with public op<strong>in</strong>ion. It is here that the communication channels among<br />

researchers, the dissem<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g agencies, and the land manag<strong>in</strong>g agencies are most<br />

important, as land managers must thoroughly understand these confl icts and manage<br />

them accord<strong>in</strong>gly.<br />

As a private forest land manager <strong>in</strong> most of the major forest types <strong>in</strong> the<br />

northern Rockies, we place significant importance to research efforts that attempt to<br />

characterize these types. It is refresh<strong>in</strong>g to see a comprehensive approach to the<br />

research presented here.<br />

The environmental consequence questions will cont<strong>in</strong>ue to be put before us and it<br />

is the qua1 ity, appl icabil ity, comprehensiveness, understandabil ity, and cost effec-<br />

tiveness of the alternative approaches which will be most useful to us <strong>in</strong> the forest<br />

management profession.<br />

Chuck Seeley<br />

Champion Timberlands-Champion International<br />

Biological and environmental constra<strong>in</strong>ts greatly affect resource management<br />

practices used on Champion Timberlands fee ownership lands. The constra<strong>in</strong>ts have a<br />

positive <strong>in</strong>fluence. They serve as guide1 <strong>in</strong>es with<strong>in</strong> which I can make management<br />

decisions that help to produce timber with a m<strong>in</strong>imum of damage to the environment.<br />

To demonstrate the constra<strong>in</strong>ts <strong>in</strong> action, consider our procedures for lay<strong>in</strong>g out<br />

a typical logg<strong>in</strong>g block:<br />

I. Plann<strong>in</strong>g the Timber Harvest<br />

First, the land manager selects a harvest<strong>in</strong>g method or methods that will accom-<br />

plish the goals he has <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d. He devises a plan that will produce the most effi-<br />

cient and profi tab1 e timber harvest, while ensur<strong>in</strong>g that biological and environmental<br />

needs of the area are considered and protected. In determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the proper harvest<br />

plan for an area, the land manager would consider the follow<strong>in</strong>g:<br />

Is the objective of this sale a th<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g for release, a regeneration<br />

cut to establish new growth, or a salvage cut to remove dead and dy<strong>in</strong>g<br />

timber?<br />

Is the sale visible from a major highway and if so, can the visual<br />

impact of the logg<strong>in</strong>g be m<strong>in</strong>imized?<br />

Have we m<strong>in</strong>imized the disruption of streams by skid trails or logg<strong>in</strong>g<br />

debris?<br />

W i l l we create a frost pocket or compact the soil? If so, what are our<br />

a1 ternatives?<br />

Does the terra<strong>in</strong> preclude use of certa<strong>in</strong> types of equipment, and which<br />

type of logg<strong>in</strong>g will cause the least soil erosion?

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