by Bill LaCroix, Victor
To those who do not know but might be interested before they default to the “log it or let it burn’ trope: The National Forest Management Act (NFMA) and indeed the Wilderness Act of 1964 were born here in the Bitterroot and in the offices of exceptional Montana politicians (a dying species here) like Lee Metcalf. This valley was blessed with conservation visionaries like Guy Brandborg (BNF Supervisor, 1935-55), his son, Stewart Brandborg (Ex. Director, Wilderness Society, 1964-76), Doris Milner (kick-butt housewife who loved wild country) and a host of other citizen-activists who saw the critical need for the public to have a say in forest management projects. Drive up to Bare Cone Lookout and take a look at the pyramid-like remnants of the forest on the way up, the result of the misguided “Terrace Logging” debacle that precipitated the Clearcut Crisis, that precipitated the NFMA. There are real consequences to the forest-loving public when they are sidelined and ignored (illegally IMO) by Anderson’s “needs based”, “trust us”, 150,000 acre management unit which, like Jeff Lonn points out in his Letter-to-the-Editor a couple weeks ago, includes almost 30,000 acres of commercial “trust us” logging. These forests that we have loved over the decades are the result of those of us who don’t trust loggers, whose primary motivation is to ‘get the cut out’ to do a conscientious job, like they said they were doing in the 60s and 70s with terrace logging. For those who think that logging mature, carbon-storing trees during this time of climate crisis is going to help fireproof the forest, I’d say read a book every once in awhile. Never too late to learn.
Kevin says
Sorry Bill, your idea of Climate hysteria is different than mine. Hope your nor driving a CO2 rig?
Larry Campbell says
Your supposed example of what you seem to think is hypocrisy is ridiculous.
Do we have to quit breathing out CO2 before we can be concerned about climate change?
Kevin says
Seem our cars/truck do??? What about all the skies filled with the CO2 caused by poor management. The circle of ever changing Climate Fear now blames the climate for their Wildfire “let it burn policies”. Give me an ounce of evidence where our Climate does not change daily!! Now throw trillions into ideas trying to manage it???
WMA says
Kevin,
Weather changes every day. Climate change takes much longer. Been awhile since last ice age.
Bill LaCroix says
Hey Larry. We both know how futile it is to argue with angry ignorance, but worth putting out the counters to it in case anybody not down the rabbit hole yet is listening—or reading. Thanks for all you’ve done
Kevin says
climate crisis? man made? man invented? I watched the Science plead the 5th over a 100 times last week.
Bill LaCroix says
Interesting how folks who get on their high horse buy a licence plate with a yellow snake and whine about their “inailienalbe rights” but don’t like to grant it to those Fox News tells them to hate. Science doesn’t plead the 5th, humans being persecuted by out-of-control autocrats in powerful govt. positions do. That’s what the Constitution was about. Ask Tom Paine. Read a book..