Photo Credit: Forest History Society
If you’re misinformed about the logging industry, you aren’t the only one. There are many myths out there and the facts are often jumbled so much that it’s impossible to keep any of it straight. Well, since wood is a mainstay for many of us both in building homes and furniture, we wanted to find out what the straight scoop was when it came to logging, so we found some pretty informative articles that talked about both the pros and cons of logging and how some of the controversy is not always represented in a factual light getting people upset when there’s really no need to be.
The Clearcutting Controversy – Myths and Facts
This article coming from experts in the forestry industry, Kevin Belt, R.F. Consulting Forester, Appalachian Forestry, Johnson City, Tennessee and Robert Campbell, R.F., Consulting Forester, Appalachian Forestry, Hinton/Beckley, West Virginia, and written for Wvu.edu gives you the full scoop on clearcutting. While the old term of clear cutting that was practiced in the 1700’s and 1800’s was harmful to the environment, the new way of clearcutting is not and is done to help promote new and more diverse growth. When you think about it, a forest fire will lay waste to an entire area and is typically started by lightning when the ground is dry. This is a natural occurrence. While it’s devastating in the beginning, the new grown that springs up after a fire is much more diverse than what was in the area before the fire. The article is very informative and looks at the myths and facts surround the current clearcutting practice. You’ll want to read the entire article here.
Common Myths About Forests and Lumber
If you love your wood furniture and your wood flooring, you really don’t need to feel as guilty as you might think. In this article by Mitchell Kamps for palletcentral.com, he gives us some great insight to the lumber industry practices of today and how they actually help the forests to remain lush and grow. You probably didn’t know this, but the forests of today actually have more trees than they did at the end of World War II. Lumber practices today are completely different from just a few hundred years ago and because of that, we can have our lumber and our forests and feel good about the way we are dealing with both. Find out just what the lumber industry is doing to help both the end user and the forests by reading the full article here.
Debunking the Myths
This article posted on Timbernsw.com, focuses on the lumber industry in New South Wales, Australia. When compared to the United States, the article shows how they have a similar set of myths and facts surrounding their forest industry. While the article points out the lack of subsidies in the industry in Australia, it also looks at common myths that we in the US face when trying to find out logical and correct information when it comes to our wood related industry. Read the full article here.