Tracy;

There are three basic viewpoints to trees in the United States.

1. Cut them all down.
2. Do not cut any trees.
3. Manage the forest.

Number three makes sense and where used it worked well. Today there are many issues concerning our forests. This has been one of the worse years for forest fires. Many experts contribute this fact to the laws that do not allow forest management.

It seems like we really need a good system of management rather than the all or nothing approach. Depending upon which party is in power, etc. one approach or the other will be taken. An intelligent approach is not considered. After all, there are lobbyists on both sides who help influence the content of any law, who seem to represent the two extreems of this topic.

Tom


>I'm with you on this one. I spent years living in Washington, Oregon, and Colorado. It is very sad and then there is the whole 'old growth' issue to consider. Better not to start a discussion on this subject! Viewpoints are too personal and discussions become heated!
>
>Tracy
>
>>Mark,
>>
>>>>The best use is for houses, baseball bats, hockey sticks and books. Trees are one of the most useful cash crops around as long as a good cultivation/re-planting program is in place.<
>>
>>Don't get me started on this one ... <g> Just fly (or drive) over the Cascade mountains in WA sometime and see all the clear-cutting that goes on there. It's a sad sight to see ....
>>
>>~~Bonnie
>>
>>
>>
>>>>Tracy;
>>>>
>>>>I did a study in college about air pollution in the United States. Thirty years ago hydrocarbons were the main topic of air pollution. The greatest source of hydrocarbons in the nation is from the trees in the Great Smokey Mountain Range, in Tennessee and North Carolina. My suggestion was to remove all the trees, to meet EPA standards. I was just trying to point out the absurdity of the EPA making blanket statements. :) Use trees wisely.
>>>
>>>The best use is for houses, baseball bats, hockey sticks and books. Trees are one of the most useful cash crops around as long as a good cultivation/re-planting program is in place.