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forest restoration. Salvage is a reactive approach to a realized forest 

 health problem, that is, the trees are already dead. Restoration is a 

 proactive approach to prevent forest health problems. We need to 

 acknowledge that restoration and salvage have different objectives 

 and different outcomes. Salvage logging is not a panacea. It does not 

 restore resistance and resilience in nre dependent forests. 



In fire dependent forests, we must restore the natural fire resistance, 

 and resilience that these forests had before management actions 

 altered the process of fire. Goals for management vary greatly; 

 however, fire dependent forests should be able to survive wildfire. 

 Where the use of Rx fire may not be possible, low impact restoration 

 logging can be employed to reduce trie density, change composition, 

 and change forest structure to favor the large fire resistant trees. In 

 these cases, I think the best results are achieved when Rx fire follows 

 harvesting, thinning, chipping, and slashing. Periodic Rx fire 

 maintains fire resistance. 



8. Some environmentalists advocate a hands off approach -- a "just let 

 nature take its course" response. Some contend there is no forest 

 health problem. How do you respond? 



In some forests there is no forest health problem in others there is. Some 

 are unhealthy, they are dying, and converting to non sustainable 

 forests. In high elevation cool mixed conifer forests, such as 

 lodgepole pine, probably the role of wildfire has not changed. 

 Nature's course with fire will likely be much the same as it was in the 

 past before European settlement. Wildfire will restart succession and 

 renew the forest. But, in fire excluded forests where fuels build-up, 

 the forest composition shifts to late successional species and few nre 

 resistant trees remain that produce seed. In these forests nature's 

 course is death by wildfire. The forest that regenerates following the 

 fire will not be the multi-age forest of the past containing large fire 

 resistant trees, and it will not be fire resistant. The next wildfire is 

 likely to produce a forest of snags and to convert to either a different 

 forest, or, perhaps, to a non forest type. In fire dependent forests, 

 such as ponderosa pine, the only sustainable management policy is to 

 manage for fire resistance and resilience. 



Restoration is needed in many fire dependent ecosystems. If we fail 

 to undertake this challenge, the fire dependent forests of the future 

 have little chance of survival. Our natural resource heritage and 

 economies will eventually be lost to wildfires. 



Forest health is a wake-up call and requires action. The restoration 

 job is immense and time is short. Let us save fire dependent forests 



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