Federal management hurts forests

It is common practice for our government to threaten curtailment of federal funding if a state fails to comply with certain of its policies. The following example shows how the entire forestry industry has been destroyed basically through mandated and enforced federal restrictions and regulations. Montana is getting closer to 50 percent dependency upon federal funding with controls. Meanwhile government is going after our land, water, natural resources and even our “minds.” 

Some years ago Gary Callihan, well versed in the European proven technology of using forest fuels to produce electricity, attempted to introduce that concept to Montana. This common sense operation would have helped solve the problem of over-grown and dying trees on mismanaged federal lands, while providing renewable energy production and ongoing productive mill operation.

• Forests can pay their own expenses, support communities, stay healthy and protect the environment if given a chance. Gradually government rules and regulations took over.

• Curtailment of timber harvest led to overgrowth of trees. Ideal 15 to 20/acre became hundreds/acre. Insufficient water and nutrients resulted in beetle kill, disease and death of trees. Fuels reduction of dead and dying trees with timber harvest would have regained forest health and reduced forest fires.

• Burning forest slash piles was wasteful. Mills do use forest waste for timber drying, but are not equipped to also generate electricity.

• Biomass cogeneration of both energy and heat would have helped finance the fuels reduction projects in combination with careful thinning of useable timber for lumber.

• As mills close due to federal restrictions, forest health declines, fires and fire-fighting costs at tax-payer expense increase, to say nothing of investment losses of proclaimed endangered species. Grants to communities compensating for lost timber revenues cannot be depended upon. Firewood collectors could help remove dead and dying timber if given access to gated forests.

When Gov. Judy Martz learned about biomass energy production she assured Gary Callihan that it all made sense to her. She endorsed its economic development but later indicated that the feds had threatened to cut her school funding if she pursued it further. Complications have now been ongoing to finally wipe put our entire timber industry. We must be concerned about such deliberate, knowledgeable, undermining of our system of government built upon the free enterprise system, while initiating governmental policies that increase federal dependency.

We need a business man in the presidency who doesn’t walk, talk and think like professional politicians we have known. So much the better. Donald Trump has proven himself a success in the business world and is highly motivated to save our country. He cannot move his many skyscrapers, buildings, tenants, and workers overseas like the factories and financial corporations have done. He wants to put dedicated, qualified, responsible people into positions where they can save America for the people including his own family. We all want to live happy and secure here in America, able to provide for our own needs.

-Clarice Ryan, Bigfork

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