ANALYSIS PARALYSIS by Don Ingle

Staying up late to catch some news, I stumbled onto C-Span by chance, and caught the appearance before the House Resources subcommittee on forestry of Dale Bosworth, Chief of the US Forest Service. That chance flip of the dial brought to light some refreshing candor on the part of the Chief regarding the plague of "excessive analysis, cumbersome regulations and an overabundance of public involvement." So said Bosworth in his report to Congress.

Bosworth said that a kind of "analysis paralysis" causes routine delays that can stretch projects out over years. This, he said, can be blamed on the "hodgepodge of federal laws governing forests, and for the frequent legal challenges by environmental groups." As of May of this year, the Chief noted that there were about 5,000 such challenges pending against the forest service.

"We're going to have lawsuits; I understand people have a right to challenge the decisions," he told the committee, but the sheer length of the legal cases often makes the original dispute moot as "the decision ends up being made by default."

Bosworth cited a Michigan example, a road bridge in the Upper Peninsula's Hiawatha National Forest.

The bridge was falling apart-chunks of the bridge were falling into a creek below. Preliminary work on the repair began in 1995. After an appeal was filed in 1998, the project was shelved while it considered other alter- natives.

After years of delay, an environmental assessment was started in 2000, and construction now would probably not start until 2005, 10 years after the bridge repair process has started. And the bridge is still falling apart.

So, a single appellant overrode strong public support ... and pushed the bridge replacement back a decade.

"Is this what Congress wants? Is this what the public wants? It's something I'd like to change," he said, echoing remarks he made since taking office as Chief of the Forest Service last year, when he pledged to simplify regulations that govern the nation's 192 million acres of national forests and grasslands.

Environmental groups oppose such reforms, calling them an excuse to circumvent environmental laws, and a "wish list" for the forest industry.

But Bosworth made a compelling point about the negative impacts of decisions delayed by "analysis paralysis." He noted that the forest service had been hampered in trying to get into the Pike National Forest in Colorado for thinning, salvage, and other means of reducing a dangerous build up of fuel load on the ground. Such efforts had been stymied by many environmental challenges.

The point, Bosworth said, was also made moot when a devastating forest fire swept though the area, destroying property, forcing evacuation of people in the face of a fire fed by the massive fuel load buildup. "Today that forest doesn't exist." Bosworth summed up his report to the committee by noting that the issue isn't whether environmental laws are good or bad. 

"It really is about whether or not the processes are working well and whether we are able to make decisions in a reasonable period of time."

Straight talk from the top. Now...will Congress listen?

HOW TREE SMART ARE YOU?
by Rick A. Lucas, Conservation District Forester

Recently, while doing some research for a forestry topic on the internet, I came across this Forestry and Tree IQ test. With a rapidly approaching article deadline and no ideas in mind, I decided to have a little fun with this MFA issue and find out just what your tree IQ is. According to the site's guide, Steve Nix, "These are some things you should know to be forestry and tree literate." Even if you do poorly but are truly interested in trees, this site is packed with useful information. Incidentally, the site can be found at www.forestry.about.com.

There are 20 questions concerning trees and it is a compilation of things biological, historical, technical, and product related. I certainly hope you foresters are up to snuff. The rest of you enjoy.....

Foresters should get 17-20 questions correct or go back to school.

Forestry and tree buffs should get 15 or more.

Landowners with an investment in trees should get at least 11.

An average high school graduate should get 8 of the answers correct.

(The answers will be provided at the end of the test).

1. What cellular portion of a tree transports water and minerals to leaves for food production?

2. What is the genus of oak?

3. The leading federal forestry agency in the United States is what organization? 

4. Trees are nature's oldest living things and can be as old as 4,000 years. What is the common name of the tree that attains this ancient age?

5. What US state leads the nation in total acres of commercial forestland as indicated by the latest USFS forest survey?

6. What biologic tissue causes height growth in trees?

7. What rare bird depends on a Jack Pine forest?

8. The earth's single most important chemical process that supply trees food is called what?

9. What tree species was destroyed in the US when an imported Chinese blight in 1906 infected and killed all mature trees?

10. What system in a tree is fundamental to structural support, water and mineral up- take, and to its health and vigor?

11. A place where baby trees are propagated, dug, packaged, and delivered to planters is called what?

12. What kind of product is OSB?

13. What kind of tree is responsible for the production of syrup?

14. Gaseous pollutants like carbon dioxide are absorbed by trees. At the same time trees are giving off what beneficial substance? You flunk the whole test if you miss this one!

15. What is the green substance that colors most tree leaves?

16. What is the most critical environmental element, that when absent causes most tree planting failures?

17. What geographical location are natural forests of Redwoods growing?

18. Who wrote A Sand County Almanac? 

19. What is a cord of wood?

20. Many measurements of trees are taken at a point called DBH. What does this term mean?

Answers

1. xylem cells (pholem conducts food) 2. Quercus 3. USDA Forest Service 4. Bristle- cone pine 5. Georgia 6. Apical meristem 7. Kirtland's Warbler 8. Photosynthesis 9. American chestnut 10. Roots 11. A nursery 12. Oriented strand board 13. Sugar maple 14. Oxygen 15. Chlorophyll 16. Moisture or water 17. West Coast, specifically California 18. Aldo Leopold 19. A specific volume or measured amount of wood 20. Diameter at Breast Height (4.5 feet above stump height). How Did You Do?

INSECTS & DISEASES
 By Bill Cook

The warm season is when people seem to pay more attention to trees and the forest. Indeed, outdoor activity peaks during the spring and summer. Insects and diseases play a huge role in this biological drama.

Of the thousands of insect species, only a few pesky species usually get noticed. However, most are beneficial to forests, some even quite important to forest health for a variety of reasons. Insects pollinate tree flowers, cull out weak trees, recycle nutrients, create habitat for wildlife, and provide a huge base for food webs. Many insects feed on others that feed on trees.

On the other hand, mosquitoes, black flies, junebugs, and ladybugs receive more than their fair share of attention. Dramatic defoliations by forest tent caterpillars, budworms, and gypsy moths make news headlines. Even "pesky" insect species play valuable roles in the ecology of forests. Insect life cycles demonstrate a high degree of diversity. Most quietly go through the standard stages of egg, larva, pupa, and then adults. Some species may have multiple hatches per year. Others are closely tied with specific ecological phenomena. Some have cycles that rise and fall in terms of decades, including some of our most notorious forest damaging species.

The forest has an amazing array of microhabitats and insects exploit all of them. An individual species may use different habitats for each life stage, including a mix of aquatic and terrestrial sites. Others may live out their cycle tied to a single host species or a narrow selection of related species. Insects have a seemingly endless number of clever survival strategies.

Disease organisms have a similar diversity of life cycles, appearances, hosts, and environmental requirements. Every species, living or dead, will eventually serve as a host for fungi, bacteria, viruses, or more obscure decay taxa. Diseases that attack live trees often specialize in leaves, buds, roots, fruits, or other tree parts. Initial invasion can sometimes spread to the entire tree, causing growth loss or death.

Insects and diseases may work together, such as the recently discovered beech bark disease. White pine blister rust and spruce needle rusts need alternate hosts nearby. There are also relationships with animals, such as birds or mammals. Factors such as tree age, tree species, soil quality, moisture, disturbances, proximity to primary hosts, stand conditions, weather, etc. all weigh-in to determine the presence, spread, and degree of damage to a particular tree.

For most forest owners, identification of tree problems is difficult. Sometimes, correct identification of the tree species presents a problem, too. A particular symptom may be indicative of several or many damaging agents. For instance, woodpecker holes aren't really the problem. It's the poor tree health that has attracted bark beetles, which attract the woodpeckers. Or, ants will sometimes invade tree tissues weakened by fungi, which in turn, became established after a drought or after the septic truck drove over the roots. Tree health is impacted by a complex of factors.

Diseases can be especially difficult to identify. Often times, fruiting bodies are present only during a short period of time in the spring or fall. Sometimes a tissue culture must be grown and any number of fungi might provide a choice of what the real problem is. In the end, there is usually little a forest owner can do anyway.

Another dimension of insects and diseases is the introduction of exotic species. Historically, Europe has provided problems such as chestnut blight, Dutch elm disease, and the gypsy moth. China and east Asia will likely become a larger source. Imagine the impacts if maples would succumb to a new threat! Maples comprise one-third of the forest volume in the U.P. The United States spends millions of dollars every year to combat forest insects and diseases and prevent the introduction of new species. Our forests are resilient enough to tolerate most damaging agents, even the exotic species. Controls are sometimes unnecessary, especially for our native species, even the infamous forest tent caterpillar. However, one must consider the cumulative affects over time and, of course, the chances of what the next "big one" might be.

TIMBER VOLUME INCREASES

The timber volume associated with Michigan's forest acreage has demonstrated a remarkable ability to positively respond to both active forest management and protection programs. Growing stock (5" diameter and larger trees) inventory volume is 26.9 billion cubic feet in 1993, a 35% increase since 1980. The largest expansion of inventory volume is concentrated in the sawtimber size trees. Sawtimber (9" or 11 " diameter and larger trees, depending on softwood or hardwood classification) inventory volume is 72 billion board feet in 1993, a 55% increase since 1980.

Annual changes in tree species growth and harvests, and the relationships between these changes, permits analysis of current and future forest condition. Net growth rates (reduced by natural mortality estimates) for growing stock and sawtimber are 830 million cubic feet and 3.1 billion board feet respectively in 1993 (increasing 36% and 72% since 1980). Growing stock and sawtimber harvests in 1990 were 322 million cubic feet and 1 billion board feet respectively (reflecting increases of 35% and 22% since 1978). Annual forest growth is estimated to exceed annual forest harvests by over 150% (508 million cubic feet) for growing stock, and by 210% (2.1 billion board feet) for sawtimber. This situation bodes well for the forests of Michigan; these excess volumes of annual forest growth will be added to the inventory to further accumulate for the future needs of our citizens and society.

Timber Productivity Gains Possible Opportunity to improve timber management and increase timber volumes within Michigan is significant. Relatively flat terrain, productive soil structure, and a good transportation network provide access to the majority of these forest lands. The potential to increase current forest growth by over 50% (to 1.3 billion cubic feet annually) is possible through full stocking of all timberland acres. The annual growth potential can be enhanced further through manipulative stand improvements, tree species conversion, and/or the use of genetically improved tree species. Red pine, a native species, has the potential to produce as much wood volume per acre as slash and loblolly pine in the South. Use of genetically improved tree strains developed cooperatively by Michigan universities, industries, and government have shown productivity potentials in excess of 214 cubic feet per acre per year. The state-owned forests are postured to take advantage of an investment account, the "Forest Development Fund", established to improve timber growth and yields on a portion of their forest lands. Michigan has a well established and progressive reforestation industry able to meet the need well into the future. Seedling nurseries are capable of producing over 60 million trees annually. Over 50 tree planting contractors reside or operate within our borders.

Forest Protection: Cooperative Effort A cooperative effort between local, state, and federal fire agencies plays a major role in the protection of Michigan's forest lands. Active fire prevention programs, the use of aerial detection techniques, highly specialized equipment development and use, and progressive ideas have brought recognition to Michigan as a leader in the protection of its natural resources. Prescribed burning is readily employed to reduce fire risk as well as improve silvicultural and wildlife habitat objectives. Forest health protection is an integral part of resource protection. Insect and disease outbreaks as well as other stresses, such as climate and air pollution, are detected through ground and aerial surveys. Biological and socio-economic factors are evaluated; then silvicultural, biological, and chemical management alternatives are considered; and finally the most appropriate alleviatory methods are implemented.

Michigan's Growing and Expanding Forest Resource Michigan's temperate forests are an abundant, diverse, healthy, productive and expanding asset providing a multitude of benefits to its citizens. These benefits include habitat for both flora and fauna, recreational and sightseeing opportunities, filtration for air and water quality, and timber for societal consumption. Economic benefits to our state's economy are significant. Over $12 billion of value added and 200,000 jobs are annually supported statewide through forest-based industries and tourism/recreation. These forests contribute significantly towards quality of life values shared by both residents and nonresidents of our state.

The 1993 completion of Michigan's fifth statewide forest inventory since 1935, conducted in collaboration with the United States Forest Service - North Central Forest Experiment Station, provides essential data to assess statewide forest conditions. Forest stewardship policy alternatives are currently being discussed by broad representative interests to continue to improve forest health. These collective efforts will help ensure Michigan's forests continue to be healthy and productive while providing a multitude of sustainable benefits.

Forest Acreage Increases Michigan's forests are extensive, covering more than half of its land base. They are located predominately in the northern two thirds of the state. Forestland acreage totals 19.3 million acres, a 5 % increase since 1980. Forestland classified as timberland must meet minimum timber productivity standards. This timberland acreage (18.6 million acres) is the fifth largest in the United States, exceeded only by the states of Georgia, Oregon, Alabama, and North Carolina. Timberland acreage has increased 7% since 1980.

Active forest management and protection activities have resulted in a maturing forest resource, increasing in both tree size and age. Sawtimber sized tree stands now comprise 46% of the timberland acreage; poletimber and seedling/sapling tree stands comprise 30% and 24% respectively of the timberland acreage.

The temperate forests of Michigan contain a rich and diverse mix of tree species in an equally diverse forest type mix. The hardwood (broadleaf deciduous) forest types that comprise 75% of the total timberland acreage base include maple-beech-birch, aspen-birch, oak-hickory, and elm-ash-soft maple. Principal softwood (coniferous) forest types include red-white-jack pine, spruce-fir, and northern white cedar. Ownership patterns of the forests within our state reflect the healthy and diverse cultural value systems of the individuals and institutions involved in the stewardship of these properties. The forest resource is owned predominately by the private sector (65 %). The nonindustrial private owner and farmer categories collectively control 57% of the total timberland acres, while forest industry has 8% of the ownership.

The remaining 35% is controlled by the public sector (21 % state owned; 14% federally owned). Active forest management and protection activities provide a basis for enhanced forest stewardship on each of these ownerships.