N.J. debates forest management

dogg57

Piney
Jan 22, 2007
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Southern NJ
southjerseyphotos.com
The devastation from the forest fires was unlike any in New Jersey since record-keeping began in 1906.
Miles of woodland were blackened - 183,000 acres in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Ocean, Atlantic, Hunterdon, Somerset, and Middlesex Counties.
Nearly 400 homes and buildings were reduced to ashes and seven people were killed in wind-driven fires over three days in April 1963.
The blaze was never forgotten by New Jersey officials, who have been reminded of it again by deadly wildfires in Colorado and are working to improve management of nearly two million acres of state-owned or -supervised forests to avoid a similar disaster.
Last week, the state Senate passed a controversial bill that would inventory woodlands and permit cutting trees on public land and selling the wood to pay for the program.
The state Department of Environmental Protection would choose a contractor to oversee the effort, plan the logging, and get the best price for the timber.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/n..._present__N_J__debates_forest_management.html
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
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That is a somewhat irritating article. Bob Williams certainly wants this to happen because he may benefit financially from this. And he makes it seem that fire is evil in this paragraph.

"I was 12 in 1963 when the big fire occurred," he said. "My father took me out to our hunting grounds and I'll never forget standing on a hillside and looking across five or six miles where everything was burned to the ground.

But what did he say happened???

"The forests came back,


All he was interested in was woods to hunt.


In any event, they need to make sure the public knows beforehand the exact locations where this is going to happen. There are those who think they know all about these places but they do not know all of the historical locations that logging can destroy. If they damage them they should be held responsible just like we would be if we drove over them.

Guy
 

oji

Piney
Jan 25, 2008
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Browns Mills
If a tree falls in the forest and noboby is there to hear it, does it still make the sound of Cha- ching?
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
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Good one Tom!

Imagine if you photographed a rare orchid today and tomorrow when you went back they were driving logging trucks across it. I am sure you would have liked to have notice of this so you could give your input.

History tells us that this paragraph is totally true.

In the past, according to the Sierra Club, the state has received $75 for felled oaks that sold on the market for more than $2,000 each.

I have an article that tells us that on one occasion the state received $54,000 for 120 acres of cedar which is a crime. I am sure it sold for much more than that. If the logs sold for $2000 each we got robbed.

Guy
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,144
Coastal NJ
Last week, the state Senate passed a controversial bill that would inventory woodlands and permit cutting trees on public land and selling the wood to pay for the program.
The state Department of Environmental Protection would choose a contractor to oversee the effort, plan the logging, and get the best price for the timber.

I didn't read the link, just what was posted. It's too hot to read links.

So let me get this straight; the bill will inventory woodlands(would that be public, pvt or both?), allow cutting on public land and subsequent selling of what was cut, and the DEP will select, not put out to bid, a contractor to oversee it, plan it and price it.

Anyone know the bill number and the sponsor/s?
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
26,048
8,835
I didn't read the link, just what was posted. It's too hot to read links.


Anyone know the bill number and the sponsor/s?

It should be cooler later this evening and you can then read it.

Guy
 
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