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Tag: Forest management

Trump Cuts Through Forest Bureaucracy With Common-Sense Logging Reform
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National, Approved, DENVER7

Trump Cuts Through Forest Bureaucracy With Common-Sense Logging Reform

By: Morgan Lee and Becky Bohrer | Denver7 SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Trump administration plans to rescind a nearly quarter-century-old rule that blocked logging on national forest lands, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Monday. The roadless rule adopted in the last days of Bill Clinton's presidency in 2001 long has chafed Republican lawmakers, especially in the West where national forests sprawl across vast, mountainous terrain and the logging industry has waned. The rule impeded road construction and “responsible timber production” that would have helped reduce the risk of major wildfires, Rollins said at the annual meeting of the Western Governors Association. “This move opens a new era of consistency and sustainability for our nation’s forests," Rollins said. ...
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Walcher: Squirrels Killed by the Forest Service, or the Courts?
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Approved, Commentary, Greg Walcher, Rocky Mountain Voice

Walcher: Squirrels Killed by the Forest Service, or the Courts?

By Greg Walcher | Guest Commentary, GregWalcher.com In 2017 the Arizona Game and Fish Department estimated that there were only 252 Mount Graham red squirrels left. They only inhabited a few hundred acres in the 10,000-foot Pinaleño Mountains, not equipped to survive the heat of the surrounding deserts. Then, a lightning strike started a 48,000-acre fire in that section of the Coronado National Forest, incinerating all but 35 of the Mount Graham squirrels in existence. Federal and state wildlife officials thought the species faced likely extinction. It is a more common story than you might think. The Journal Science published a study in 2020 called “Fire and biodiversity in the Anthropocene,” analyzing the danger of wildfires to threatened and endangered species. Across nine taxonomi...
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Linnebur: In the battle of flames and bureaucracy, these are streamlining solutions for Colorado’s wildfire crisis
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Linnebur: In the battle of flames and bureaucracy, these are streamlining solutions for Colorado’s wildfire crisis

By Tyler Linnebur | ConservAmerica On Tuesday, July 30, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared disaster emergencies for multiple wildfires and activated the state emergency operations plan. These major fires, fueled by extreme heat and dry conditions, are raging across thousands of acres near Loveland, Lyons, and Jefferson County. Tragically, at least one person has died, and multiple homes have been destroyed.  This devastating scenario has become increasingly common in recent years because of drought, poor forest management\ and ineffective environmental policies. Massive fires cause extensive property damage, force evacuations and degrade air quality. The ecological toll is significant, destroying wildlife habitats and damaging watersheds. Several factors contribute to the severi...
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