Redwood Reader

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama, has an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times at http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/12/opinion/12dalai.html?oref=login in which he reminds us of the importance of ethics in science and its critical importance for the future, and demonstrates yet another instance where ancient knowledge is born out by advancing science. He also points out the narrow field of vision of reduction science and notes a lack of analysis from a wider perspective in much that we do, losing sight of the wider purpose. This is a week after the Pope also stressed the importance of science for the future of mankind. American Forest magazine (www.americanforests.org ) this month has an article about Faith in Conservation.
We also have noted the trouble good information has in becoming accepted and put into policy. While some areas push new items onto the market before fully understanding them, other possible solutions lie around unused for centuries despite plenty of visible evidence. Many people are convinced a lot of business is bad for natural systems, and people are looking for definitive answers for the economy and maintaining natural systems. Others put peoples needs at the top of the list. The bottom line seems to get results. Earlier this year I received a CD of a removal project on the Kennebec called Edwards Dam, it had been in for 170 years. There has been a lot of discussion about sediment loads and toxicity of spoils but I didn’t find much in the CD that helped with that.
So it is with FERC’s ruling on PacificCorp’s Klamath dams. In a time of environmental awareness a fifty-year license is being renewed. Past documentation about the past abundance of salmon above the dams gives us a good idea how impaired the system is, especially in terms of cut off spawning beds and temperature fluctuations at critical times of year. Expert analyses by the most current models support the obvious- the dams should be removed for the restoration of the third largest west Coast salmon run. The power companies challenge the rivers ability to provide as much habitat as environmentalist models would indicate. http://www.times-standard.com/local/ci_3209502 , “Salmon Above The Dams’, Eureka Times-Standard Nov 12, and the editorial piece “Honesty Crucial In Klamath Dam Process” the same day.
For those of us relying on science to light the way it is troubling our own government does not accept its own work. Of course, tradeoffs are inevitable with our growing population, but new technology should be brought online faster. We think centralization and economies of scale have driven the permit process to periods of months and years when small decentralized systems could go up in a much shorter time frame and have much less environmental impact., as in solar homes or micro wind generators, locally produced biofuel rather than transported petroleum.
When new info is put to use, we applaud, such as the Redwood National and State Parks project thinning Douglas fir hoping to accelerate return to late seral conditions. This is very similar to BLM’s approach and we support the concept. WE do have some points to raise in light of our work. First, the self- thinning rule proposed by Dr. Shigo in “Trouble in the Rhizosphere” claims each tree is adding to the overall carbon capture of the recovering forest area, not just the trees. If we add glomalin here, we see Douglas fir has established a life process for re-colonization that allows many individuals condition a small amount of soil. As the trees grow and conditions improve some trees begin to decline, which accelerates exudations. The trees are very crowded and responding to side pressure, encountering neighbors root systems and foraging for minerals and water. All members contribute duff, glomalin, shade, woody products and water storage to the system, regardless of how long lived. So it is important to allow some of these functions to occur. At the same time much of this evolved without constant fire threat forests face today, and some controls must be found to reduce risk while maintaining function. We also note this project would be typical of risk reduction for carbon sequestration projects, and that we need more uses for the resulting slash. “Park thinning Project Gets Started” http://www.times-standard.com/local/ci_3211609 The Mushroom Fair is set for Sunday November 20th from 11AM to 4 PM at Redwood Acres in Eureka, put on by the Humboldt Bay Mycological Society. http://www.times-standard.com/local/ci_3213409