Sierra Club vs. Lumbermen Score' 0 to 0

TN " well-attended Oakland Hoor Hoo club meeting held recently, the Sierra Club tried to chop down its opponents, namely the lumber industry. Happily for all, the meeting ended in a draw.

Converging on the Blue Lion Restaurant in Oakland were lumbermen from Vallejo, San Jess, Sacramento, and Novato. Sixty men turned out to listen to Gordon Robinson. stafi forester of the Sierra Club. Representing the industry was Dick Reid, information forester, W'estern Timber Assn., San Francisco. Dr. Henry Vaux represented the general public and came from the School of Conservation and Forestry, UC., Berkeley. All three carried impressive credentials and had a strong background in forestry and related matters.

Robinson urged the withdrawal from commercial use of all marginal lands. In addition, he said that it was imperative that an adequate cross-section be taken from existing virgin forests for scientific and historical purposes. He also urged that multiple-use concepts be practiced on all remaining lands and that private lands be taxed and regulated to encourage sustained yield.

At the heart of his ideas was the suggestion that the U.S. Forest Service is not practicing the idea of multiple-use'of forest lands as intended by Congress.

Robinson pointed out that the Forest Service had, in effect, 'ozoned" government lands rather than managing each parcel for all purposes. In addition, he is urging a rotation period of 150 years for commercial timber-lands. The Forest Service is using a cycle of 120 years which the lumber industry considers quite liberal. The industry, itself, is rotating timber on an 80 year cycle, while some mills with extensive lands are logging on a 50 year cycle.

Dick Reid then pointed out that the utilization of commercial wood resources requires an adequate in- vestment and complete regulation. He stressed that the urgent need is for timber, not wilderness, a point noted by his audience. Moreover, he suggested that the economics of logging must be considered. Some timber sales require the removal of stumpage that contains as little as 3 board feet.

To get improved utilization, he stated that more production is needed. This can be achieved by adequate funding by Congress. Within 10 years, funds for additional plantings would be completely repaid by increased harvests. More capital investment is needed in roads and trails as well as reforesting. Improved utilization can be done by "capturing losses before they occur."

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Dr. Henry Vaux observed that reforestation efiorts are under-capitalized. There is a tremendous unutilized timber growing potential. In California, he said, by applying what is commonly known nowo we could grow 200/o to 250/o more timber than is presently being harvested.

But there are two obstacles. The first is the long-term effect of taxes; the second is that many Iandowners don't care at all, and thus don't .restock. Overall, he said that there was little chance that this substantial increase in timber production could be realized.

Late in the evening, one alert lumberman asked if each participant could agree with any point that either of the other two had made. Not too surprisingly, not one could agree with any other.