Woodard letter: Logging forests necessary

The recent rant by an uninformed writer titled “Logging threatens our national forests, which don’t need ‘restored’ ” (March 24) is a good example of environmentalism gone wild. As a professional forester, forests are much like any other natural area ... they need to be managed. I have managed forests in northern Idaho, and each area is unique. Most areas need periodic logging to recover wood products and to prepare the area for new crops of trees. Some streamside areas require special care and high altitude areas should probably be left alone. But to ignore the effects of wildfire and the attendant insect outbreaks which usually follow is simply ignorance run wild. State, private, and federal forests are wonderful settings for a combination of wildlife habitat, clean water, and wood products. Brett Haverstick needs to know his facts before writing to the Statesman.

This story was originally published April 9, 2017 at 11:03 PM with the headline "Woodard letter: Logging forests necessary."