TPO 14

The article states that salvage logging, which is the practice of removing dead trees from affected area from fire forest and storm, is beneficial both to a damaged forest and to the economy. It provides three reasons of support. However, the professor explains that salvage logging may appear helpful but actually, it causes lots of damage on a long run and refutes each of author’s reasons.

First, the article claims that after a devastating fire, forests are chocked with dead trees and it will take years to decompose. The professor opposes this point by saying that cleaning up does not create right condition for trees growth. She states that decomposed soil is reach in nutrition, so on long run it will create suitable condition for regrowth of trees. If the dead tree would be removed then soil will suffer from lack of the nutrients.

Second, the reading posits that decaying wood is a highly suitable habitat for insects such as the spruce bark beetle, which can damage live and healthy trees. On the other hand, the lecture says that it is true that the population of insect can increase in decaying wood but they are not bad as salvage logging’s effects on long run. According to the professor, spruce bark beetle insects live in Alaska forest for hundreds of years without any damage to the forests. Moreover, decaying wood is also habitat for birds and other insects, which are helpful on a long run.

Third, the author says that salvage logging has economic benefits for the industries and it helps to create additional job for local residents. The professor opposes this point by explaining that the benefits will last for small time. In the cleaning process helicopter and advance equipment will use, which are more expensive. Furthermore, she states that the new jobs will be temporary and experience people will be called from the outside to do this job, so the local resident will not get any benefit.