HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-23-21 Public Comment - G. Stephens - BMW ProjectFrom:geoff stephens
To:Agenda
Subject:No to Logging
Date:Friday, July 23, 2021 7:00:42 AM
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No to logging
Dear Commissioners,
I write in strong opposition to the logging project in the Kirk Hill/Sourdough
area.
In a dramatically hotter and drier world, there is little evidence that “thinning”
the forest has any substantial mitigation effect on fires. Time and time again
we see that once fires start, their spread is governed by temperature, winds and
moisture levels much more than the “thickness” of the forest.
While the objective may be “thinning” out the forest, the reality is that the
timber companies take large healthy trees, presumably because these have the
most value. The current logging in the Bridgers makes that clear: every day
large healthy trees come out Fairy Lake road. There is abundant emerging
evidence that healthy trees help forests to thrive and to survive fires; they
provide nutrients and water to surrounding trees by way of vast underground
fungal networks. As our forests come under increasing stress because of
warming, these networks are becoming even more important.
We need to protect and support the health of our forests rather than the
economic health of timber companies.
Protecting our water supply system is very important. A healthy forest that
catches, drains, and filters our water is the best way to do that. Surely we can
protect against sediment from burns by building filtration systems at the water
intake points; at lower cost to both taxpayers and to the health of our forests.
Geoff Stephens
205 S Church AveBozeman, MT 59715
917-301-9496