[MCN] Former Board Member says MWA & Collaborative Group Promoting Myths Instead of Facts

[Matthew Koehler]

*Montana Wilderness Association & Collaborative Group Promoting Myths
Instead of Facts*
By George Wuerthner
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1QxbJ69

*George Wuerthner is a former MWA board member, an ecologist and an author
of 38 books including *Wildfire: A Century of Failed Forest Policy*. *

The recent commentary on community collaboratives that was signed by a
number of timber company representatives and forester along with the
Montana Wilderness Association (MWA) promotes myths instead of truth with
regards to forestry issues in western Montana. See:
http://flatheadbeacon.com/2016/02/11/partnerships-working-kootenai/

As a former MWA board member, it particularly disturbing to see the
organization championing frivolous timber sales that cost taxpayers money
and destroy forest ecosystems. It appears the MWA is suffering from the
Stockholm Syndrome.

Among other things, the commentary says that people are frustrated  when
lawyers and judges trump local professional land managers. What the MWA
doesn’t acknowledge is that no one wins a lawsuit unless there is a clear
violation of rules and laws. Apparently the MWA is supporting illegal
actions on our national forests.

Indeed, one can be thankful that at least some conservation organizations
see their role as protecting the taxpayer purse strings and the land from
money-losing timber sales and destructive forest practices instead of
lining the pockets of private timber companies.

Their commentary champions collaboratives as “democracy” but fails to note
that the vast majority of people and interests do not get to participate.
While paid foresters and lobbyist for timber companies can attend the
numerous meetings that are held during work week days, most people are not
represented, particularly the majority of Americans who own these lands – a
fact that the MWA apparently does not acknowledge.

Furthermore, the MWA supports the timber industry propaganda about thinning.

The bulk of the plant communities burned in Montana are high elevation
forests dominated by lodgepole pine, fir and spruce. These forests
naturally burn infrequently in high severity fires often hundred of years
apart. These forests are neither out of their historic condition and are
perfectly healthy. Fire in these ecosystems are driven by climate/weather,
not fuels. Therefore, logging cannot preclude blazes in these forests.

Large fires only occur when there are severe fire weather conditions of
high temperatures, low humidity, drought and most importantly high winds.
Put those combinations together with an ignition source and you have
unstoppable fires. The overwhelming conclusion of numerous scientific
reviews is that under severe fire weather, thinning has no effect on fire
spread. But you won’t get that information from the Montana Wilderness
Association.

Even more importantly large severe fires are ecologically important.
Indeed, there are numerous wildlife species that live in mortal fear of
green forests because they are highly dependent on the periodic input of
snags and down wood that is created by large wildfires. But don’t hold your
breath waiting for the MWA to mention this.

Finally, logging is not benign. Logging roads spread sediment into streams
affecting fish. They help to spread weeds. Logging removes biomass and down
wood important for habitat. Logging removes the carbon that is stored in
forests and even burnt forests store more carbon than logged forest sites.
Logging disturbs sensitive wildlife like grizzly and elk. And finally
logging can scar scenic values. But you will never see the MWA mention any
of these associated and cumulative impacts.

It seems the MWA measurement of success is whether it can have a beer with
timber and other former foes. There’s nothing wrong with sitting down to
discuss common interests. But the real measure for a conservation group
should be the wildlife habitat and wildlands it has saved. By this measure,
the MWA is failing miserably. It’s time for the MWA to relinguish its
mantle as a wildlands advocate and admit it has been captured by the timber
industry. Patty Hearst would understand.
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