Last Friday we learned about the modern forestry/logging industry. Mark Luster is the Community Relations Manager at Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI). They are the largest private land owner in North America. SPI was founded in 1949 and is still a family owned company with locations in Alabama, California, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin.

 

Most of Mark's presentation centered around forestry management. Along with lumbering activities, SPI has saw mills and manufactures windows and doors. Mark discussed the fact that each state has different rules relating to cutting down trees on private lands. SPI has its own tree nursery and seed bank. Their goal is to replant trees that are native to the location. Thus they collect seeds and the seedlings that are grown are planted in their native habitat. He also discussed the change in the number of trees per acre. In the early 1900s it was an average of 100 trees in California. Now it is around 500 - 800. This because we are not letting forests burn and are under-harvesting trees. The higher tree density is causing hotter fires and more fire damage. It also is affecting the non-tree plant ecology and animal ecology. His example was the spotted owl. In areas where the tree population is low, there are more spotted owls than in areas where the tree population is in the 500 - 1000 per acre. In discussing "clear cutting", Mark pointed out that research shows that clear cutting patches of forests leads to a healther native animal population.

 

Marcy joined her husband, Steve Schroder, to see what Rotary meetings are all about.  She has been a frequent volunteer with our Rotary service projects.