Contents
President’s message
Strengths of Reforestation
David A. Bischel
President
California Forestry Association
California’s wildfire season brought us the
third largest wildfire in recent history. The fire
burned over 250,000 acres, some in Yosemite
Park, one of our state’s most prized natural
destination, and watershed tributaries to
Hetch-Hetchy reservoir, the Bay Area’s main
water source. The affects of the fires are vast,
but we can help reverse some of the damage
done, but only if we act.
Restoring forests through replanting allows
forest to re-grow faster and is a way to help
repair the damage from high severity wildfires.
When we replant forests they can begin to
sequester and store more carbon, provide
more diverse habitat, and filter our fresh
water. Managing severely burned areas into
new healthy forests can help the system to
withstand the next natural wildfire.
The forest sector replants millions of trees
each year and continues to grow more trees
than are harvested to maintain healthy
sustainable forests. When wildfire strikes
we are on the ground immediately after the
flames are out, assessing the damage and
implementing treatments to begin to repair
the land where it is needed. Our work is tried
and true. We continue research and test new
technologies to strengthen the forests with
stronger seedlings and efficient processes.
Without our work, the land can transform
into brush field – which are more susceptible
to wildfires. Good forest management
practices and efforts like these by the forest
industry ensure we have sustainable healthy
forests that provide an abundance of benefits.
David A. Bischel
Calforests Quarterly | Fall 2013
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