To walk through a clear cut shortly after the wood has been harvested is a shattering experience. It is reminiscent of a war zone after a heavy artillery barrage (except, of course, the large timber has been carefully removed for use in a wide variety of products). In a carefully managed clear cut, and most are these days, careful observers will see that all of the scrub branches and waste has been cut so it lays close to the ground, providing cover for small game and breaking up rushing streams of water from rainfall, slowing it and allowing it to seep into the soil. Water breaks will have been carefully carved in the sides of the mountains to once again slow the water and prevent erosion. Depending on the timber management goals, some large seed trees will be strategically left to provide reseeding. In other areas, teams will follow the cut with plantings of different types of timber, to provide diversity rather than a monoculture of all one species.

In time, new types of plants will thrive in the open spaces, providing food and shelter for small game and large (deer, bear, turkeys, etc.) This will gradually fade away as the reseeded or replanted trees once again grow to a climax crop ready for harvest (depending on part of the country – North Central Pennsylvania is what I know best – 75 years is usually required).

Then it starts again, given wise management. Wood is truly a gift from God. It is a renewable resource. This process is enhanced, by careful thought and planning, LONG term planning.

By the way, as others will probably point out, there are other ways to manage tracts of timber land that do not clear cut and and wait 75 years for the forest to regrow, but rather selectively cut each year, caring for the forest as one would care for a garden, culling as needed, pruning where required, well you get the idea.

Anyway, the hippies have much too short a world view to be loggers and true tree people,…in my opinion.