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 Below cost timber sales are a dead issue because little remains of the National Forest green timber sale program. Furthermore, simply treating the National Forest road system as an asset (which it clearly is) rather than a liability (as the current accounting system does) would significantly alter the Forest Service's "bottom line".
This said, it does not matter if the Forest Service ever again sells a stick of timber. The reality is that some form of forest management will still be needed in order to control timber stand density, currently the most serious fire-related problem facing western National Forests. If stand density is not controlled, the West's wildfire problem will get progressively worse. The only safe and scientifically valid solution lies in implementation of a long-term thinning program. This is why we are strong supporters of restoration forestry, which we do not view as a commercial timber venture, though it is likely the program could produce sufficient revenue to defray some of the cost of restoration. Restoration should be viewed as a tool for protecting natural resources the public treasures: clean water, abundant fish and wildlife habitat, old growth forests and the natural beauty of western National Forests.
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What's
your position on below cost timber sales in National Forests?