TENNESSEE NEEDS TO FOLLOW PENNSYLVANIA'S LEAD

[ridgerunner]

Oh how I wish my state would just realize what is slipping thru their fingers. Too many people have such a bad view towards logging....maybe one day.

[Mountaineer]

How much state forest acreage, that could benefit gamebirds, is actually in East Tennessee?
I don't recall too much but I have not looked for awhile.
In most cases in the Apps, the national forests have the greatest acreage and offer the best possibility for creation of early successional for forest health and diversity....other than the lack of NF will and input of the SELC, of course.
The Cherokee is quite large, comparably, if memory serves correct.

Pennsylvania was forward thinking years ago with their Gamelands system....a good one on many levels.

[ridgerunner]

There will never be the bird #'s of the Northern Appalachians, but more things could be done. There is 625,000 acres of the Cherokee Nat. Forest...I know all can't be logged, but more could be done. And this year I am writing the powers that be to cut out the Feb. season for grouse. I don't have all the answers, but I have to believe that these ideas are heading in the right direction.

[Mountaineer]

Good...every voice helps.
I thought you might have been talking about federal acreage rather than state acreage when you mentioned Tennessee doing something...any state has little to no input on federal ground.

RGS used to and may still have a newsletter alert program for different regions...the Forest Action Network(FAN) which is a good way to stay up on issues affecting our national forests.
RGS does have many good points.

RE logging....the important point to me is to find the timber harvest methods that can be sold to the public.
Too many misunderstand clearcuts and relate them to that seen on NW and Alaska National Geographic shows.
In truth, most eastern timber is second and third growth and clearcuts benefit many species....untill the acreage quickly grows into pole timber.
Still, slope and stream concerns among others need to be addressed in any logging program.

[ridgerunner]

Tennessee wildlife agency owns around 100,000 acres of logged mountain ranges and strip mine benches and that is just about our best habitat ( except on private land ) that is near me here in the eastern part of the state and then there are the big mtns of the Cherokee Nat. Forest...and there has to be alot of scouting done in the off season to find suitable habitat....unless anybody wants to share a honeywhole...LOL!!

[Mountaineer]

Ah, that is a sizeable chunk as well.
Good Luck....hope the chain saws purr.

[Vonrommel]

Ridgerunner,
Your profile says you are from East TN., what city/county?