Division of Forestry Strategic Direction
Statewide Forest Strategy 2010
Statewide Forest Assessment 2010
Forest Sustainability Framework
Statewide Forest Plan 2004
A10. Issue: Forest disturbance patterns are changing.
Comment #: 1
Have had serious windthrow on 6-1-00.
Comment #: 2
Human caused disturbance or destruction is ususally forever.
Comment #: 3
This does not need to be studied.
Comment #: 4
"windthrow" "severe weather" - these two are the greatest change in the area on east and south sides of "our" Mitten Lake, and in back country roads area to Lac du Flambeau,. Elsewhere, in north, it is human disturbance.
Comment #: 5
Need discession but should not be in a statewide plan
Comment #: 6
Needs sanctuaries without motorized vehicles
Comment #: 7
The issue to be addressed here is the ("fire control bureauocracy") their budget is out of control, they warn of the "big one," which will never happen anymore.
Comment #: 8
I feel far too much of our forestlands are managed for aspen.
Comment #: 9
We must control our human population.
Comment #: 10
But trails for such things as 4 wheelers and motor bikes need to be stabilized
Comment #: 11
Human use has probably replaced fire as destructive force!
Comment #: 12
Clare cuts and forest fires produce successional forests with similar nitrogen budgets esp. compared with old growth
Comment #: 13
What do you include under"human-caused distrubances" and how could the DNR address this issue?
Comment #: 14
Humans must learn to discipline their destructive activites! Education, beginning in early years could be of value. Minnesota provides 3 day conservation-education activites for 6th graders at various locations around the state - Wolfridge, Ely or Eagleridge at Lanesboro! Wonderful facilities and programs to provide hands on learning!!
Comment #: 15
But we should learn to accommodate the changes - we shouldn't go back.
Comment #: 16
to many deer, 2000 winter should solve this issue
Comment #: 17
Was more than a century since the "natural" factors were predominant. In 1400 the logger was the impactor!
Comment #: 18
Keep the humans out? Conservation means the wise use of our natural resources. It seems to me the author wants or proposes preservation - not conservation. We (humans) are paying the $ we should be able to use the resource.
Comment #: 19
We need to use more prescribed fires.
Comment #: 20
The question; is what can you change? And what can you control without infringing/talking private property rights?
Comment #: 21
Aside from weather, the human is a major contribution to disease and wind throw. Lack of funds and tools to combat disease as well as poor and insufficient advisory resources contribute greatly.
Comment #: 22
If this was a study to reduce and discourage the disturbance called clear cutting I would support it.
Comment #: 23
Forest inventory occurs adequate
Comment #: 24
Manage for large block of forest, so that natural disturbance regimes can function.
Comment #: 25
Thank heavens fires have been control even if it means changes in our ecosystem.
Comment #: 26
More information of this type should be made available to the general public
Comment #: 27
Make forests off limits to OTR vehicles and snowmobiles.
Comment #: 28
You can't do much about the weather, rainfall and temperatures.
Comment #: 29
Deer we know impact new growth I'd like to see Handy cap permits to use ATV's in State and Nat. Forests.
Comment #: 30
Is every issue going to be addressed by a statewide forestplan? Common!
Comment #: 31
Concentrate on some of the other issues listed as a more imeediate priority
Comment #: 32
A forest fire destroys everything - access by a good road system and regular timber harvest are our best solutions by far.
Comment #: 33
Re-introduce more RX burning for restoration of prairies, savannahs, barrens, and for oak regeneration!
Comment #: 34
Again, to what extent was a fire a "natural" disturbance as opposed to human-caused? A larger question is to what extent was the pre-settlement landscape shaped by "natural" forces as opposed to human manipulation? I believe forest disturbance patterns have been changing for 10,000 years. What value judgements will be made from this fact?
Comment #: 35
Not practical to change forest disturbance patterns, is it?
Comment #: 36
Don't cut back on fire suppression.
Comment #: 37
Unfortunately, we can't let forests burn they way they should.
Comment #: 38
It may be time to bring controlled fire back into forest management.
Comment #: 39
Keep in mind that properly practiced silvicultural systems can replace natural forest disturbances that can benefit the forest.
Comment #: 40
Yep, that's what happens to forests over time, like it or not. The increased use of fire (the major thing we could change) is fraught with political problems -
Comment #: 41
Increased population and development restricts some imperitive management practices (i.e. fire).
Comment #: 42
Can we reduce fire suppression? It's an important part of the process.
Comment #: 43
Fire should be recognized as important to biodiversity.
Comment #: 44
Noted
Comment #: 45
Average urban dwellers don't realize that forests are to be respected, not abused for fun with all neglect for the soil and trees.
Comment #: 46
Educate people that harvest can replace fire in the ecosystem. But excluding both harvest and fire is dangerous and will damage the forest.
Comment #: 47
Particularly as it relates to the build up of fuels leaving the potential for some very serious fires. Especially in the Northern half of the state.
Comment #: 48
The trend is increasing conflicting multiple-use.
Comment #: 49
Use fire where practical
Comment #: 50
Changes are happening all the time. Humans don't cause all of it.
Comment #: 51
Only to the extent that long rotation for certain types needs to be noted.
Comment #: 52
Fire also gets caused a lot by human agency (cigarettes, campfires, dragging mufflers, downed powerlines, etc). It is unclear that there is less fire in the landscape today. However, when and where it occurs is likely different.
Comment #: 53
and wind
Comment #: 54
If you have more controlled fire's you get rid of more wood ticks!!
Comment #: 55
human disturbance will always be with us
Comment #: 56
Timber harvest can be designed to be similar to natural disturbances
Comment #: 57
Let nature progress without man screwing it up PLEASE
Comment #: 58
Only to the extent that it is caused by gov't or gov't edicts
Comment #: 59
Way too much human disturbance that serves no purpose like ATV's and ? - wastes fuel, noise and air pollution, disturbed wildlife and damages plants and compacts soils and causes erosion.
Comment #: 60
Other than outright cutting of timber - my trees don't seem to mind me around.
Comment #: 61
Closing all the small town dumps has had a big negative impact on our vacant lands - dumping, tires, applicances, toxic waste, etc.
Comment #: 62
I don't think there is much you can do about windthrow and weather. However some forest land should be closed to motorized recreational vehicles.
Comment #: 63
Distrubance patterns that alarm me is subdivisions in forest land that really should not be developed
Comment #: 64
Disturbing patterns will continue though less dramatically than in the past. See comments under A6.
Comment #: 65
5
Comment #: 66
Gave foresters check forests and make the logging beneficial for old growth.
Comment #: 67
We need to find ways to encourage less human caused disturbance. Utilize the smart growth laws to plan for less disturbance
Comment #: 68
Human consumption of forest products increases, computers, copiers, increased packing . . .
Comment #: 69
Nothing much the state can do about this
Comment #: 70
Your Call.
Comment #: 71
The best/worst found mgt technique would be a good fire on many lands. This is not howerver too realistic or practical.
Comment #: 72
need a WI urban develop/sprawl plan/law recent Atlanta GA ex.
Comment #: 73
This is not an issue, it's a fact.
Comment #: 74
It is important to stress that harvesting intensities should mimick natural patterns of disturbance.
Comment #: 75
Man is part of the ecosystem and creates disturbance both good and bad. We need to determine how best to disturb the various ecosystems and maintain diversity.
Comment #: 76
ATV issue needs to be addressed; look at controling them
Comment #: 77
Help maintain early successional timber types.
Comment #: 78
Not a big issue though.
Comment #: 79
Education is needed in this area to let the public know that they are a disturbance and how they can manage their distrubance
Comment #: 80
Humans need to be a bigger logging impact!
Comment #: 81
We need to understand and accept that disturbance is normal, and that is actually leads to greater diversity and complexity of the forests on the land.
Comment #: 82
Though disturbance is an undivorcable result of conservation of forests it can be managed to balance environmental degradation and social demands.
Comment #: 83
This is an area where assessment and planning actually may have some benefit.
Comment #: 84
I believe this means we need to educate the public about the need for increased management practices (such as timber harvest), as well as some new managments techniques such as more prescribed fire, etc.
Comment #: 85
The main human-caused disturbances are grazing and development. These issues are better addressed as land use, zoning and assessed value topics, although it couldn't hurt to mention them in a statewide forest plan.
Comment #: 86
This is an umbrella issue. The specifics are adressed elsewhere and this is redundant
Comment #: 87
Are you talking about fragmentation, land/home development? If yes. I'd agree.
Comment #: 88
Maybe fire should not be fought with such intensity. Fires are natural to our forests and important in their regeneration. Maybe following a plan along those lines and educating the public about the importance of fire instead of focusing on the destruction of fire would be helpful. I feel that many people view forest fires as a damaging occurance rather than a natural occurance that is important to forest survival and health.
Comment #: 89
More fire! We need to reintroduce and increase the use of fire as a management/disturbance tool.
Comment #: 90
Learn to burn!
Comment #: 91
A good start would be to change the name of "Fire Control" to "Fire Management" staff. Our knowledge has increased and now our institutions need to be updated. There is still an outdated paradigm of fire as a bad thing that needs to be squashed.
Comment #: 92
I would think this would be particularly important for those who are concerned about the impacts of logging.
Comment #: 93
Alternative management tools - including more natural tools - should be looked into in forest management.
Comment #: 94
More fire! Seriously, I think the role of fire in maintaining native ecosystems is underestimated by everyone.
Comment #: 95
fire is good. Choosing to start a fire in high wind is bad.
Comment #: 96
Disturbances such as fire are important in maintaining and establishing good healthy forests. The removal of such disturbances I believe is one of the reasons why many of the previous stated issues have come to be a problem.
Comment #: 97
True! However, we do not control severe weather, are not allowed or will we allow fire to run rampant and have limited control over insects and disease. Other issues will determine the type, frequency and severity of the disturbance man will put on the land.
Comment #: 98
Yes, the pressure will continue to increase as does the population and developmet. We will need to consider these disturbances in future plans
Comment #: 99
I feel that natural fire should be allowed to burn as long as possible, but I know that there aren't very many places you can do this in the state anymore due to fragmentation of the land and cercern by the public.
Comment #: 100
I think we shouldn't try to curb naturally occurring phenomenon, but fire is a difficult one to get folks to embrace.
Comment #: 101
This is more science than management issue. We are not going to let fires burn as nature would.
Comment #: 102
There are getting to be more and more people and the impact on the land will become greater. Public lands will see more pressure to meet the demands that people have come to expect. Logging is the means by which this land can stay in public ownership and provide opportunities to the public. Users of public land must also realize that they have a responsibility to protect the property that they are on.
Comment #: 103
The DNR should strive for innovative programs to restore natural disturbance processes that are being suppressed (fires, floods), and aggressively educate the public on the value of these processes. Smokey Bear propaganda has done a lot of harm. People unfairly hate fire, even in wildlands where it is desirable. The DNR and other agencies must share the blame, and work hard to reverse course.
Comment #: 104
The DNR should strive for innovative programs to restore natural disturbance processes that are being suppressed (fires, floods), and aggressively educate the public on the value of these processes. Smokey Bear propaganda has done a lot of harm. People unfairly hate fire, even in wildlands where it is desirable. The DNR and other agencies must share the blame, and work hard to reverse course.
Comment #: 105
Yes... but what does this issue have to
do with a forest plan. Athropogenic disturbances
are everywhere. How can we tell what is pristine anymore?
Comment #: 106
I agree, but the focus must be on how we maximize our ability to live with and allow natural disturbance processes to continue. Massive public education is also needed to reverse the ecologically dumb perception that these processes are per se bad and harmful. The opposite is true. I wish the DNR had the guts to be honest and up front about that, instead of hiding behind the policies of the past. Sure, fires and floods may hurt people. But they may help healthy forests. The key is how we plan and implement our land uses and strike the balance. Without truth, this balance may never be attained.
Comment #: 107
The forests might not recover for disease and bad weather as well as they usually do if humans keep interfering with the natural structure and composition of the forest.
Comment #: 108
We need to limit human impact, especially the devistation caused by ATVs. We need a plan to give ATVs and future rec vehicles a space without disturbing the forests.
Comment #: 109
We need to limit human impact, especially the devistation caused by ATVs.
Comment #: 110
Additional laws and policies should be enacted to minimize human-caused disturbances. There needs to be more emphasis in public education and in schools on this topic.
Comment #: 111
But we still need to make sure that the pwoplw can use our firests for recreation.
Comment #: 112
We must find ways to reintroduce fire or simulate its effects. I know this is extremely touchy and not well understood by the general public. Again, education of the public to the role of these disturbances certainly can do no harm.
Comment #: 113
Lack of fire in natural systems is a primary concern.
Comment #: 114
Acknowledgement of changing use patterns is important to understanding expected results.
Comment #: 115
Enjoy what God gave us
Comment #: 116
Enjoy what God gave us
Comment #: 117
Why not plan and resource a controlled burn now and again, versus languishing over chemical or biological warfare to change the composition?
Comment #: 118
Human caused disturbances is a problem in areas, but again we should limit building areas. If the pulic areas are open to the public - great but don't keep the public out of the public areas. We all need recreation and limits could be devleoped.
Comment #: 119
don't forget clearcutting
Last Revised: Monday July 30 2007
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