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Think of the Trees! (Clear Cutting vs. Selective Cutting)

Clear Cutting

Definition: Cutting all the trees in one area.
Positive Aspects:
     This method  provides more light for the new trees. Another positive aspect is, burning helps the natural reforestation of some species. Lastly it is the cheapest method.
Negative aspects:
     After all the trees are cut, a plantation is created. It is NOT a forest because all the trees are the same type and they are all the same age. Herbicides are used to make sure that no other species of tree grows. This is harmful because if some thing harmful, that only attacks one specific type of tree,(i.e. tent caterpillars, spruce bud worms) attacks the whole plantation, then the whole plantation dies.
     Some species of animal may die during the process of clear cutting because their habitat has been destroyed.
     The soil in and around the area of the clear cut is hardend and eroded because of the machines that are used.
     Flooding occurs much more easily because tree roots are no longer able to hold back rain water.
     Because of the loss of protection (trees that have been clear cut) other trees may be come damaged by the wind.
     There are less jobs in the forest because of all the machines. However, there are more jobs in the pulp and paper industry (You can take that either way).
     Have you ever gotten crappy paper? By that I mean, low quality lined or even printer paper. I know I certinaly have. The paper is low quality because of the type of wood used to make it. When industries clear cut the really don't care which trees they harvest. This creates crappy paper because the wood that should be used to make paper is being used to make furniture and also crappy furniture because the wood that should be being used to make furniture is being used for paper.

Selective Cut
Definition: Cutting only the mature trees in one area.
Positive aspects: Reforestation occurs naturally, which means that the trees near by grow better and the diversity of the species is continued. Because the forest doesn't change much, it survives genetically. While the animals are disturbed for a short period of time, by the noise and human activity, they go back to their normal way of life quite quickly after the people leave. The soil is only damaged a little bit, if at all. There are fewer floods because the soil and trees help to retain water. The trees are left to grow better. This type of cutting allows more jobs to be created in small businesses, however there are fewer jobs available in big industries. You can take that either way.
Negative Aspects: This type of cut is the more expensive of the two.