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What are we to make of the photographs taken from fire lookouts that are used as evidence in this talk? Consider the Thorp Mountain photo from the 1930s. Prior
by jeffbee 3y ago
What are we to make of the photographs taken from fire lookouts that are used as evidence in this talk? Consider the Thorp Mountain photo from the 1930s. Prior to that, loggers had come in and largely wrecked that forest. The USFS GIS indicates that the area around Thorp Mountain is between 20-30% old growth, is mostly mature replacement forest. So a photo from the 1930s showing patchy forests would have been a reflection of the fact that industrial era Americans had already come through and taken most of the trees.
- davidw 3y agoWhat's your source on even high, rugged country like that being logged out by the 1930ies at an industrial scale?
- jeffbee 3y agoI am looking at the USDA Old Growth and Mature Forests GIS. Why do you doubt it? The Northern Pacific Railroad went right through that area, and Congress granted them lands 40 miles on either side of their route.
- davidw 3y agoThey could have easily stripped the lower areas fairly thoroughly, and left higher peaks alone. I'm not saying "I doubt it happened", just that I'm not convinced either way.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- mtnGoat 3y agoIn addition to logging grazing was also happening throughout California, even in the high country for hundreds of years. This also decreased fire risk by eliminating fuel.