The simmering debate over pine plantations, genetically engineered trees and whether they are good or bad for the environment resumed here Monday.
Some environmentalists contend plantations of fast-growing pine scar the Southern landscape and mean less diversity of plant and wildlife. But advocates say a smaller percentage of land put into working forests with high yield trees can meet the world's ever-increasing demand for wood products while safeguarding existing forests.
"We are addressing the rising concerns about the rapid conversion of native forests both here in the southeast United States and throughout the world to industrial timber plantations," Anne Peterman, the co-director of the Global Justice Ecology Project, said during a news conference.
Her group and several other environmental groups sponsored a two-day forum, "A Tree Farm is Not A Forest."
Then on Tuesday, the International Union of Forest Research Organizations opens a conference. The group is a nonprofit, non-governmental international network of forest scientists that promotes research to better understand the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests.
The environmental groups will present a paper on the effects of timber plantations during that conference.
While a half century ago pine plantations were virtually unheard of in the South, according to federal estimates by 2040, pine plantations are projected to occupy 54 million acres, comprising a quarter of all Southern forests.
The timber industry means about $14 billion to the South Carolina economy each year and employs an estimated 30,000 people.
"Many of our native forests in the region have been converted to sterile pine plantations," said Scot Quaranda, a spokesman for the Dogwood Alliance based in Asheville, N.C.
One of the sponsors of the conference beginning Tuesday is ArborGen, based in Summerville. ArborGen is an industry leader in research on tree genetics.
Timber companies take great pains to make sure the environment around pine plantations is diverse, said Glenn Ray, director of public governmental and industry affairs for the company which employs about 100 people.
"It's all very carefully selected and planned and all toward maintaining the natural biodiversity of the areas," he said.
He said it has been estimated that, with new technology, the world demand for wood products could be met by using only 10 percent of the existing forest land, preserving the rest.
"What we call working forests will actually protect the native forests," he said. "World demand for wood and wood products is going to increase 10 percent a year if you don't have working forests, meeting that demand is going to come from somewhere.
"You can't have it both ways unless you just outlaw paper and wood products," he added.
Quaranda said demand could be lowered by recycling, estimating that as much as 50 percent of the material in landfills is paper and wood products.Associated Press via The State
