Publication archives

Just what, exactly, is a "sofa designed for the home we call Earth"? And what is so "sustainable" about the wood in it?

After a large fire, land managers face controversial choices: let the forest regenerate on its own or harvest scorched trees and replant. The practice of salvage logging and replanting removes deadwood that might fuel the next fire. But new research shows salvage logging is not an automatic choice.

Ice-covered Greenland really was green a half-million or so years ago, covered with forests in a climate much like that of Sweden and eastern Canada today. An international team of researchers recovered ancient DNA from the bottom of an ice core that indicates the presence of pine, yew and alder trees as well as insects.

The June 11 editorial, "Trees for the future" was misleading and fell far short of telling the real story about National Forest management. Unfortunately, our national forests, which at one time were the standard of excellence for sustainable forest management, are now a liability rather than an asset to our nation's economy and environment.

Up in Mellen the other day, longtime conservationist Martin Hanson was talking about his beloved north woods. "It has more in common with Upper Michigan and northern Minnesota than anyplace else," he said.

Peeved by growing accusations of rampant industrial pollution, China has unveiled a conservation strategy for its flora. The green plan aims at reverting farmland to forests. China is home to 10 per cent of all known plant species, and half of those unique to China, about 5000 species of plants, are under threat.

Carl Schmidt tramped deep into the forest Thursday afternoon over a carpet of pine needles and wild grasses. A fawn skittered into the brush. Schmidt paused in a grove of hundred-foot-high loblolly pine trees.

Australian and international scientists have launched a search for the genetic secrets of the humble Eucalyptus tree, which is native to Australia and highly prized as a source of fibre for producing paper.