Biaowieza logging

[Lucas]

https://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/77a ... 69a0da.htm

Beetles induce logging

Polish authorities say they plan to log 6.4 million cubic feet of an ancient European forest to control a devastating bark beetle infestation.

[KoutaR]

the logging plans would not apply to strictly protected areas of the primeval forest that was designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 1979.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... val-forest

Outside the strictly protected area, there has already been loggings. "Europe’s tallest trees" in the Guardian article is bullshit, of course. Or should I say bisonshit.

Kouta

[Rand]

On the plus side, there's one less clueless American stumbling around pronouncing "Biaowieza" laughably wrong...

[Joe]

The old debate about logging vs. no logging almost always ignores "what kind of logging?"- that is, is intelligent silviculture going to be applied? I presume Poland has intelligent foresters who'll do it as well as possible- or maybe not- because like politics, there is always a debate about silviculture- depending on the objectives.
Joe

[KoutaR]

The correct pronunciation:

http://forvo.com/word/bia%C5%82owie%C5%BCa/

[Jeroen Philippona]

Kouta,

"Europe’s tallest trees" is no bull- or bisonshit when looking for the tallest known specimen of still 4 species (among wich Quercus robur, Populus tremula and Betula pendula) and second to third location for 4 or 5 other species among wich Pinus sylvestris.
So for native trees it is still a place with tall trees. Not especially for Picea abies: it is comparatively dry, with long, cold winters, high groundwater tables and more risk to fall over compared with the sheltered coves and valleys were the really tall Norway spruces grow.

[KoutaR]

Jeroen,

You are right if we are talking about species records. I did not want to dispute the value of the forest as an extraordinary place for big trees. But I believe there are already two errors here:

Europe’s tallest trees, firs towering 50m high (164ft), and oaks and ashes of 40m, also flourish here...

I think there are no firs in Bialowieza, right? And there are much taller trees elsewhere. Anyway, the text may be fine for an average reader.

[Jeroen Philippona]

Indeed there are no firs in Bialowieza, they mean spruces of course.