Pros And Cons Of Lumber Felling

Lumber felling has been an important yet controversial topic that has caught the eye of both environmentalists and economists. Moreover, this has created several techniques and practices used today in forestry. These practices include clear cutting, selective cutting, and strip cutting. Selective cutting or also known as selective felling is the cutting down of selected trees in a forest so that growth of other trees is not affected. Usually this done accordingly to a specific criteria including minimum tree size for harvesting, specifications of the number, spacing and size classes of residual trees per area, and allowable cut (Selective Cutting) . Additionally, this practice has the ability to have many good benefits to both the economy and the environment. Including a good support system of wildlife, leaves a lighter ecological footprint, and provide an increase in the economy through lumber and ecotourism. Generally, Selective Cutting is a highly beneficial practice that helps to preserve habitats, and provides a good support system of wildlife. Selective Cutting mentioned previously cuts a selected amount of trees throughout a forested area. With this cutting it is highly beneficial

Others argue that other practices including strip cutting, and clear cutting are better options. Generally some of the advantages of clearcutting they state includes, boosts to the economy, increased water flow, and increased farmland (Clearcutting) . Additionally they state that strip cutting has many advantages as well including relies mostly on natural regeneration thereby possibly reducing regeneration costs and may have less impact on visual and other resource values because strips are smaller in scale than other clear-cut systems (Silvicultural Systems) . While there is many alternatives to selective cutting, this provides the best option for both the environment and the