Clear cutting pros and cons

There is a hot debate going on regarding the clear cutting of forest land on Sparta Mountain. Each side advocates the need for preserving our natural lands. So why aren’t we all on the same side? NJ Audubon together with NJDEP support the need for “young forest” to help create golden winged warbler habitat. I did some checking regarding bird habitat for the golden winged warbler and found that due to gradual change in Sussex’s climate, these birds are moving further north into the Adirondacks. What guarantee is there that this species will return to Sussex even if we create habitat for them. Unfortunately, adding to the warbles’ demise is that they are being hybridized with the blue winged warbler.
The N.J. Highlands Coalition, NJ Sierra Club, and Friends of Sparta Mountain on the other hand, oppose clear cutting (another term for logging) because it threatens our water quality and would destroy a mature forest. Logging will result in fragmenting our forest. Most animal species existing in our forest today need contiguous forest and would disappear as a result of fragmentation. Also, we could be introducing invasive species of plants endangering our native species as well. So, do we trade one species for another? Once our mature trees are felled by the logging industry, we do not get a second chance to correct our mistakes.
I saw two slide presentations, one by N.J. Audubon supporting clear cutting (logging) and the other showing the actual results of logging on Sparta Mountain. The first presentation shows a slide of some new tree growth five years after trees were logged. However, the actual view of Sparta Mountain after four years of trees being logged shows a devastated landscape with no new growth. Theoretically clear cutting may sound convincing. However the reality tells a more accurate, dreadful story. The facts and the science are clear.
Consider the State of New Jersey. We are the most populated state in the nation, based on per capita per square mile. Plus we have major highways crisscrossing our state. A profuse number of trucks bound for New York City expel carbon dioxide polluting our air. Trees counter this effect.
Some may feel logging is viable in states like Oregon or maybe even Pennsylvania depending on the conditions. But New Jersey is unlike Oregon, Pennsylvania or any other state for that matter. I feel that logging is not the right answer for New Jersey. Because of our location and size of our population, we need all the green we can get for all our residents to enjoy. Hey, we are after all the “Garden State” aren’t we? Let’s put back “Protection” into the NJ Department of Environmental Protection. Say something. Save Sparta Mountain from logging.
Renee Becker
Hardyston, NJ