We’re into our Winter logging season now. In California, logging in the Winter period is much more restrictive than during Summer. We are limited to operating only in “dry rainless periods” or “hard frozen conditions.” Right now we have both. This prevents muddy runoff and other resource damage.
Our rainfall and snowfall have been almost non-existent so far this Winter, but it has been very cold. When the rest of the country went through the big cold snap, we did too.
The coldest day was on a Monday. I was at the mill expecting log trucks to be pouring in, since we had such hard frozen conditions. No trucks arrived with logs. In fact, all trucks that went out that morning came back empty. I found out later that none of the loggers could start any of their equipment.
I thought their batteries might have died due to the extreme cold, but I was wrong. Later, I talked to Jim, one of the siderods, about what happened. It turns out that we have a new environmentally friendly formulation of diesel fuel. This new diesel freezes at 10 F/ -12 C, but the loggers were prepared for this. They put an additive into the fuel, which lowered the freezing temperature to 1 F/ -17 C. The problem came about when all of the logging jobs were into negative temperatures. It dropped to -14 F/ -26 C on this harvesting job. The coldest that I heard of locally was -34 F/ -37 C in the town of Tennet. It literally stopped all of the loggers in their tracks.
The loggers, being the problem solvers that they are, came up with a workaround. They built warming fires under underneath the fuel tanks of the equipment. It heated the fuel enough to thaw it and they were able to start their machines. It sounded a little dicey to me, but it did the job. On Tuesday they were all back up and running.
Kinta was filling in for Blitz as the official truck dog. Blitz was on holiday.
Another very interesting post, Tim. Looks like Kinta may have a future in photography, but perhaps not as the photographer.
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Yes, he is an excellent assistant!
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Brrr… it looks cold but beautiful too. I’d love to experience snow one day 🙂 Kinta sounds and looks like a lot of fun!
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I hope you get to play in the snow one day Zest! Kinta is a hoot. He is very lovable.
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Good pics! I especially love the one of the creek. Cute puppy! 😀
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Thank you Joy! When I saw the creek so frozen I had to take a picture. As for Kinta, if you think he’s cute in the picture, then you should meet him in person. That much cuteness in one creature should be against the law!
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The woods are lovely, dark and deep… made me want to walk through that snow!
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Now the snow is almost gone. It is amazing how dry it has been here.
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“What do the trout do when the creek freezes?”
They smile for the picture…. 🙂
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Lol! I’m squinting at the creek for those darn trout, but I can’t see their smiling faces. 😉
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This is all so interesting. Don’t the loggers need to be really, really careful with those fires in the forest?
I just keep learning something every time I read one of your posts. Kinta is a beauty but reckon you are right about being a bit of terror. Still in puppyhood and can be a bit of work or a lot depending… 🙂
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They do need to be careful with the warming fires, but they have big equipment to make big firelines. Normally, this time of year we have snow all around. Not this year.
Kinta is an awesome puppy. He is so sweet that I put him on my pancakes for breakfast! 😉
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Tim,
I learn more and more here. Thank you! Looks like Kinta is learning too.
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Thank you Linda. Kinta is indeed learning so much right now.
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I like rascals…
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We do too and he is the sweetest little rascal. 🙂
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Tim, how long does it take for a cleared field to have trees back the same size as the one that have been taken down?
Have you noticed how wildlife deals with a patch that is about the be cleared or has been cleared? Do the squirrels and birds just move ‘house’?
Have you written about this, or will you do that in 2014? I’m looking forward to read about this.
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Thank you for your questions, Paula. The answers tend to be quite complicated and often specific to each site’s unique characteristics, but most general principles apply. Harvesting takes many forms from selective logging, salvage logging to clearcutting, just to name a few. Since you’re asking about the effects of clearing trees in the forest on wildlife, let me start there.
We use the term clearcut for clearing an area of forest larger than 2 ½ acres. In California a clearcut is 20 acres or less. How quickly a forest grows to a maturity depends on how fertile the site is. Typically, managed forests in our area will grow from seedling to maturity in 50 to 80 years. Other regions may be faster or take longer. Forests go through many life stages as trees mature. Wildlife will move in and out of a harvest area while we work in it. Harvesting is a slow process and animals often want to be far from the equipment when it’s operating, but some animals will come in when the crews go home at night. For example, deer feed on the foliage from the tree tops that couldn’t be reached before. Birds of prey often hunt in active logging areas. After an area is clearcut, the forest habitat within that specific area is changed from a mature forest habitat to a young forest habitat. Before harvest it contained more squirrels and woodpeckers. After harvest it attracts more deer, quail and turkeys. As the forest grows, the wildlife that uses it changes over time. Songbirds often prefer sapling sized trees for nesting and so on. The newly harvested areas are always surrounded by more mature forests. It is important to note, stream zones are never cleared of trees. A forest with a variety of habitats enhances the biodiversity of its wildlife. I blogged about some of the wildlife habitat protection practices here, https://theforesterartist.com/2013/11/08/forestry-friday-the-nature-nook/ and https://theforesterartist.com/2013/10/18/forestry-friday-w-is-for-wildlife/.
With large wildfires we see massive habitat change in the blink of an eye. This type of event kills wildlife in great numbers and degrades water quality. Yet wildlife populations and water quality recover over time. Healthy forestry practices are designed to minimize impacts. They may interrupt wildlife routines temporarily, but in a way that does not harm the wildlife populations or diminish water quality.
Many people think of our forests like they think of a favorite building or monument. It is a beautiful place to visit that is always the way they remember it without change. By its very nature a forest isn’t static like a monument but is dynamic and ever changing.
Paula, I really appreciate your questions. I could talk about it for hours. I will be blogging more about forestry and harvesting practices and issues. I know many people have concerns about how forestry is practiced and I am happy to be able to share what I do and what I know.
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I was going to ask the same thing. I’m glad you are sharing this info about how things grow back and are ever changing. Do you or another company come in and replant with the same kinds of trees?
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Yes, the replanted trees originate from the same area. That is the short answer. That would be a good future post subject.
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I looooove that angelic face. Too cute. I also don’t know about “warming fires under fuel tanks.” Sounds like crazy talk to me. Hey! What do you think of the harvesting of the burn wood in Yosemite? I understand that some are opposed? Maybe you can do a blog post on the pros and cons. I sure would love to hear more about it from one who is in that or related line of work — you. Hope you had a merry Christmas. All the best for the new year!
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Hi Kay. The dead trees do need to be harvested. The question of harvesting on the burned over lands in a way the doesn’t further damage the land is easily done by following the forestry rules that are already inplace. Letting these trees rot on the stump is the height of irresponsibliity. Those trees on Forest Service land belong to every person in the United State. When they are left to rot, it is like taking taxpayer money and setting it on fire. It is goverment waste at the highest level. Sorry, this is a hot button to me. I’ve seen it happen too often. I’ll say again, protecting the land is not a problem. The damage was done during the fire. When the Forest Service salvages those dead trees they collect moneys call KV funds that go to pay for replanting and rehabilition. When they don’t log, they don’t collect the funds. So they either pay for planting with tax payer money or they just don’t replant. Most often it is the latter. Private land owners are already logging their trees and replanting will start next Spring. Even the City of San Francisco is harvesting the dead trees at Hetch Hetchy. They know that logging and replanting is the quickest way to return the forest and protect the watershed. Not replanting will create a mixture of trees and brushfield and take a lot longer to develope into mature forests. You are right I should do a post on it. Now you got me all worked up!
Let’s talk about the puppy instead. He is so cute it hurts and he is so sweet I could sprinkle him on top of my donuts!
I really do appreciate your question Kay and I will take up your topic for a post. It is a very timely subject, especially here in California. I hope you had a fantastic Christmas and have a bountiful new year.
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I’m glad I got you worked up! I help the guys at Mid-Pen Open Spaces (MROSD) with rehabilitation efforts on a volunteer basis and I know they do controlled burns for precisely all the reasons you give and then we go in and plant natives (trees and flowers). I just couldn’t understand the Yosemite quandary. You have a fantastic New Year with your too cute one, aka puppy! I have an old guy that I rescued from the pound about 8-years ago. He is an imp too but those big brown eyes get me every time and I forgive him his foolishness and for making a fool out of me time and time again!
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I love to hear that you are involved with a program like MROSD. It is good to get our hands dirty!
Those furry ones keep us young, and where else can you find that kind unconditional love.
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Interesting as always, it is nice to see how many regulation you have so everything done in great consideration. And super friendship have a Happy New Year Tim and the family.
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Thank you Doron I hope your New Year is bountiful beyond expectations!
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Now you make me thinking but knowing you are around it is going to be manageable 🙂
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Why has Kinta got a Filofax Tim ? 😉
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Yes he does Ralph and if he doesn’t keep on his schedule then there will be a stinky mess to clean up!
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hehe 😆
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I hope you get more rain/snow before the spring fire season. Happy 2014 🙂 Annie
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Me too Annie. It will be a tough year if we don’t. I hope you have a fantastic 2014!
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It’s funny how I seem to think that with such cold temperatures, there always has to be snow. Many of the photos look like spring to me. It’s so interesting to read about your work, also the things you’ve explained in the comments. I’m wondering, have there been any changes or different trends over the years, in how to best take care of forests? There is always the balance between nature and profit, so to speak. I remember as a child (in Sweden, 1970’s) seeing forest areas that were completely naked after the timber was taken. Like very ugly wounds. I think that these days, one tries to cut down in a more selective way, for a healthier regeneration. Having said this, I have to add I’m not an expert here and what I say might just as well be wishful thinking (?). Well, perhaps an issue for another post…
Best wishes to you all for 2014!
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Hello Tim, This is a area of reforestation? Is that?
I love your photos and the new puppy too!!!
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When we harvest all the trees in an area, then we replant. When we harvest just some tree in an area we don’t need to replant. In this post we have both types of harvesting taking place, so some areas will be replanted and some not.
Kinta the puppy is so adorable that it is hard not to put him in the posts, but I think Blitz is a bit jealous. I better let her do it this week. 😉
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Ah! Got it!
Forget all and let Blitz be your companion next time. I fear for your life…. he he he
🙂 🙂
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She is warming the seat of my truck even now!
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Oh! I have to laugh, kakakakakakaka
Who is the owner???? I am wondering about that….. 🙂
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It all depends on who you ask. 😉
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🙂 i have to learn the AU AU language!!!!!!! 🙂
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😀
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Fires under the fuel – very scary! But I’m sure they do know what they’re doing. I didn’t know it got so cold there – wow! Thanks for teaching us about logging – I’m all ears!
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It does sound worse than it really is because diesel isn’t flammable like gasoline. Plus they starting out with frozen fuel. As long as they don’t over heat the fuel it won’t catch fire. However, if they forget with a big fire under it….well that’s not so good. 😉
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
OKAY—SO IT ISN’T FRIDAY—-BUT KINTA’S A CUTE RASCAL!!!
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Thank you for reblog Jonathan!
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Hi foresterartist – thanks so much for following my blog!
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My pleasure Anne!
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Reblogged this on Ta hendene til din kjære – se på dem og hold dem hardt Disse hendene skal du følge, leie og lede. Du skal få føle på varmen fra dem og kjenne en inderlig glede. De skal stryke deg og de skal holde rundt deg – de er ikke skapt for å såre i vrede For du skal ikke alene mer vandre. De skal klemme og kose og aldri klandre De skal skjerme deg for det du ikke selv ser. De skal elske og aldri forakte – bare hjelpe når du ber. Disse hendene skal jobbe for at dere skal få det godt De skal gi – og du skal takke for det du har fått. De skal tvinnes sammen i kjærlighet og være ømme og gode og et tegn på inderlighet Hendene du holder er sterke og unge De skal gjennom mye for din skyld når dagene er tunge De skal stryke og klemme og være gode og fromme De skal ruske i ditt hår og takke når dagen er omme Disse hendene skal følge deg gjennom livet. De skal holde fast ved deg og verne om samlivet De skal være hos deg når alle andre har gått De skal aldri slippe men holde fast og tørke tårer når du har grått. Hendene skal bære din ring med rette Den skal skinne og for alle berette Jeg elsker deg! – kan den bekjenne Det er bare en som har maken til denne En dag er hendene blitt ru og grå Hver fure og rynke forteller om livet som bak dere lå Dere kan minnes den dagen i dag – da et livslangt bånd Ble knyttet Og fra denne dag dere gikk Hånd i hånd..
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😀
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💞💐😄
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Lisa, where do you get those emoticons?
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Jeg svarer via iPhone 😄går inn på tastatur og velger Emoji👍
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I’ll have to look into that.
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find it out easily shown to apply online. Think you can do it on the computer too;-)👍😺
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I will look for it! Thanks.
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I use emoji on iphone😄🙊💐
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Is emoji an app?
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No it’s not an app;-) there is something you decide on Settings on the keyboard on the iPhone;-)😺
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