Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 25, 2020)
NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A9 Study shows a few large trees in E. Oregon store most carbon By GEORGE PLAVEN CAPITAL PRESS When the U.S. Forest Ser- vice recommended lifting a 25-year-old ban on logging large trees in six national for- ests across central and eastern Oregon, the idea was to cre- ate healthier landscapes better adapted for drought, disease DQGPRUHLQWHQVHZLOG¿UHV New research suggests the proposal could, however, undermine the forests’ role in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. /DUJHWUHHVGH¿QHGDV inches in diameter or bigger, make up 3% of the forests, yet they store 42% of above- ground carbon in their trunks, stems and branches, accord- ing to a study published Nov. 5 in the journal Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. David Mildrexler, an ecol- ogist with the Eastern Ore- gon Legacy Lands in Joseph, Ore., led the study to inform future forest management decisions. “Providing this informa- tion, I hope, will allow every- one to understand that these large trees play a very import- ant role in our forest ecosys- tems,” Mildrexler said. “We should think very carefully before we start with wide- spread removals of them.” Earlier this year, the For- est Service proposed amend- ing its rule that forbid cutting LQFKGLDPHWHUWUHHVLQWKH Umatilla, Wallowa-Whitman, Malheur, Ochoco, Deschutes and Fremont-Winema national forests — part of a broader set of environmen- tal regulations known as the Eastside Screens. Instead of a blanket ban, the amendment would turn WKH LQFK VWDQGDUG LQWR D guideline, allowing for some logging of large trees in areas where land managers say it ZRXOGEHQH¿WWKHIRUHVWV )RU H[DPSOH WKH 3DFL¿F Northwest Research Station issued a report in February Frontiers in Forests and Global Change/Contributed Photo A stand of ponderosa pines and Douglas fir. Large trees — those 21 inches in diameter or bigger — make up 3% of national forests in central and eastern Oregon, yet they store 42% of above-ground carbon in their trunks, stems and branches, according to a study published Nov. 5 in the journal Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. which concluded that remov- ing some large trees, espe- cially undesirable shade-tol- erant species, could help protect old-growth ponder- RVD SLQH DQG 'RXJODV ¿U E\ reducing competition for moisture and eliminating lad- der fuels that drive larger, KRWWHUZLOG¿UHV But Mildrexler said the role large trees play as a carbon sink cannot be understated. “As these trees continue WR JURZ RYHU WKH QH[W years, they will continue to rapidly accumulate more car- bon,” he said. “Letting these big trees grow bigger is abso- lutely important to solving climate change. It would also be good for protecting water DQG ¿VKHULHV KDELWDW DQG wildlife, and cultural values that we value for our forests.” Mildrexler and his team analyzed 3,335 forest inven- tory plots across the six national forests as part of WKH VWXG\ 6SHFL¿FDOO\ WKH\ were interested in looking at the size and composition of ¿YH PDLQ VSHFLHV LQFOXGLQJ SRQGHURVD SLQH 'RXJODV ¿U (QJHOPDQQ VSUXFH JUDQG ¿U and western larch. Using that data, Mildrex- ler said they could use spe- FLHVVSHFL¿F HTXDWLRQV WKDW allowed them to determine how much above-ground car- bon was stored in the larger trees. “You can see there is a very disproportionate amount of carbon that is stored in these large trees,” he said. “That is consistent with other studies globally, that in some IRUHVW V\VWHPV ZH ¿QG DV much as half of the above- ground carbon is stored in the ODUJHVWRIWKHWUHHV´ Stephen Baker, a spokes- man for the Forest Service’s 3DFL¿F 1RUWKZHVW 5HJLRQ RI¿FH LQ 3RUWODQG VDLG WKH DJHQF\ UHFHQWO\ ¿QLVKHG LWV public comment period for the Eastside Screens revision, DQGD¿QDOUXOHLVH[SHFWHGE\ VSULQJ Carbon storage is one of the topics that will be ana- O\]HG LQ WKH ¿QDO HQYLURQ- mental assessment, Baker said. “We’re looking at how to best balance multiple val- ues and priorities, including PDQDJLQJ IRU ZLOG¿UH DQG protecting wildlife habitat,” Baker wrote in an email. Andy Geissler, fed- eral timber program direc- tor for the American For- est Resource Council, said the carbon study further val- idates the proposed Eastside Screens amendment, allow- ing for the harvest of some large trees to protect others amid shifting conditions. 2021 RAV4 XLE Premium model shown. PER MO. MOS. Coronavirus spreads rapidly at social gatherings, putting every person in attendance at risk. It can take up to two weeks for symptoms to begin, and you may be transmitting the virus without even knowing you have it. The best way to protect your loved ones from the holiday season is to alter your annual routines and Passing COVID-19 around the dinner table and putting your family at risk is worse. Keep it small. Limit the number of people and households at your gathering. It is recommended that no more than six people from two households gather at one time. If you’re sick, stay home. NEW 2021 RAV4 LE $ 239 39 $ 2,999 COVID-19 is a gift you don’t want to give this holiday season. Get your rest and don’t risk the health of your loved ones by potentially exposing them to coronavirus. AFTER $500 LEASE BONUS CASH APPLIED TO AMOUNT DUE AT SIGNING DUE AT SIGNING, PLUS TAXES AND FEES NEW 2021 VENZA LE $ 299 36 $ 2,999 PER MO. MOS. AFTER $500 LEASE BONUS CASH APPLIED TO AMOUNT DUE AT SIGNING Stop the spread. DUE AT SIGNING, PLUS TAXES AND FEES Wear your face covering, keep a 6-foot distance, and wash your hands regularly when you’re around people who don’t live in your household. NEW 2021 TACOMA $ 1,000 CUSTOMER CASH Talk to your family. TOYOTA.COM See Your Local Toyota Dealer * 4VSXSX]TIWWLS[R[MXLSTXMSRW)\XVEGSWXGSPSVWLS[R3ơIV)\GPYHIW86(4VSXVMQ'YWXSQIVGEWLJVSQ8S]SXE1SXSV7EPIW97%-RG1YWXFI ETTPMIHXSXLIXVERWEGXMSR2SGEWLTE]QIRX[MPPFIQEHIXSGSRWYQIV0IEWIERI[6%:0)JSVEQSRXLJSVQSRXLW[MXLHYIEX WMKRMRKSRETTVSZIHGVIHMXXLVSYKL8S]SXE*MRERGMEP7IVZMGIW7YFZIRXMSR'EWLETTPMIHXSEQSYRXHYIEXWMKRMRK8*7PIEWIHYIEXWMKRMRKSJ MRGPYHIW'ET'SWX6IHYGXMSREGUJII[LMGLXSXEPWHS[RERHWXQSRXLŜWTE]QIRX&EWI1764I\GPJVIMKLXMW 'ETGSWX0IEWIIRHTYVGLEWISTXMSRHMWTSWMXMSRJIIHYIEXPIEWIIRH8SXEPPIEWIGSWXMW0IEWIERI[:IR^E0) JSVEQSRXLJSVQSRXLW[MXLHYIEXWMKRMRKSRETTVSZIHGVIHMXXLVSYKL8S]SXE*MRERGMEP7IVZMGIW7YFZIRXMSR'EWLETTPMIHXS EQSYRXHYIEXWMKRMRK8*7PIEWIHYIEXWMKRMRKSJMRGPYHIW'ET'SWX6IHYGXMSREGUJII[LMGLXSXEPWHS[RERHWX QSRXLŜWTE]QIRX&EWI1764I\GPJVIMKLXMW'ETGSWX0IEWIIRHTYVGLEWISTXMSRHMWTSWMXMSRJIIHYIEXPIEWIIRH 8SXEPPIEWIGSWXMW'EPP8S]SXEJSVHIXEMPW(SIWRSXMRGPYHIXE\IWPMGIRWIXMXPIVIKMWXVEXMSRJIIWHIEPIVJIIWERH3VIKSRXE\ (S[RTE]QIRXQE]FIVIUYMVIH(SIWRSXMRGPYHI'SPPIKI+VEHSV1MPMXEV]6IFEXI:EVMIWF]VIKMSR7IIHIEPIVJSVHIXEMPWšHMWTSWMXMSRJIIHYI EXPIEWIIRHYRPIWWGYWXSQIVTYVGLEWIWZILMGPISVHIGMHIWXSVIƟRERGIXLVSYKL8S]SXE*MRERGMEP7IVZMGIW'YWXSQIVVIWTSRWMFPIJSVQEMRXIRERGI I\GIWW[IEVERHXIEVERHTIVQMPISZIVQMPIWTIV]IEV0IEWIHSIWRSXMRGPYHIXE\IWPMGIRWIXMXPIJIIWMRWYVERGIVIKMSREPP]VIUYMVIH IUYMTQIRXERHSXLIVHIEPIVWŜGLEVKIWEVII\XVEERHRSXMRGPYHIHMRXLIEQSYRXWWLS[R'PSWIHIRHPIEWI4E]QIRXQE]ZEV]HITIRHMRKYTSRƟREP XVERWEGXMSRTVMGI7YFNIGXXSEZEMPEFMPMX]3ơIVWQE]ZEV]F]VIKMSR7IITEVXMGMTEXMRKHIEPIVJSVHIXEMPW8S]SXE'EVI'SZIVWRSVQEPJEGXSV]WGLIHYPIH WIVZMGIJSV]IEVWSVQMPIW[LMGLIZIVGSQIWƟVWX7II8S]SXEHIEPIVJSVHIXEMPWERHI\GPYWMSRW:EPMHSRP]MRXLIGSRXMRIRXEP97ERH%PEWOE 3ơIVWIRH Stay connected through phone and video conversations, and share the reasons you are choosing to stay safe this holiday season.
