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finelyshedded

You know what!!!
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SW Ohio
The latest OON paper has two very disturbing articles in it bringing to light what the Department of Forestry is doing to some of our State Parks. The one featured in one of the articles was the Mohican State Park in Ashland county. This article was written by Steve Pollick.

The other article was written by Jeffery Frischkorn and was in regard to a retired ODNR biologist getting badgered by the DOF for his research on the Timber Rattlesnake in areas like the Shawnee State forest.

It appears the DOF has got it's mind set on getting into the logging business. How many parks are next and when will it end!!!

Enjoy the parks while you can people!!! It looks very bleak not only for the people who enjoy these places but even worse for the wildlife that live in them!


DANG:smiley_confused_vra
 

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
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From a wildlife management standpoint many of these places would benefit from logging . Old mature woods is not very diverse . While some old stands are beneficial edge cover is more beneficial for many species . I work near mohican deer and many other species would benefit greatly from it being logged
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
From a wildlife management standpoint many of these places would benefit from logging . Old mature woods is not very diverse . While some old stands are beneficial edge cover is more beneficial for many species . I work near mohican deer and many other species would benefit greatly from it being logged

X2, logging is a good thing for the wildlife.
 

Qback5

Junior Member
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State lands are owned by taxpayers, and since the land will generate income, I'm wondering when I can expect my check in the mail :)
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
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SW Ohio
From what I gathered from the article was the DOF was using "select harvesting...dead ash trees and others" but going in and taking out much more! There is a lot of clear cutting going on these days!

I do agree select cutting and logging is beneficial to wildlife and hunters but this is NOT what the articles were talking about.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I'd like to see the original proposal. These writers have a job to put a spin on things, and I feel like this is whats going on here. The "hippies of Athens" really like articles like this… I'd like to see the facts of it all though before I make judgement.

As I see it, I would like to see certain areas select cut/timbered for wildlife habitat. Take the money/profit and put it back into the land or buy more land for public recreation. If such program was to exist, I'd like to see it be run by the tax payers also. ODNR has proven time and time before that they are no good with money or being in charge. It is our land folks…our wildlife…our future…
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,856
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SW Ohio
I agree that some writers do have their own personal opinions on things and will "selectively" print what they want to sway public opinion. Don't know if that's what's happening here or not as I'm just sharing what I read but if clear cutting is being done on state property how would that be beneficial for us or wildlife?
 
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giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I agree that some writers do have their own personal opinions on things and will "selectively" print what they want to sway public opinion. Don't know if that's what's happening here or not as I'm just sharing what I read but if clear cutting is being done on state property how would that be beneficial for us or wildlife?

Simple, it wouldn't unless they were putting in habitat.
 

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
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Have you ever seen a clearcut a couple years after a clearcut? Its prime habitat . I'm not saying I totally agree , but I'd like to see some degree of logging take place . Maybe then we'd start seeing grouse in Ohio .
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
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Have you ever seen a clearcut a couple years after a clearcut? Its prime habitat . I'm not saying I totally agree , but I'd like to see some degree of logging take place . Maybe then we'd start seeing grouse in Ohio .

I'll take the word of Jake and others. I know some selective harvesting is beneficial. I know "some" clear cuts are beneficial. I don't know if we are getting the whole story from the writer or not. All I am saying is, I hope there is a long term plan in place and the timbering was just a portion of the plan rather than a quick check for timber.
 

Carpn

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In some of these areas public pressure has lead to no timber harvest . Logging is a controversial subject and public outcry is usually loud when the skidders and saws arrive . I'm not gonna worry about the money generated and whose pocket that will go in , but without a doubt as far as deer , and most others go it will only benefit the critters .
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
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Clearcuts would be the best thing to happen to much of our public lands...for the species we like to hunt. I haven't a clue about the odd song bird, and there is more to wildlife than just deer and turkeys. However, aside from mast-producing trees, mature hardwoods provide little in the way of food for wildlife, and they don't live on nuts alone. Clear cuts are an absolute eye-sore for a few years, and a wildlife buffet for decades after. I say cut now, cut often, and in a logical rotation.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
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Log baby log! Guys... Timber is a crop. It needs to be harvested just like all other crops. Selective harvests and clearcuts to remove undesirable species is the BEST thing to happen to many of these places. For years and years these areas have gone uncut largely because of uninformed public opinion. Now the attitude is changing and that is a GOOD thing. There is a ridiculous amount of overly mature timber in the state lands of Ohio. It's part of the reason for declining herd quality indicators in our deer population. And obviously the reason for our shitty upland hunting down south. I'm sorry, but to oppose cutting timber, I'm any way shape or form, is just ignorance.
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,856
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SW Ohio
I totally agree with selective cutting and I'm sure some areas prolly need to have its timber more aggressively harvested but let's string this process out a few decades and not rape it all at once.