The Destruction of the Imperishable

Clear-cutting is a logging technique that removes all the trees from a given area for harvest. There are many reasons we have a necessity for wood products, but clear-cutting is the least sustainable logging technique and the most devastating. Striving to attain a desired aesthetic is not justification for the havoc it wreaks.

Without this human-inflicted devastation, the forest would be a self-sustaining organization of living organisms – a truly impressive feat. Forests are home to millions of species. They help to renew our earth and cleanse it of our carbon-emitting practices. They prevent flooding, conserve water and air, provide us with indispensable resources, and even regulate regional climates.

The removal of an entire area of trees such as this increases the vulnerability of the soil in the area, which makes the local ecosystem susceptible to invasive species, flora illness, and contributes to loss of habitat for both fauna and flora in the area. This amount of change to a forest system literally alters its soil chemistry, further affecting the region.

There is a legitimate need for harvesting trees; and certainly we should utilize this natural, renewable resource. But this can be done so sustainably, preserving it for generations to come. After all, without the forest many species would not be able to survive, including us.