Jackson Forest Forum

November 25, 2009.  A primary mission for the Jackson Advisory Group (JAG) is to recommend how the landscape of Jackson Forest should be managed to meet the goals of research and demonstration, restoration, watershed and ecological health, timber management, and recreation.

The Landscape Committee has designated areas to be managed for restoration to older forest and old growth forest. Still, management objectives and methods have not yet have specified for more than half of the forest. The Landscape Committee has recommended that, in the absence of research and demonstration projects, the remainder of the forest be managed using natural or restoration forestry methods — single-tree selection aimed at increasing the size and volume per acre of trees, while striving to maintain a natural, undisturbed feeling.

Various concerns have been raised about this recommendation by JAG members. In particular, those concerned about research and demonstration want to be sure that the forest has sufficient diversity of conditions to support a broad research program. Others are concerned natural forestry might not generate sufficient revenue to fund forest operations, or that trees will be grown to a size that the public will not allow to be cut.

Based on recommendations made by the Research Committee members, but not fully approved by the committee, a clear pathway toward moving forward seems at hand. I have created a "Landscape Reconciliation Roadmap" that lays out the areas of agreement, questions and issues, and ways to resolve the questions and issues.

Those who want a detailed view of the status of JAG’s efforts to reach agreement on Jackson Forest management, may wish to study the roadmap.

Comments are welcome.

Vince Taylor
The above views represent those of the author personally and not as a member of the JAG