Publisher’s Note: Since the devastating Camp fire killed 86 people in the town of Paradise five years ago, this newspaper has showcased a preponderance of opinions opposed to forest management through the use of heavy equipment. Here we share a differing view based on a study funded by the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and other agencies.

By Kat Kerlin, UC Davis

More than a century ago, Sierra Nevada forests faced almost no competition from neighboring trees for resources. The tree densities of the late 1800s would astonish most Californians today. Because of fire suppression, trees in current forests live alongside six to seven times as many trees as their ancestors did — competing for less water amid drier and hotter conditions.

The study, published in the journal Forest Ecology and Management, suggests that low-density stands that largely eliminate tree competition are…(please see below to view full stories and photographs)

Photo captions:

Thousands of dead trees in the Sierra-Nevada mountain range in 2016. University scientists say there are too many trees in the forest.

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This is part of the February 17, 2023 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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