My, my we are a cynical bunch! I wonder why? You forgot, when the lawsuits end, in years and years, then the protests start. But, on another point, how many mills are there in Colorado? I went there a few years ago to a logging training--on my own dime. Went skiing up around on the Steamboat ski area, we skied and looked at the junk they wanted to cut. Vail had brought in a logger from the Oregon Coast. The town paid for moving his equipment and everything to show how 40 acres could be logged using skyline.
Not sure if anything came of this. I don't think any of the loggers there wanted to risk sinking money into a new to them type of equipment and then rely on the Forest Service to put up timber sales. I'm sorry to you Rockies people for calling it junk, but what we were shown was short, stubby dead and dying spruce and lodgepole. It didn't look like it would even pay for fuel. I believe there was one mill left in the state at that time. I'm sure Idaho is in better shape. But is it like here? This area has roads already put in, most were rocked, and we could cut like crazy in good, sound timber, but can't because of the lawsuits, Northwest Forest Plan, etc, etc. Why not cut more in our areas where very little roadbuilding is required?
Oh, and if this makes you feel better about diameter limits, I had to hunt and hunt for helicopter landing locations, and it was almost impossible, because I was told, no large snags may be cut, and no large trees. Found 2 locations, not the best, and the flying distance will be farther than recommended, but the sale sold. I digress. Remain cynical and you'll not be disappointed.
