bawanajim

The timber and forest products industry in Pennsylvania generates over $5 billion in manufactured products, which ranks this sector fourth among manufacturing industries in the state. The industry employs over 90,000 people and has a payroll exceeding $2 billion. Also, more than $380 million is paid annually to Pennsylvania private forest landowners by our industry.

bawanajim

“With this certification, value of our hardwoods increases, and Pennsylvania’s environmentally friendly wood products give the Commonwealth’s sawmills a competitive edge in the market,” said Governor Rendell. “That’s vital news when we consider our quality hardwoods help support the state’s $5 billion forest products industry employing almost 100,000 people.”
SCS is accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council, an organization formed in 1993 by environmental, social and forest-products industry representatives to establish guidelines for sustainable forest-management practices. An SCS project team including foresters and forest ecologists toured state forest districts, meeting with DCNR officials and stakeholders. They scored woodlands on timber-resource sustainability, forest-ecosystem maintenance, financial and socioeconomic considerations, and other categories.
Although highly complimentary of the state's management of the forests in nearly all areas, the evaluation team again identified forest regeneration impacted by the white-tailed as a shortcoming that must be addressed.
“A clear browse line still exists across most of the state,” the report noted, and “ecosystem functions have eroded across the entire state.”
“DCNR is looking to the Pennsylvania Game Commission for season changes and other tools to help bring the deer herd in line with habitat in some state forest areas,” said DiBerardinis. “Meanwhile, we’ve opened an unprecedented 6,500 miles of state forests roads to deer hunters, and are actively participating in the commission’s Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP), allowing hunters to kill more than one animal.”
Deer populations and forest regeneration will continue to be addressed by DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry as it updates and strengthens its State Forest Resource Management Plan, DiBerardinis said. To remain on track for a 5-year planning cycle, the bureau will hold public meetings on the plan in 2006 to create anticipated changes/additions to include: an economics consideration section; invasive species plan; improved process for protecting cultural and historical resources; improved recreation planning; and continuing efforts to address deer and other forest health concerns

bawanajim

Its painfully obvious to those who choose to look that deer program is designed for financial & economic gain.
Whose doing the gaining? I'm not sure,but it is not those of us that hunt.

bluebird2

Good job BWJ!!! You are dead on when you say that this was all about financial gain by DCNR and the timber industry. I have been saying the same thing for years.

DougE

Where is it painfully obvious that anyone is getting paid off by anyone?It's no secret that our state forests are certified.I have a copy of the entire forest certification so I'm very familiar with it's background.In order to get re-certified,DCNR was told to do whatever was politically necessary to keep deer numbers down.That's no secret either.What they did was,they put a moratorium on handing over and land aquistitions to the PGC for a short period of time.What you have to realize is that the PGC did not cave in to any of the demands that DCNR was asking for.Read losthorns list and see what they actually wanted.They got dmap,that's it.

Yes,politics were at play and money was at risk.None of that is a secret.i'm just waiting to see how the PGC has benefitted financially from any of this.Please tell.Our state game lands aren't certified.

bawanajim

Doug , I'm not saying your area hasn't been adversely affected by deer. And I believe there are huge areas that are or have been affected by deer,but I live in Crawford county,its a deers Paradise. We have fields of clover ,fields of corn ,gas wells have opened the canopy in thousands of areas and we in an area that timbering is going on year around. My woods are basically impenetrable with new growth and multiflora rose ,yet we have reduced our deer numbers for some reason,and I'll guarantee it wasn't because of habitat destruction.
So I ask why? And I posted what I found,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

bluebird2

What you have to realize is what they did was far worse than caving to DCNR's demands. They satisfied DCNR by reducing the herd statewide , including on SGLs where the carrying capacity was much higher than SFL. They lied, mislead and deceived hunters about the health of the herd, the B/D ratio and the need for ARs ,in order to get the HR demanded by DCNR. Now they can't get their license increase and have little if any credibility with the majority of hunters.

DougE

Jim,and how much state forests do you have in Crawford county?Less than 8% of our land mass is state forests.There is no doubt what so ever that forest certification had a huge effect on what's going on in our state forests.Forest certification did not drive herd reductioon in the remaining 92% of pA.

bawanajim

I never said that the P.G.C. benefited, I said money is the driving force ,this might not be Chicago but our politicians know how the game is played.

Don't confuse what I saywith what bluebird posts, this is not my opinion of whats being done its the facts I've found from reading their web pages and attending meetings.

What I do is not considered farming but I have Friends that both farm several thousand acres,they talk.

DougE

I keep hearing about how this is all about money for the PGC.How specifically did they benefit?Who got paid?Wheres' the proof.The commissioners vote on the regs.Are you saying they got paid off by someone?I sweriously don't get it