7 – Logging (1996)

(This is a part of a series of gleanings from the history of CRC’s 30 years of work; additional posts available here.)

In 1996, CRC supported a salvage logging operation of standing dead trees within a 69-acre parcel, which burned in the 1994 Rattlesnake Fire. 

Our reasoning: No new roads were needed for the logging. The removal of trees smaller than 6 inches in diameter was considered beneficial in slowing the spread of future fires. Mitigation measures included reducing erosion and revegetation with seedling conifers from seed collected in the Chiricahua Mountains. 

Our support of this particular sale did not represent support for timber salvage sales in general. For us, this operation was a test case to see how such treatment might affect an area seriously impacted by fire. We were hoping that mitigation measures would make the best of a bad situation. Unfortunately, execution of those mitigation measures by the USFS fell short of the goal.