Fire and its aftermath! The Salvage Logging battle back in full fury. Can sound science help find sound solutions? Return to Red Lodge Almost five years have gone by since the Red Lodge Workshop. The central question of the role of science, the way its findings are applied on the ground remains as intractable now as it was then.      What was said during the Science breakout session at Red Lodge is as true today in 2006 as it was at the end of October, 2001.      Everyone was aware that in the political and judicial arenas where resource management disputes are waged, people use "good" science, in Greg Schildwachter's words "as a code to justify their positions." READ MORE >> IN THE NEWS Science doesn’t have last word ALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD If the flap over the latest logging study in the Biscuit Fire shows anything, it’s that science doesn’t have all the answers, at least not in the short term. The flap began with the publication in Science of a paper by OSU graduate student D.C. Donato and others titled “Post-wildfire logging hinders regeneration and increases fire risk.”   SEE FULL STORY >> IN THE NEWS Logging study sets off own firestorm MICHAEL MILSTEIN, PORTLAND OREGONIAN A contingent of professors at Oregon State University's College of Forestry want the nation's top scientific journal to withhold a study by an OSU graduate student who found that forests best recover from wildfires when they are not logged and left alone. Donald Kennedy, the top editor of the journal Science, said there is no chance the research will be suppressed. "They're trying to rewind history," said Kennedy.   SEE FULL STORY >> IN THE NEWS Salvage logging supporters say OSU report won't change debate DAN BERMAN, E&E DAILY Doug Crandall, staff director of the House Forests Subcommittee, disagreed with the findings of the OSU report as well but acknowledged the public has a difficult time trying to sift through the science and report on the issue. "It's always our scientists versus your scientists, it makes it really difficult for the public to sort through all that," Crandall said.   SEE FULL STORY >> IN THE NEWS Oregon State dean criticizes conclusions from Biscuit Fire report DAN BERMAN, GREENWIRE "It is unfortunate when people prematurely draw policy implications from single studies before the scientific process has finished its job," wrote Hal Salwasser. "It is also not unusual for people to read a single report or newspaper article or opinion and accept its findings or conclusions without asking critical questions about the study."   SEE FULL STORY >> IN THE NEWS 'Sooner rather than later' on forest recovery, salvage DAN BERMAN, E&E DAILY Introduced last fall, H.R. 4200 from Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and cosponsor Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.) has drawn significant opposition from environmentalists who say it is an excuse to promote salvage logging on national forests. "I know the opponents of the bill want to say it's a chainsaw massacre," Walden said, contending that H.R. 4200 does not mandate salvage logging as the primary course or action.   SEE FULL STORY >> IN THE NEWS OSU dean apologizes for logging study fracas GREENWIRE Oregon State University's College of Forestry dean said last week he regretted the conflict between some of his faculty and a graduate student who published a study contradicting their findings. "I profoundly regret the negative debate that recent events have generated," Salwasser wrote in a letter to the college. "Few faculty, let alone graduate students, get their work published in this prestigious journal."   SEE FULL STORY >> IN THE NEWS No end in sight—OSU prof will press research challenge BY MICHAEL MILSTEIN, PORTLAND OREGONIAN John Sessions said that he regrets the fallout facing Salwasser, but still feels strongly that the research by Donato and five other OSU and U.S. Forest Service scientists has serious flaws. He described its publication as a failure of the peer review process, a central pillar of research by which independent scientists review findings for weaknesses.   SEE FULL STORY >> IN THE NEWS BLM pulls funding for OSU logging study GREENWIRE The Bureau of Land Management said yesterday it has suspended funding for an Oregon State University graduate student's study that refuted the benefits of post-fire logging in Science. BLM officials said the study, headed by graduate student Daniel Donato, violated a provision of its $300,000 research grant stipulating that it cannot be used to lobby Congress and must consult a BLM scientist before publishing.   SEE FULL STORY >> IN THE NEWS House Democrat seeks investigation of pulled funding DAN BERMAN, GREENWIRE "I'm concerned that in this case funding may have been frozen to punish researchers for reporting findings that are unpopular with the administration," Rep. Jay Inslee said in a letter to Interior Department Inspector General Earl Devaney. "Please immediately investigate whether Daniel Donato and his research team lost funding without cause or were treated more harshly than other federal research grant recipients."   SEE FULL STORY >> IN THE NEWS About-face restores OSU study money BY MICHAEL MILSTEIN, PORTLAND OREGONIAN The federal government on Wednesday swiftly restored funding for an Oregon State University study of logging in burned forests after lawmakers said a freeze of the money could leave "the impression of scientific censorship." The move came hours after OSU asked the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to reinstate the funding.   SEE FULL STORY >> SALVAGE LOGGING HISTORY The "infamous" salvage timber rider In July 1995, following widespread forest fires during the previous summer, Congress enacted the Emergency Salvage Timber Sale Program (Salvage Rider) as part of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations and Rescissions Act. BUSH’S FOREST PLAN: SALVAGE RIDER RESURRECTED >> E MAGAZINE: THE LAST FRONTIER >> SALVAGE LOGGING HISTORY Beschta et al—same conclusions This report also found that "there is little reason to believe that post-fire salvage logging has any positive ecological benefits...there is considerable evidence that persistent, significant adverse enviornmental impacts are likely to result from salvage logging." DOWNLOAD BESCHTA REPORT >> SALVAGE LOGGING HISTORY Forest Service studies postfire logging The scientific literature on logging after wildfire is reviewed, with a focus on environmental effects of logging and removal of large woody structure. Results of this review are summarized in 16 major conclusions at the end of the text. REPORT CONCLUSIONS >>

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