I’d like to make a response to the article in last week’s Clarion about the cutting down of trees and how it was portrayed as entire forests being obliterated. Here’s an opinion from someone whose family is pretty knowledgeable on this topic.

My father is a Project Leader for the US Forest Service office at 6th and Simms in Lakewood. His wife, my stepmother, is a District Manager at another USFS office in the foothills off of Highway 285. Both of them, along with my 23-year-old brother who works for their district during summers away from college, have fought on the frontlines against the numerous forest fires that have plagued Colorado in the past few years. My father was even interviewed by a television reporter during the Hayman fire. For my part, I have volunteered in their “tree-thinning” program during the Christmas season when the USFS sells permits to citizens to come up and cut down their own Christmas tree.

Let me assure the readers here and now, the USFS is not endorsing that forests should be chopped down. I’m sure my father would be available for comment if a reporter wanted to obtain an actual interview from someone directly involved, and, while he does not agree with some of Bush’s policies regarding the environment, he does support tree-thinning.

I think maybe everyone against this program is envisioning a bunch of Paul Bunyans working their way methodically through the national forests with huge chainsaws, blazing a path of barren destruction through our nation.

I believe the only tool the USFS allows citizens to have during the tree-thinning are small handsaws. As a matter of policy, they are only allowed to chop down trees with a six-inch or less diameter … which is not much. The “choppers” are also required to cut their tree down so as to leave a stump of only six inches or less. They are not allowed to “top” trees, which entails someone climbing to the summit of a much larger tree to obtain the top for their joyous yuletide and decorating. Lastly, each tree, before leaving the area, is checked to make sure the individual’s purchased permit is affixed, and that they aren’t making off with more trees than they were licensed to take.

While this Christmas-tree cutting program does involve cutting down existing trees, we’re talking about trees that, at most, reach 10 to 12 feet in height. Compare that to the majority of the forest which consists of trees exceeding 20 feet tall. The USFS is letting the public assist them in removing what is basically kindling for future decimating fires.

Again, this is just one small aspect of the tree-thinning program that I have personally been involved with. However, I have faith and personal knowledge from my family, who happen to have expertise in this area, that the United States is not hell-bound for barrenness by a bunch of Paul Bunyans.