Opinion articles written by Ned

Summer 1992—Wild Earth-Two articles: one by Ned Fritz and another by Reed Noss.

Ned Fritz explains why legislation to protect biodiversity and stop clearcutting (The Forest Biodiversity and Clearcutting Prohibition Act - H.R. 1969) is important to protect federal forest lands. He also explains that other legislation of that time - the Ancient Forest bill - could be combined with the anti-clearcutting legislation into one bill to give the greatest amount of forest protection.

The Act to Save America's Forests , which was introduced 4 years after Ned wrote this article, is exactly that - a combination of both bills - and Ned Fritz did support the Act to Save America's Forests.

Reed Noss countered Ned's article in Wild Earth with a rebuttal, criticizing the Anti-Clearcutting legislation because it allowed logging. Noss did not consider Fritz's suggested combined legislation.

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Save America's Forests Home Page

The Red cockaded woodpecker, one of many Texas species Ned championed

From Sterile Forest by Ned Fritz

   

"When I watch the devastation of clearcutting, I understand what is involved. The forest service would have us believe that there is no sunstantial soil and nutrient loss associated with clearcutting. Following a massive clearcutting on the Gauley Range ranger district on our Monongahela National Forest, the cranberry river--a beautiful river, a river of brook trout, a magnificent stream--for a seven week period ran muddy as if it were a lowland stream and not in the hills of West Viginia. I see that and I know that there is a substanial loss of soil and a substantial loss of nutrients within the land.

"So my concern is that I do not believe we know what the long-range effects of clearcuts will be on the ability of land to regenerate."

From Realms of Beauty: The Wilderness Areas of East Texas by Ned Fritz

"Old growth and intermediate communities have other values, as well. They serve as living museums to educate present and future generations on the natural heritage of their region. They provide authentic laboratories where scientists may engage in research on such vital subjects as survival and evolution.  And they constitute gene pools for substances products useful to humankind."