Dear Fellow Bird Enthusiasts,

Speaking as Conservation Chair for the Ohio Ornithological Society, we take the conservation of birds pretty seriously.  Sometimes that even requires our speaking up for trees.  Unfortunately, OOS members have experienced first-hand some questionable work in the past by Ohio Division of Forestry. Remember our members’ dismay over cuts in Shawnee Forest (at Picnic Point), at Hocking Hills (a clear-cut at the trail leading into a State Nature Preserve) and the cutting of pine for the pulp wood industry at the Historic Gorge Overlook in Mohican.  Forestry often cites “forest health” as their reason for cuts, but their past actions speak louder than their words.

As a birding society, Ohio Ornithological Society has spoken out before: we are not against the timber industry or the timbering of private lands.  However, some of our public lands have suffered from poor judgment in the selection of timber cuts by the Ohio Division of Forestry.  We believe in this century, public forests should be considered as ecosystems and weight be placed on biodiversity over timber utility alone.  There is no shortage of timber, pallets, or pulpwood in Ohio.  If we never cut another stick of lumber off our Ohio Public Lands, the private timber industry in Ohio –currently producing 97% of Ohio’s timber products- is providing all the we need.

Division of Forestry is currently holding Open Houses for their State Forests.  For more information about those, cut and paste this address into your web browser:
http://www.outdoornews.com/2017/08/17/act-now-help-manage-state-forests/

Meanwhile, please note naturalists and the local community have great concerns over the sweeping changes in the plans for Mohican Forest.  While much of the restoration of Mohican was done by planting non-native pines nearly a century ago, those novel ecosystems now offer habitat for nesting warblers and winter finches- as frequently noted on this list serve.  Perhaps, it is time to change our Mohican management plan towards more recreation, like birding, and less toward industrial forestry.

If you enjoy bird watching in Mohican, perhaps you will be moved to speak up for habitat preservation, too.

Mohican-Memorial State Forest Open House
Monday, August 21, 2017 from 4:30-6:30 pm
Mohican Lodge and Conference Center
1098 Ashland County Road 3006
Perrysville, OH 44864


Thank you,
Cheryl Harner
OOS Conservation Chair

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