New Hampshire has a proud heritage in its magnificent "King Pine"
trees. Hundreds of years old and awesome in their grandeur and girth,
loggers usually leave them alone because they have too many limbs - too
many knots - to make prime, continuous board feet. These giants of the
forest serve as the parents of future generations of pine which is New
Hampshire's most valuable timber crop.
Apart from the economic
value of trees there is an aesthetic as well as an ecological value. Who
among us can look at autumn foliage and not feel energized by the brilliant
life-giving colors of red, and yellow and orange. Ours trees in all their
variety of shapes and colors provide safe haven and food for birds and
animals. Without such trees, biodiversity would be a distant memory. A
less obvious function of trees is the obscured root system which functions
as a highly engineered system of water filtration which prevents soil
erosion thereby contributing to the current excellence of water quality
in New Hampshire.
The statistics are
convincing: New Hampshire is the fastest growing state in the northeast,
having doubled its population in 50 years. In the next two decades we
are projected to lose an additional 144,000 acres of forest cover - an
area larger than all New Hampshire state parks combined. Our lives will
be irrevocably changed if such statistics continue to become reality in
our communities. South of the White Mountains, over 90% of large forest
blocks are completely unprotected. At the present rate, we will lose local
forests, our water quality will become irrevocably compromised, birds
and animals will lose many of their habitats and food sources, and our
quality of life will be seriously compromised with the decline in air,
water and aesthetic quality.
As children we experienced
the "ripple in the pond" effect, learning that what we do or
not has a consequence. In this time of fast-changing events we know all
too well that we have lost control over much. However, it is not beyond
our control to prevent the loss of our valuable forests. On an individual
level, we can create conservation easements on the lands we own as well
as support the conservation efforts of our local conservation organizations
such as Moose Mountains Regional Greenways (MMRG) and Society for the
Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF). On a municipal level we can
encourage the creation of forest conservation districts. Now is the time
to act, for once our forests are gone, they are gone forever!
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