Wildfire Mitigation Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Forest Essays

Wildfire Mitigation Thesis: Politicians are proposing sweeping changes in bills, which have caused great controversy, in efforts to correct the problems that the Forest Service has faced in restoration projects. Are these bills necessary or is there a better solution that politicians are overlooking? Introduction: Humans have been changing the Western forests' fire system since the settlement by the Europeans and now we are experiencing the consequences of those changes. During the summer of 2002, 6.9 million acres of forests was burnt up in the West (Wildland Fires, 1). This figure is two times the ten year annual average, and it does not look like next summer will be any better (Wildfire Season, 1). Foresters have been trying to restore the forests back to their original conditions by thinning and prescribed fires but have encountered countless delays. Politicians are proposing sweeping changes in bills, which have caused great controversy, in efforts to correct the problems that the Forest Service has faced in restoration projects. Are these bills necessary or is there a better solution that politicians are overlooking? Changing Forest: The Western forests are drastically different from what they were like before the European settlement. In pre-European time, the forests were open and park-like with only 25-35 trees per acre surrounded by areas of open grasslands. One could easily ride a horse through the spacious forest. This, however, is not possible in today's forests. Today, for example the Ponderosa pine forests, have over 500 trees per acre, creating thick dense areas of trees, brush, and bushes (President Bush, 4). The pre-European forests were subject to frequent low inte... ...ewed 1 Nov. 2002 .<http://thomas.loc.gov/> Jungwirth, Lynn. "Opinion: Conservation is everyone's business." American Forest. Autumn 2002: 4. "Land of Fire." Scientific American Nov.2002: 10. Little, Jane. "Hogans of Hope." American Forest. Autumn 2002: 39-42. President Bush, George. "Healthy Forest: An Initiative for Wildfire Prevention and Stronger Communities." 22 Aug. 2002. Viewed 2 Nov. 2002.<http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/healthyforests/Healthy_Forests_v2.pdf>. "Step 1. Characterizations of the Watershed." Forest Service: 17 pars. Viewed 7 Nov. 2002. <http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/spl/south_platte_web/step_1.htm>. "Wildland Fires of 2002 Summary." National Fire News. 11 Oct. 2002: 1 pg. Viewed 2 Nov. 2002 .<http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html>. "Wildfire Season Heats Up Debate in Washington." Forest Source. Oct 2002: 1&5.