Professor：Salvage logging may appear to be an effective way of helping forests recover after a destructive fire or storm, but it can actually result in serious longer-term environmental damage. Its economic benefits are also questionable.First, cleaning up a forest after a fire or storm does not necessarily create the right conditions for tree growth. In fact, the natural process of wood decomposition enriches the soil and makes it more suitable for future generations of tree. The rapid removal of dead trees can result in soil that lacks the nutrients necessary for growth.Second, it's true that rotting wood can increase insect population, but is this really bad for the forest? In fact, spruce bark beetles have lived in Alaskan forest for nearly a hundred years without causing major damage. And of course dead trees do not provide habitats only for harmful insects. They are also used by birds and other insects that are important contributors to the long-term health of forests. In the long run, therefore, salvage logging may end up doing more harm to forests than harmful insects do.And third, the economic benefits of salvage logging are small and don't last very long, in severely damaged forests, much of the lumber can be recovered only by using helicopters and other vehicles that are expensive to use and maintain. Furthermore, jobs created by salvage logging are only temporary and are often fitted by outsiders with more experience or training than local residents have.
