mber of America’s unemployed. Another economic benefit is the generation ofrevenue for communities. Twenty-five percent of the revenue from logging sales onnational forest goes back to the community/county where logging occurred, for theimprovement of roads and schools (USDA 2000). Clear-cut logging can also helpforest health. A created opening clear-cut can be made to protect the most valuabletrees from fire. For example, the clearing of Lodge Pole Pine creates space betweenitself and Ponderosa Pine. This clear-cut technique helps reduce the chance forcatastrophic fires by removing fuels from the fire and not allowing the fire to “jump”to the Ponderosas Pine. Wood products such as houses, furniture, and paper productsare all benefits of clear-cut logging. Also, when companies clear-cut they build roadsto reach their destination. These roads provide access to the public for fishing,hunting, or any other outdoor activity.Although there are some benefits of clear-cut logging, it can also severelydamage the ecosystem. The first con is the cause and effect of sedimentation. Thenumber one cause of sedimentation is road building. “Even though the amount ofsediment has not been quantified, it is known that roads contribute the single largestsource of delivery in managed landscapes” (Gibbon and Salo 45). The second is theloss of ground cover, which occurs during clear-cut logging. “These high levels ofsediment caused by clear-cut logging and road construction have been one of the maincauses of stream degradation,” according to (USFS ). Sedimentation is detrimentalbecause it smothers the aquatic insects that juvenile fish eat, and causes the salmonand trout eggs in the gravel to suffocate. “Logging typically increases erosion for sixyears, but sediment delivery has been documented to remain elevated for more thannine years” (Megahan ). Another factor of sedimentation is th...
