The American Loggers Council (ALC) and American Bird Conservancy (ABC) toured a site near Natchitoches, Louisiana, to discuss the essential role logging and loggers play in maintaining healthy ecosystems for bird habitats. In attendance were David Cupp, Walsh Timber and ALC Secretary/Treasurer; Kevin Smith, ALC Communications Director; Jeremy Poirer, International Paper Biologist; Enyart Mitchell and Joe Cooper of Echo Forestry, and EJ Williams of the American Bird Conservancy.
When you are in the woods with EJ Williams, her energy and love of wildlife is contagious. Almost like the forest is EJ's natural habitat. EJ has dedicated the past 25 years to preventing the decline of native birds, conserving essential bird habitats, reducing top threats to birds, and building an American-wide community of bird conservationists. In the short time we were there she identified over 25 different types of birds by ear. She used her vast knowledge to discuss the importance of logging and forest management in maintaining healthy bird habitats.
For more than 25 years, the American Bird Conservancy has been standing up for birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. Learn more at www.abcbirds.org.
Many birds rely on young forests for nesting and raising their young, and logging is the first step in creating healthy young forests. Also, when loggers leave wide forest buffers along streams and rivers, they protect water quality and provide essential bird habitats.
The group visited Walsh Timber's logging site of a private landowner managed by Echo Forestry. Logging the site was Jason Edwards of J&H Logging Coushatta, Louisiana, who is a 2nd generation logger and avid hunter. Most loggers hunt, fish, hike, camp, and enjoy the woods immensely. For many, they found their way to logging, allowing them to make the woods into their office.
A logger's livelihood depends on a healthy ecosystem where trees are sustainably planted and harvested – any different and their career would have an expiration date.
Sustainably managed forests with periodic logging by professional loggers create the habitat for multiple bird species and many other plants and animals.
WRITTEN BY: KEVIN SMITH, ALC COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR