Day 056 - 28 Nov 94 - Page 21

     
     1
     2   Q.   Over mature trees, though, have a particular ecological
     3        advantage, do they not?
     4        A.  Some do.
     5
     6   Q.   In general?
     7        A.  They can if they are providing habitat for particular
     8        species of bird; they can if when they eventually fall to
     9        the ground, as trees eventually will do, they provide a
    10        habitat for various kind of insects and the like.
    11
    12   Q.   Fungi?
    13        A.  Fungi and everything.
    14
    15   Q.   In your third paragraph clearfelling of forests:  It
    16        happens in the remote areas of the USSR and, therefore,
    17        might find their way in imports into Europe; is that
    18        correct?
    19        A.  Yes, but clearfelling as a technique is applied in many
    20        forest situations.  I think the only point that I may have
         been making about Russia is that there are some areas where
    22        there may be neglect following clearfelling.
    23
    24   Q.   They will not be replaced?
    25        A.  The areas cleared may be very large, and if there is
    26        not any kind of deliberate attempt to reseed that area, it
    27        would take a very long time for it to recover.
    28
    29   Q.   If at all?
    30        A.  I think it really depends on weather conditions and
    31        other influences as to whether it will recover but,
    32        generally speaking, forests do recover.
    33
    34   Q.   But if a large amount forest is cut down in one go, there
    35        could be a problem, for example, with soil erosion?
    36        A.  Yes, if that is relevant to the area concerned in terms
    37        of watersheds and the like, it could have that effect.
    38
    39   Q.   Clearfelling of forests also occurs without sort of
    40        regeneration or without what you call subsequent
         management.  It also happens in the United States and
    42        Canada, does it not?
    43        A.  Without subsequent management?
    44
    45   Q.   Yes.
    46        A.  Very unlikely.
    47
    48   Q.   So, even if there is subsequent management, clearfelling of
    49        large areas of forest, though, is ecologically damaging; is
    50        that correct? 
    51        A.  This is ----- 
    52 
    53   Q.   It is not something that is encouraged?
    54        A.  It is not something that is encouraged because it can
    55        have effects on the ecology, but, in effect, actually
    56        clearfelling of forest may be beneficial to certain animals
    57        who will find foraging has been improved by the
    58        clearfelling of forest.
    59
    60   Q.   But that would be specific animals; whereas many other