Run Forrest run!

The timber companies remove only enough underbrush so a faller can get to the tree. FWIW, I used to be certified to drop trees up to 24" DBH.

I've done tree planting too. What people probably don't know is that tree planting is done with future harvesting in mind, so only marketable species are planted, and in neatly-spaced rows. And when timber company X tells you they planted n trees, what they aren't telling you is that they go back in two years and rip out n/3 trees, and then n/2 two years later, to maintain better spacing to make harvesting easier.

Like many other industries, timber is rife with conflicts between political, conservational and corporate interests. Yes, the tree huggers get in the way, but the timber companies aren't the saviors they're made out to be.

Point well made. Unfortunately, Americans and their particular interest groups no longer speak to each other with an intent to reasonable compromise - they scream at each other to divide and conquer and win political power at all cost - mainly because of the incredible amount of dollars political patronage brings to those who win.