Save Banner Forest!

Curtis Johnson is a retired research scientist, freelance writer and activist. He has reported and written on the Gulf oil spill, western wildfires, the extinction and climate crisis, and analysis of Trumpian fascism. Follow him on Bluesky: @curtisjohnson97404.bsky.social or on his blog.

As a retired research scientist currently involved in forest projects and protection, I find it bad logic on the part of Kitsap County to plan to allow commercial logging of 50% of the trees in Banner Forest. This appears to be another situation where “wildfire mitigation” is used as justification to cover the actual interests, generating profit for logging companies. It is not based on good science, but nonetheless is increasingly being used by the U.S Forest Service and the Trump administration to expand logging.

Banner Forest Heritage Park - Kitsap County

These justifications fail to address, or make any plans to counter, the chief reason for the increase in more intense wildfires, which is climate change. They also cover over the scientific understanding on wildfire, which demonstrates old-growth and mature forests are the most fire resilient and should be protected, and that thinned forests often burn at least as often and intensely as those not thinned. Thinning also can introduce invasive species into natural forests and contribute to biodiversity loss.

Another factor involved here-there is generally little or no role for thinning in wetter Westside forests such as Banner, where there is always a high degree of fuel accumulation naturally. Fires occur in such forests rarely due to rainfall amounts, unlike dry forests of the Eastern Cascades. In both east and westside forests, fire is a natural occurring phenomena, with very different fire cycle regimes. Fires often are beneficial to forest health. Forests have evolved in relation to fire, and the increasing scientific consensus is that the role of fire in forest health should be restored, while efforts are taken to mitigate wildfire danger to communities.

Fires are burning more intensely today with warmer temperatures and increased drought occurring now due to climate change. But what is needed to best protect biodiversity, overall forest health and people is a holistic ecosystem approach. Any thinning deemed scientifically necessary at Banner must be done carefully, judiciously, and with the goal in mind of protecting the older trees and enhancing the health of the forest and its species versus generating profit for logging companies. Banner forest should be saved for all its species, and for all those who enjoy it.

Curtis Johnson- retired research scientist and free-lance journalist