On July 26, 2016, I sent a letter to the Kennebec Journal objecting to the tree harvest at Jamie’s Pond Wildlife Management Area. After the letter I met with Chandler Woodcock, commissioner for Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. He listened to my concerns, and was very charming, but he told me that the logging operation would proceed. There was not the political will or public interest to stop the tree harvest. It wasn’t an important issue. I was further assured that I did not understand forestry principles, and that cutting the trees in the wildlife area would help the forest.

Now we have beech leaf disease. After the logging, large swaths of the forest were left bare. These areas filled in with small, dense beech trees. Beech leaf disease spreads more rapidly in forests of small tress that lack diversity. These trees are now dying. The logging operation at Jamie’s Pond Wildlife Management Area left the forest in perfect condition for beech leaf disease.

Walking through parts of the forest at Jamie’s Pond now is simply sad. And we are at least partly responsible.

It may be too late to do very much right now for Jamie’s Pond, but I have two questions. Is the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife researching the connection between its logging practices and beech leaf disease? Given our current political climate, especially federally — with increased focus on the here and now without regard to the future, denial of climate change, decrease in funding for research and environmental protections — what will be next?

Scott Schiff-Slater
Hallowell