Letters To The Editor
Wilderness development
It has been interesting to watch the different twists and turns taken by both sides involved with the Kennecott Mine applications. I have found it very surprising that people like Tony Williams consider the area, and specifically the 120 acre above ground mine site, to be “wilderness.” The 120 acre site chosen has been largely clear cut and restocked with the future crop of jack pine pulpwood. The entire Yellow Dog Plains looks like a patchwork of cuttings from the air. The plains have been cut over twice in the last 100 years and most of it is well on the way to its third cutting. The term wilderness does not fit here. The closest wilderness is the McCormick Tract, which remains uncut and has seen very little impact from humans in any way.
Sunday’s [March 16] Mining Journal article about poet Kathleen Heideman quoted her as saying, “I think it’s as beautiful a piece of country as I’ve ever found in the world” when she referred to the Yellow Dog Plains. One needs to recognize that a certain amount of poetic license is being taken by this opponent of mining. Jack pine plains have never been considered as particularly scenic. However, different varieties of wildlife species utilize jack pine and its associated plant life, so it does have other intrinsic values.
The Yellow Dog Plains jack pine and the hardwood forest all around it are being actively managed for forest products. Most of it is owned by timber companies and the DNR. The timber company land is enrolled in Michigan’s Commercial Forest Act, which by law dictates that it be cut over periodically. A considerable portion of the land within the adjacent Huron Mountain Club and along the Salmon Trout River is also enrolled in CFA. Forest managers are doing a good job of managing our forest landscape, while providing products and jobs for our state’s economy. I believe that mining could be done in a complimentary way as well. Michigan’s willingness to wisely develop mining resources on this site and others like it will help create new jobs that our people so badly need.
Bruce Veneberg
Munising
Sunday’s [March 16] Mining Journal article about poet Kathleen Heideman quoted her as saying, “I think it’s as beautiful a piece of country as I’ve ever found in the world” when she referred to the Yellow Dog Plains. One needs to recognize that a certain amount of poetic license is being taken by this opponent of mining. Jack pine plains have never been considered as particularly scenic. However, different varieties of wildlife species utilize jack pine and its associated plant life, so it does have other intrinsic values.
The Yellow Dog Plains jack pine and the hardwood forest all around it are being actively managed for forest products. Most of it is owned by timber companies and the DNR. The timber company land is enrolled in Michigan’s Commercial Forest Act, which by law dictates that it be cut over periodically. A considerable portion of the land within the adjacent Huron Mountain Club and along the Salmon Trout River is also enrolled in CFA. Forest managers are doing a good job of managing our forest landscape, while providing products and jobs for our state’s economy. I believe that mining could be done in a complimentary way as well. Michigan’s willingness to wisely develop mining resources on this site and others like it will help create new jobs that our people so badly need.
Bruce Veneberg
Munising
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