To the Editor:

The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s recent explanation for the clear-cutting of 20 acres of forested habitat in SGL 141 along Route 93 near Nesquehoning is not convincing. (Game commission explains reason for clear-cut, Times News, July 16, 2019) According to the article, the game commission was informed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation about “several” dead or dying trees that might pose a hazard to the highway. Instead of selectively clearing the hazardous trees, the game commission hired a contractor to cut down every tree over 2 inches in diameter along a 100-foot wide stretch on the east side of the highway, allowing the contractor to take away any usable timber.

According to the game commission, the primary reason was cost: “Hiring someone to take down the individual dead trees would have been a significant expense to PGC, and this treatment would avoid that expense.” This explanation lacks credibility. Even if one were to accept the commission’s excuse that the game commission “saved money” by clear-cutting 20 acres of mature, healthy forest rather than selectively removing a few individual trees, this still does not justify the action.

The cleared forest was not some scraggly roadside remnant. It was part of an extensive pitch pine-oak ecosystem of a type that exists only in a few places in Pennsylvania and is becoming increasing rare in the Poconos. It would have been well worth the added expense to maintain this habitat in its natural state. Sadly, this episode is not over. The game commission plans to deforest another 20 acres on the other side of the highway.

Juliet Perrin

Albrightsville