The west side of the Coast Range in Oregon might just be the wettest place in America, depending on who you talk to. This wetness supports the growth of massive timber resources, of which there is a constant battle for rights and protection. The practice of clear-cutting is at the center of this battle, as it leaves mini-mountains of slash piles and unsightly scarring of the land.
Where the cutting ends, abrupt growth remains — these are the signals of a boundary line, change in management plan, or different land owner. Looking at a satellite image of western Oregon, you can easily see the patchwork clear cuts throughout the landscape. The practice of artificial revegetation is relatively new, however those revegetated areas have an unnatural, almost symmetrical look to them, as nature’s hands were a bit tied in determining the regrowth process.
