Listening To America: The Politics Of Trees

One of our finest journalists, Bill Moyers, once again turns his trenchant gaze on an increasingly volatile subject: trees, or more specifically, the politics surrounding the cutting or not cutting of trees. The focus is on logging practices in the Pacific Northwest and Montana. In keeping with the regular format, Moyers is joined in the studio by a handful of people whose voices offer a variety of perspectives on a controversial subject. John Mumma, a former Montana Forest Service employee who resigned in protest over the clearcutting practices in his state is joined by author Richard Manning (Last Stand) and activist Jeff DeBonis in a conversation about the massive deforestation occurring in the Montana wilderness. Later, another view is heard from logger Roy Keene, who wants to be environmentally responsive, yet resents the way the media has turned his profession into a criminal activity and argues that a balance needs to be struck between some of the more radical environmentalists and the concerns of the loggers. Examples are illustrated with video clips from three other excellent documentaries: Ancient Forests: Rage Over Trees (reviewed in our March 1991 issue), The Forest Through the Trees (reviewed in our May 1991 issue), and Our Vanishing Forests (reviewed in our October 1992 issue). The Politics of Trees offers a very nice synthesis of current concerns over forest management, touching on areas as diverse as mismanagement within the timber industry to political cash donations to senators and representatives. An excellent, up-to-date, an inexpensive overview, sure to make people think. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (See FUTURES 2 WITH JAIME ESCALANTE: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY for availability.)