[Techster]

I agree with your comment. Did anyone consider that "old" forest have a life cycle? Wonder what would happen if a long term forest management program had been implemented oh say 100 years ago. Probably be a lot of healthy trees instead of trees under stress. Big Yellowstone forest fire years ago proved to be natures way of reforesting.

[HangnJudge]

I agree that forests have cycles
And some aspects of the Smokies problems
could be cyclic
but
The Ozone issues are not political,
they are a regional/industrial issue
and not one easily altered by any
political process, rather individuals
making individual decisions to decrease
pollution production. My personal preference is to change our energy reliance to nuclear sources and stop burning resources that are not renuable (coal/oil)

[vetvetdoug]

There is one little piece of information left out of the Smokey Mt. maturation of its forest. The Smokies were Clear Cut during the early part of the 1900's and it wasn't until the 20's and 30's did they let the growth begin again. There is a maturation natural process going on in the Smokies right now. I worked with the NPS at the Smokies and the Wildlife Department at the UTK. One can make both arguments for what is going on there but the data can be skewed both ways.