Why not protect just the pristine groves?
Headwaters Forest is an ecosystem made up of various forest, plant, and animal communities. Although the virgin groves are the most critical areas in terms of protecting species dependent on old-growth forest habitat, the species that inhabit these forest “islands” may not be able to survive if their habitat stands alone, surrounded by clear cuts. The land connecting the pristine groves supports a patchwork of “residual” old-growth redwood (forest stands that were partially logged by Pacific Lumber before the Maxxam takeover), second-growth redwood of various ages, and vast areas of clearcuts. Taken together, these lands comprise a series of recovering plant and animal communities that cannot stand alone, but must instead be managed as a single unit for forest biodiversity.
