[at-l] wood stoves

[yumitori@montana.com (Ron Martino)]

> While I agree that the overall forest burden of the wood we use for whatever
> purpose on the trail (stoves,campfires) is neglible, it is an interesting
> question about what impact we are having on our beloved trail corridor.  My
> brother is big on having at least a little campfire whenever possible (I can
> take them or leave them) and we have found that, on all but the never
> travelled paths, one must walk a couple hundred yards off the trail to find
> dead wood by the late April/early May timeframe each year.  

	<Snip>

> Black&blue

	I'm with Black&blue on this one. You only need to look for dead wood
around a popular camping spot to see the problem. Those of you who say
you collect fuel while walking do spread out your impact, but not
everyone does that. 

	While I recognize that most of the wood use is likely due to campfires,
not Zip stoves or the like, any increase in the use of wood burning
stoves will only make the demand for wood greater. Those that build camp
fires now will not do without if they also have a Zip. And as dead wood
decreases near the trail, the number of trees chopped down by the idiots
among us will only increase.

	Question the validity of my words? Check for yourself next time you're
in the woods. I could be wrong; but I doubt it...

	Ron
-- 

yumitori(AT)montana(DOT)com