I'm BlackBerry blogging from DC, attending a US Senate hearing on ancient forests held by the subcommittee on public lands and forests. The committee is chaired by Oregon's Senator Wyden, who aims to introduce a bill to protect old forests and focus logging on restorative treatments in tree plantations.

The witnesses, including two prominent scientists, have done well. It's been a pretty good hearing.

The first time the Senate held a hearing on old growth and owls, back in the '80s, the topic was so unfamiliar that a southern Senator was confused when old growth was mentioned. He thought he was hearing the word okra!

Senator Craig of Idaho and Senator Smith of Oregon are on the subcommittee. They're both grandstanding a bit with a timber industry spin about carbon and fire: got to log it before it burns into the atmosphere. Dr. Dave Perry clarified that big trees are the best sequesters of carbon and most resistant to fire.

We've come a long way since old growth was confused for okra, but there's still an old guard not ready to move forward. Did I mention that Senator Craig is retiring?

Update 3/25. The full hearing can be seen on senate website (Real Player required)