By Jill English
Researchers are growing increasingly critical of a common forest management practice, as studies show it may be causing fires to travel farther, faster.
[…]
The primary ingredient in the Monsanto-made herbicide Roundup, glyphosate has been under scrutiny in both agriculture and forestry for years. It remains widely used, because while softwood species like pine and spruce can tolerate a certain dosage of the chemical, glyphosate can be effective in eliminating the growth of hardwood trees for decades.
[…]
But aspen and birch burn more slowly than the glyphosate-resistant coniferous trees, and some experts say removing them is like quite literally stoking the fires that have plagued the province.
[…]
The value of diverse forests extends to mitigating disease, limiting insect infestations, and sequestering carbon dioxide.
[…]