TREES.
TREES. TONIGHT BRANDON RITTIMAN SHOWS US IT IS LOGGING DONE
DIFFERENTLY.
>> Reporter: THIS IS A NEW
SCHOOL APPROACH TO AN OLD
SCHOOL JOB.
>> I'M AN OLD TIME LOGGER.
>> Reporter: BACK WHEN LARRY
ARRANS GOT STARTED, LOGGERS HAD
A TENDENCY TO MAKE FIRE DANGERS
WORSE.
THEY WOULD LEAVE THE SMALLER
TREES IN THE FOREST.
THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS.
>> LOGGERS CAME THROUGH HERE
AND THEY WILL HAVE A MENTAL
IMAGE OF BARE EARTH.
THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU SEE.
>> WHAT DO I SEE?
>> WHAT YOU SEE NOW IS ALL THE
BIG BEAUTIFUL TREES THAT ARE
LEFT STANDING, PROTECTED.
>> Reporter: THE FINISHED
PRODUCT IS A FOREST YOU CAN SEE
THROUGH.
IN FACT, THE PROJECT IS CALLED
VIEW 88 BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSE
TO IMPROVE THE VISTAS ON
HIGHWAY 88 LEADING TO KIRKWOOD
SKI RESORTS.
LOGGERS LEAVE THE BIGGEST TREES
STANDING, BUT CLEAR OUT THE
OVERGROWN FOREST UNDERNEATH.
AND IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT SCENERY.
>> SOME DAY NO DOUBT A FIRE
WILL COME THROUGH HERE.
>> THIS HIGHWAY IS ON A RIDGE
TOP, PROVIDING A STRATEGIC
POINT TO STOP A FIRE.
>> Reporter: WHEN CREWS WRAP UP
THIS WEEK, 30 MILES OF THIS
HIGHWAY WILL ACT AZANFECTIVE
FIRE BREAK IF A WILDFIRE BURNS
ON -- WILL ACT AS AN EFFECTIVE
FIRE BREAK IF A WILDFIRE BURNS
ON EITHER SIDES.
GROUND FIRES USED TO CLEAN THE
FOREST NATURALLY EVERY TEN
YEARS OR SO ON AVERAGE, BUT FOR
THE LAST CENTURY, PEOPLE FOUGHT
THESE FIRES SO WELL THAT MOST
OF THE FOREST IS WAY OVERDUE
FOR A CLEANING.
FIRE SCIENTISTS SAY THAT'S WHAT
IS FUELING OUR MEGA FIRES.
>> THE SMALLER TREES ARE BOTH
COMPETING FOR RESOURCES WITH
THE LARGE TREES, BUT THEY CAN
ALSO ACT AS LADDER FUELS AND
CARRY WHAT WOULD BE A SURFACE
FIRE UP INTO THE CROWDS OF THE
LARGER TREES.
>> Reporter: THE FOREST SERVICE
WANTS ALL THAT SMALLER STUFF
GONE, BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM.
IT'S JUNK.
THE LOGGERS DON'T WANT IT
BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SELL IT.
AND SO THE GOVERNMENT CAME UP
WITH A PLAN.
PAY THE LOGGERS TO CUT THAT
STUFF OUT, BUT NOT WITH YOUR
TAX MONEY, BUT WITH TREES.
>> WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TRADING
GOODS FOR SERVICES.
>> THEY'RE WORKING FOR LUMBER.
GETTING PAID IN WOOD?
>> YEAH.
>> Reporter: REMEMBER THE
BIGGEST TREES HERE HAVE TO BE
LEFT ALONE.
THE LOGGERS CAN ONLY TAKE THE
TREES THAT HAVE BEEN MARKED IF
BLUE PAINT BY THE FOREST
SERVICE.
ON THIS J TREES LESS THAN 30
INCHES WIDE GET MARKED AND
TURNED INTO LUMBER, WHICH PAYS
FOR THE CLEANUP WORK.
>> Reporter: THESE TREES WILL
PAY THE BILLS FOR THE PRODUCT,
BUT THERE'S A BY-PRODUCT LEFT
OVER.
THAT BIG PILE YOU SEE THERE IS
THE OVERGROWTH BUILDING IN THIS
FOREST FOR THE PAST CENTURY.
>> THE PILE OF WASTE WILL GET
BURNED AWAY BY A FIRE CREW IN
THE WINTER OR USED AS FUEL.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WANTS
TO DO MORE WORK LIKE THIS AND
IT IS A RARE EXAMPLE OF A
POLICY THAT CALIFORNIA'S
LEADERS WILL AGREE WITH.
>> WE NEED TO PROVIDE
INCENTIVES FOR SAW MILLS AND
OTHER CITIES TO COME BACK.
YOU CAN SEE A LONG-TERM
COMMITMENT.
>> Reporter: THE STATE WANTS TO
REDUCE FUELS ON A HALF MILLION
ACRE OF FOREST EACH YEAR.
CONTROLLED BURNS CAN'T DO IT
ALL.
AND THEY ARE FILLING UP THE
GAP.
LARRY THE LOGGER KNOWS HIS
INDUSTRY GOT A PRETTY BAD REP
FROM THE OLD DAYS, BUT THIS NEW
APPROACH IS HELPING.
>> EVERYBODY IS VERY HAPPY TO
SEE THE FOREST GETTING CLEANED
UP.
SO THAT STIGMA IS CHANGING.
I FEEL LIKE IT IS A DIFFERENT
WORLD NOW.
>> IT WILL TAKE FIVE TO TEN
TIMES AS MUCH WORK WE'RE DOING
NOW.
LOGGING WON'T WORK EVERYWHERE,
BUT THE FOREST SERVICE IS
SHOWING IT COULD PAY FOR ITSELF
AND