Biscuit Fire publication controversy
Encyclopedia
The Biscuit Fire publication controversy refers to an academic and political controversy in the United States
which occurred in January 2006. The U.S Forest Service
and a group of professors (including six at the Oregon State University
College of Forestry
) wrote a letter to the prestigious scientific journal Science
, requesting that publication of a short forestry paper written by an OSU Forestry graduate student (and others) be delayed until the authors could respond to it, arguing the article was "short on qualifiers and context". Alternatively, the group requested that Science publish a sidebar illustrating their concerns alongside the paper. Science refused, and the paper (which had already undergone peer review
and had been approved for publication) appeared in the January 20, 2006 edition of the journal. The paper had previously been published in the online edition of Science, prior to the letter being written.
, a massive wildfire
which burned nearly a half million acres (2,000 km²) in southwestern Oregon. Some forestry scientists, as well as the Bush administration
, have proposed that salvage logging
--removal of dead trees after a fire (many of which may still be usable as timber
)--is necessary for fire safety and forest regeneration. Donato et al.’s research provides some evidence refuting this view. They compared sections of the burn which were burned severely then were salvage logged to sections which had only been burned. They found the unlogged portions had significantly more conifer seedlings than were found in the logged portions. The paper suggested that soil disturbance and materials left over from the logging process may have disturbed the growth of seedlings. In addition, the paper reports on elevated surface fuels in the logged sites, which, they concluded, elevated the risk of future fire.
. Accusations of politically-motivated bias have flown in both directions, and critics of the incident have noted that the College receives 10% of its funding from a tax on logging
, and that many professors have ties with the Forest Service and the logging industry. Defenders of the college have noted that the vast majority of research in the college is funded by competitive grants and that collaboration with government agencies and relevant industries is common across the sciences. Hal Salwasser, the dean of the College of Forestry, eventually survived a vote of confidence and apologized for his part in the controversy, and reaffirmed OSU's support for academic freedom.
The letter's primary author, OSU forestry engineering professor John Sessions, has claimed that the paper's publication constitutes a failure of the peer review process, and that he would appeal the matter to the board of Science. Science editor-in-chief Donald Kennedy
has stated, in a letter to The Oregonian
, that it "would be foolish to argue that no consideration of the political extensions of this finding could have entered the decision" regarding publication; however, he believes that the paper would have "made it (to publication) on its own".
, and a response from Donato and his colleagues.
Evergreen Magazine subsequently committed an entire issue to a discussion of the controversy.
In the following year, two new papers substantiated, in part, Donato's findings. Natural conifer regeneration following severe fires in the Siskiyou Klamath region was common and stocking standards were always exceeded without planting, although natural regenerated conifers grew slower than planted conifers. Thompson and others found that Biscuit Fire severity was higher in areas that had been burned and salvaged fifteen years earlier (1987) than it was in comparable areas that were burned in 1987 but left unmanaged.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
which occurred in January 2006. The U.S Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
and a group of professors (including six at the Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
College of Forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
) wrote a letter to the prestigious scientific journal Science
Science (journal)
Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is one of the world's top scientific journals....
, requesting that publication of a short forestry paper written by an OSU Forestry graduate student (and others) be delayed until the authors could respond to it, arguing the article was "short on qualifiers and context". Alternatively, the group requested that Science publish a sidebar illustrating their concerns alongside the paper. Science refused, and the paper (which had already undergone peer review
Peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
and had been approved for publication) appeared in the January 20, 2006 edition of the journal. The paper had previously been published in the online edition of Science, prior to the letter being written.
Science article
The paper, written by graduate student Dan Donato and several colleagues, concerned the effects of logging in the aftermath of the 2002 Biscuit FireBiscuit Fire
The Biscuit Fire was a wildfire that took place in 2002 that burned nearly 500,000 acres in the Siskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon and northern California, in the Western United States...
, a massive wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
which burned nearly a half million acres (2,000 km²) in southwestern Oregon. Some forestry scientists, as well as the Bush administration
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
, have proposed that salvage logging
Salvage logging
Salvage logging is the practice of logging trees in forest areas that have been damaged by wildfire, flood, severe wind, disease, insect infestation, or other natural disturbance.The primary motivation of salvage logging is economic...
--removal of dead trees after a fire (many of which may still be usable as timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
)--is necessary for fire safety and forest regeneration. Donato et al.’s research provides some evidence refuting this view. They compared sections of the burn which were burned severely then were salvage logged to sections which had only been burned. They found the unlogged portions had significantly more conifer seedlings than were found in the logged portions. The paper suggested that soil disturbance and materials left over from the logging process may have disturbed the growth of seedlings. In addition, the paper reports on elevated surface fuels in the logged sites, which, they concluded, elevated the risk of future fire.
Political involvement
The incident, and its aftermath, have had significant repercussions in the forestry community, and has highlighted the political obstacles surrounding much of forestry science and research. Originally, when the letter came to light, the College of Forestry was subjected to heavy criticism from both within and outside for what many perceived as an unwarranted attack on academic freedomAcademic freedom
Academic freedom is the belief that the freedom of inquiry by students and faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy, and that scholars should have freedom to teach or communicate ideas or facts without being targeted for repression, job loss, or imprisonment.Academic freedom is a...
. Accusations of politically-motivated bias have flown in both directions, and critics of the incident have noted that the College receives 10% of its funding from a tax on logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
, and that many professors have ties with the Forest Service and the logging industry. Defenders of the college have noted that the vast majority of research in the college is funded by competitive grants and that collaboration with government agencies and relevant industries is common across the sciences. Hal Salwasser, the dean of the College of Forestry, eventually survived a vote of confidence and apologized for his part in the controversy, and reaffirmed OSU's support for academic freedom.
The letter's primary author, OSU forestry engineering professor John Sessions, has claimed that the paper's publication constitutes a failure of the peer review process, and that he would appeal the matter to the board of Science. Science editor-in-chief Donald Kennedy
Donald Kennedy
Donald Kennedy is an American scientist, public administrator and academic.Donald Kennedy was born in New York and educated at Harvard University...
has stated, in a letter to The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
, that it "would be foolish to argue that no consideration of the political extensions of this finding could have entered the decision" regarding publication; however, he believes that the paper would have "made it (to publication) on its own".
Ongoing research and discussion
The August 4, 2006 issue of Science contained comments by the OSU professors, congressman Brian BairdBrian Baird
Brian Norton Baird is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1999 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district comprises the counties of Thurston, Lewis, Pacific, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Clark, and Skamania....
, and a response from Donato and his colleagues.
Evergreen Magazine subsequently committed an entire issue to a discussion of the controversy.
In the following year, two new papers substantiated, in part, Donato's findings. Natural conifer regeneration following severe fires in the Siskiyou Klamath region was common and stocking standards were always exceeded without planting, although natural regenerated conifers grew slower than planted conifers. Thompson and others found that Biscuit Fire severity was higher in areas that had been burned and salvaged fifteen years earlier (1987) than it was in comparable areas that were burned in 1987 but left unmanaged.