worldpress_spottedowls-4629
Keith Hamm, a biologist for Green Diamond Resource Company, surveys forestland outside Blue Lake, Cali. He developed a point system based on several tree characteristics that deem the trees important for preservation, especially with northern spotted owls in mind. This method is now widely used by foresters. He is standing inside a grove that the company decided not to cut as so many of the trees met the point level required them to both not cut them for timber value and save them for northern spotted owls.