What are your opinions on timber harvesting?

I often see people talking about how they think logging and the timber industry are bad, wrong, and ruining the environment. If you have ever posted such a comment, or share similar feelings, have you ever considered the benefits of timber harvesting when done following sound forest practices? You wouldn’t take medical advice from a non-medical professional, so when reading anti-logging/forestry literature, or forming opinions about the subject, do you consider whether or not the author or organization (and members there of) have any formal education, training, or experience in the science of forestry? If you feel this way about forestry/logging, have you ever discussed the topic with a forester, or a forestry professor, or someone educated in the subject matter?

In recent years, California has experienced statewide catastrophic wildfires. Have the effects of these fires (the immediate effects we have seen thus far and the delayed effects that will become evident over the coming years) changed your opinions at all about active forest management? If you believe logging is bad, or believe logging means deforestation, take a look at this link:

http://www.fire.ca.gov/resource_mgt/downloads/2009_Forest_Practice_Rules_and_Act.pdf

These are the California Forest Practice Rules; the rules and regulations that govern timber harvest activities in the state of California. Maybe you don’t realize the tremendous amount of regulations, the resulting work, costs, and planning, and the protection provided by these rules.