Despite the obvious tension between environmental activists and the logging industry, a plan has been created for the largest forestry experiment in the USA, which could arguably be the largest in the world as well. It has, however, encountered serious obstacles: the study involves logging in the designated forest area to try and find an answer to the Big Question: if wood remains a necessary resource in the world, yet biodiversity is declining, what is the best way to balance timber production with nature conservation?

The research project has been developed by researchers at Oregon State University: 33,000 hectares in the state of Oregon (USA) will be divided into 40 plots, where scientists will test various forest management strategies, including intensive logging, in each of them. The so-called "advisory committee", which includes hunters, environmental activists, loggers and representatives of local Native American tribes, gave the green light to the research project on 22 April.