Renewing the Forest

There are two main approaches to managing a devastated forest area like Mount St. Helens. Each has its own goals, results and importance to society.

View additional devastation and regeneration images in our Photo Gallery.

1.	Create a "biological laboratory," and let nature take its course. The U.S. Congress established a National Volcanic Monument on federal land around the mountain, to be managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Click here to learn more.
2.	Assist nature to regenerate the forest by planting new seedlings, and work hard to restore the area to pre-blast conditions. Weyerhaeuser chose this approach, drawing on science and decades of forest management experience. Click here to learn more.