I have worked in the Timber industry all of my life, From setting chokers under the big Skagit Yarders, to Production Timber falling (my current position) Jon, In the Timber industry you my friend are what we call a Granola, Tree Hugger, Bunny Hugger, etc. etc.
More than likely the guy is doing this Illegally, There are plenty of idiots everywhere you go that do stuff like this, it's possible the guy is out of work and illegally cutting and selling firewood? That is a common occurrence around here. it is NOT legal to cut living trees on forest service, or state land UNLESS it is a logging sale, The trees are dead, and you have a permit to cut them for firewood, or the trees have been marked as damaged from bugs etc. Are they hauling the logs out on a log Truck? Is there heavy machinery there doing work? Are there trees marked with paint, ribbon, etc? If so its a legal timber sale. By all means, If you think this guy is in the wrong and doing this illegally turn him in to the forest service, they will eventually catch him and he will be in trouble!! Guys like this need to be caught, its a bummer to see Nice living Trees hacked up from Wood cutters! But On the other hand if it is a legal Timber sale LEAVE THE MAN ALONE and let him do his job, until you have done a job like this you have NO IDEA how physically hard, demanding it is! Around here i am called to Fall timber for High Lead logging sides, this means ground machinery can not operate on it due to terrain being to rough, etc. So they hire me to fall the Timber in such places, and they log it from the road with a Swing type Yarder with Cable line, this usually entails Rock cliff, steep, nasty terrain, I put on my gear, throw my saw over my shoulder and go, my life is at risk from the time i start my saw, til my 6hr day is up and i shut my saw down. I invite you to come along sometime, make every step i do in a day, carry the weight i do, etc. i PROMISE you will sleep good that night, and likely have a WHOLE different outlook on Timber falling, and what it takes to get it done.