Desperate Forest

I was in Santa Fe last week and was shocked by the bark beatle devastation in that area which is a direct result of warmer global temperatures.

You just don't expect to see that in Switzerland, that's awful.   

Carol.

E.J. Peiker wrote:I was in Santa Fe last week and was shocked by the bark beatle devastation in that area which is a direct result of warmer global temperatures.

Hi EJ, we had a similar experience when we visited the Bavarian NP - it looks like a war zone - very sad.

Carol Clarke wrote:You just don't expect to see that in Switzerland, that's awful.   

Carol.

Hi Carol, the most obvious changes in Switzerland are to the glaciers - which are retreating at a frantic pace - visible from year to year.

In the Northwest part of the US (and Rockies), pine beetle have laid waste to large areas. It has been going on for a millennium with the lodgepole pine forests. They are on a 80 year cycle of burning, releasing seeds, maturing & burning again. Because of fire suppression, other species of trees are now involved which can be valuable. Global warming doesn't help but is not the reason for the die off.

Swissblad wrote:

Carol Clarke wrote:You just don't expect to see that in Switzerland, that's awful.   

Carol.

Hi Carol, the most obvious changes in Switzerland are to the glaciers - which are retreating at a frantic pace - visible from year to year.

Yes, I am seeing reports of retreating glaciers worldwide, Sinuhe.  What with the effects of deforestation, population explosion and mountains of plastic and other waste, we really are messing up the planet.

Carol.

This really tells the sad story, thanks for sharing!

Mike in O wrote:In the Northwest part of the US (and Rockies), pine beetle have laid waste to large areas.  It has been going on for a millennium with the lodgepole pine forests.  They are on a 80 year cycle of burning, releasing seeds, maturing & burning again.  Because of fire suppression, other species of trees are now involved which can be valuable.  Global warming doesn't help but is not the reason for the die off.

+1 Very well said.

Jasper National Park has also been badly hit by the pine beetles....visitors should expect to see areas of red/orange pines...

John Labrenz wrote:

Mike in O wrote:In the Northwest part of the US (and Rockies), pine beetle have laid waste to large areas.  It has been going on for a millennium with the lodgepole pine forests.  They are on a 80 year cycle of burning, releasing seeds, maturing & burning again.  Because of fire suppression, other species of trees are now involved which can be valuable.  Global warming doesn't help but is not the reason for the die off.

+1 Very well said.

Jasper National Park has also been badly hit by the pine beetles....visitors should expect to see areas of red/orange pines...

Refer to Nature article