On this day, I think about certain trees in peril in my country, the United States.
I have never seen these trees, which are called sequoias. Unlike other #ThursdayTreeLove posts, I will have to depend on others. Here is a link to info on the fire, and its connection to climate change.For several years, the American state of California, on our west coast, has been suffering from what some are calling a 1200-year old drought. Each year, the summer wildfires get worse and worse. Now, they are imperiling these gentle ancient giants, the Giant Sequoia, some of which are estimated to be 3,000 years old.
Much of this time they've survived without human help. Now, as fires rage closer and closer to their home, humans are trying to save them. These trees have various ways of surviving fires, including very thick bark. They also need the heat of fires to germinate their seeds.
Some may think this attempt to save these trees with sprinklers and special fire retardant foil is misguided, but others will do whatever it takes to save these trees inside a national park. It would seem that recent fires and drought are reducing the changes of these trees surviving on their own.
Recent fires have destroyed sequoias outside the park limits. Fires can be good for many of these forests, and some fires are set intentionally, and monitored carefully, But that's not what these intense fires are. They are not caused by thunderstorms, or people who do controlled burnings, but are set by acts of humankind.
As our climate continues to change, we are forced to make more and more decisions like these.
Joining Parul at Happiness and Food for her second and fourth Thursday of the month meme Thursday Tree Love.
Today would have been my father's birthday,and I think about my father, too. I miss you.
The situation in California is scary.we need policy, not piecemeal decisions
ReplyDeleteGood post ~ we need to heal Mother Earth and fast ~somehow. Xo
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your day,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
The word "policy" in Songbird's comment reminded me of Trump and his "rake the forests" like he thought they did in Finland, where they apparently "spent a lot of time" doing so! Not a laughing matter at all of course. So much of CA forestland is federal land, so that adds to the problem. Best to get something done when both the governor and president are of the same party, I would think.
ReplyDelete...I have seen some and they are historic treasures.
ReplyDeleteThe sequoias are magnificent. I hope they can be saved.
ReplyDeleteMy parents never missed a chance to drive or ride along the Avenue of the Redwoods. I think they're worth saving.
ReplyDeleteI also think that "climate change," though indisputably real, is much more local than global...and fires will be more destructive when land is sprayed with desiccant chemicals, e.g. glyphosate. I am a heretic. You may want not to display this heretical thought.