Some See Beetle Attacks on Western Forests as a Natural Event - Page 2 - Wildlife Gardeners

CincyGarden · 07-29-2009, 10:16 PM

Is there a way to defeat this?

I mean, really, not to be defeatist (harhar), but what do you do? DDT the area?

Reversing climate change is not going to happen, in the time frame the article seems to indicate as critical.

I'm a little upset by the idea that this article is might be being somewhat sensational (actually, it is) in that it's not giving the lay reader any sense of a) what the "human" scope of the problem is or b) giving the reader any sense of what could possibly be done about it, except "reverse climate change."

I'm quite sure that any reader acknowledging the idea of climate change would love to reduce his/her involvement, but, seriously, wtf?

To be honest, I worry more about the article's suggestion that topsoil erosion (into water supply) may force Forest Service's hand into doing something truly damaging, such as introducing something like kudzu into the region to protect the water supply.

And then, you have a whole 'nother issue.

Scary.

"There are so many insects now that some behaviors have changed. They often go after trees that are smaller and younger than trees they have attacked in the past, or after healthy trees. Beetles used to hatch during two weeks in July, Dr. Six said, and “now they hatch beginning in May and go until October.”
“The whole ecosystem is changing,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
While more than 6 million acres in the United States have been affected by mountain pine beetles, the number is 34 million acres in British Columbia. “It’s a continental-scale phenomenon,” said Dan Tinker, a professor of forest and fire ecology at the University of Wyoming, referring to the total of the beetle kills. “We’re all taken aback right now.”
There is no forseeable end to the outbreak, Dr. Six said. “If it’s climate-driven,” she said, “we have to reverse climate change.”

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07-29-2009, 10:16 PM	#11
CincyGarden Garden Angel Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ohio	Is there a way to defeat this? I mean, really, not to be defeatist (harhar), but what do you do? DDT the area? Reversing climate change is not going to happen, in the time frame the article seems to indicate as critical. I'm a little upset by the idea that this article is might be being somewhat sensational (actually, it is) in that it's not giving the lay reader any sense of a) what the "human" scope of the problem is or b) giving the reader any sense of what could possibly be done about it, except "reverse climate change." I'm quite sure that any reader acknowledging the idea of climate change would love to reduce his/her involvement, but, seriously, wtf? To be honest, I worry more about the article's suggestion that topsoil erosion (into water supply) may force Forest Service's hand into doing something truly damaging, such as introducing something like kudzu into the region to protect the water supply. And then, you have a whole 'nother issue. Scary. "There are so many insects now that some behaviors have changed. They often go after trees that are smaller and younger than trees they have attacked in the past, or after healthy trees. Beetles used to hatch during two weeks in July, Dr. Six said, and “now they hatch beginning in May and go until October.” “The whole ecosystem is changing,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” While more than 6 million acres in the United States have been affected by mountain pine beetles, the number is 34 million acres in British Columbia. “It’s a continental-scale phenomenon,” said Dan Tinker, a professor of forest and fire ecology at the University of Wyoming, referring to the total of the beetle kills. “We’re all taken aback right now.” There is no forseeable end to the outbreak, Dr. Six said. “If it’s climate-driven,” she said, “we have to reverse climate change.”