A Broken Heart, A Soul In Mourning

My heart breaks and my soul mourns......Read On!!!!

 

This is a shot taken on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park in an area of the Kawuneeche Valley known for it's large moose population. We had arrived at the campground my daughter and I, just as it was getting dark and I was unaware of the tragedy that would soon be revieled to me by the morning's light. I woke at 4:30am and headed down to the valley in hopes of capturing some moose in thier natural habitat, but as the light emerged I was shocked to see the vast catastrophe that had ensued here. It shows the devastation that is currently ravaging our treasured forests and National Parks.

 

Here's some more info about the situation in Yosemite.

www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article19642632.html

 

Here's a photo from my friend Jesse Lazaro which shows the effect on Yosemite Valley, this is less than a year of infestation.

www.flickr.com/photos/simplerevolution/31090411001/in/fav...

Thanks Jesse!!!

 

Armies of tiny bark beetles are wreaking havoc on the drought-weakened pine trees throughout California and Colorado in a fast spreading epidemic that biologists fear could soon turn catastrophic.

 

Local, state and federal officials are virtually helpless against the pestilence, which has turned hundreds of thousands of acres of forest brown and left huge fire-prone stands of dead wood.

 

The trees are being devoured by millions of native beetles, each about the size of a grain of rice. The insects, thriving in the warm weather and lack of freezing temperatures, are overwhelming the defenses of water-starved trees, attacking in waves and multiplying at a frenzied pace, depositing eggs under the bark that hatch into ravenous larval grubs.

 

The infected trees are on private and public lands, in national parks, wilderness areas and managed forests. There seems to be no solution short of removing the dead and dying trees and hoping against hope for rain and cold. The worst of it is in the southern part of the state, but pest management experts say the plague is moving north. Let's just hope that there will be natural balance caused by nature to save our beloved Forests.

 

 

Thanks to all my friends and family that have wish me well during my recent sickness. I appreciate all of the kind comments to that regard, I am feeling much better today. Many thanks to you all. :)

 

And thanks for taking the time to take a look at my photos, and as always, your views, comments, faves, and support are greatly appreciated!! Have a great weekend everybody!! :)

 

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