[Magdalen] 2020d

[cantor03 at aol.com]

It is sad to review the tremendous damage the advent of civilization has had on thetrees of North America.  The damage ranges from such as White Pine Blister Rust whichdamages and kills some soft pines, but doesn't eliminate the species, through the manyfatal diseases such as Dutch Elm Disease, Wholly Agelid on Hemlocks, Chestnut Blight,and Emerald Ash Borer, etc.,
 

 Here in Pennsylvania USA the co-dominant forest species (alongwith the several species of oak) was the American Chestnut.  It is said that the
mountains appeared to be snow covered when the chestnuts were blooming, so numerouswere the chestnuts.  Perhaps the most stunning to me is the killing of all the elms thatwere the favorite landscaping species in Eastern North America when I was a child. 
The streets looked like cathedral arches with the vase-like shape of these trees.Who could have dreamed they would be entirely gone?  We are in the throes of losingour state tree (Canadian Hemlock) and several species of heretofore plentiful ash treesThe ash trees and chestnuts are long since gone.

The Native Americans (American Indians) were fairly benign on the trees of North America,but they did alter the landscape with their habit of burning large areas to keep open spacesfor harvesting wild game.  The effect of Indians on the wild animals of North America isanother matter, as the disappearance of numerous species was probably in large measuresecondary to over hunting.


David Strang.
In a message dated 1/9/2020 12:11:48 PM Eastern Standard Time, jay.weigel at gmail.com writes:

I live among trees-