So very sad.

[e_juliana]

I am very much a tree person. In Fairbanks, there's not really shade trees. There's birch, alder, cottonwood, white spruce, and black spruce. All of those grow up instead of out, so the effect is many skinny trees all hanging out. In addition, the fall season is approximately one week long, so the trees just turn yellow and then shed their leaves. If they're lucky, they do it before the first big snow hits.

So, when I came to Minnesota, the thing that made me the happiest about my new home was the amazing, huge, overarching trees and the colors those would turn in the fall. One of my favorite sights was standing at the top of the hill in St. Peter looking towards the river, and seeing the entire valley aflame with these wonderful trees all orange and red and gorgeous. One of my favorite things about the Cities is how many trees there are in the city proper. We have parks, we have random green spaces, we have trees in between the sidewalks and street.

Why am I sad then? This is why: Minnesota is losing its shade trees. Dutch Elm disease is rampaging through the Cities, and old, stately trees are coming down. Orange spraypaint on a tree trunk can make me tear up at this point. I know it needs to happen, we have to get the infestation under control, but it seems so unfair. Especially since it seems that global warming is playing a major part in the growth of the beetle population, much like it is in the spruce stands in Alaska. One of the saddest sights I've seen is acres and acres of dead grey spruces, all leaning against each other as if needing each other's strength.

I know it's part of the ecosystem and cycle of life. It's still a heartbreaking sight.

Comments

[calligrafiti.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry you're losing your elms. The town I grew up in, Alpena, MI, had these huge elms just arcing over the main downtown roads. When I left they were just starting to be eaten away by Dutch Elm disease. The elms have such a lovely, unique shape -- it's sad to see them go.

[e-juliana.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I wish there was more that could be done, but aggressive cutting is really the only way.

[debg.livejournal.com]

The Bay Area - and Napa, particularly - has had a similar problem. The fact that Dutch Elm slammed us the same winter as a huge winter El Nino storm took down over a thousand trees in Golden Gate Park was just particularly misery-inducing.

[e-juliana.livejournal.com]

Oh, that must have been hard. I wonder how the Boundary Waters is doing, since they had that huge blow-down a few years ago...

[sail-aweigh.livejournal.com]

Huh. Milwaukee (and I'd say most of Wisconsin) lost most of it's elms back in the 60's, the time my family was living there. I had no idea Dutch elm hadn't gotten nearly every elm in the country by now. It's sad to hear you're losing those beautiful trees now.