Some observations.. A large and old birch tree, at my church had to be taken down (damaged in a storm I believe). The City now requires my Church to plant a new tree in its place. Not just any tree, but one of 4 specifically approved trees.Apparently the Church is considered a Commercial Property. How about that. What does this have to do with climate change? Birch trees are no longer favored, and are falling down and dying off. I have seen a former 'birch meadow' deteriorate due to beetles that love to nestle in the bark and then worm their way inside and eat away at the tree. I believe this weakness to beetles is a global warming thing, and the birch trees cannot migrate.
Another observation.. Nomadic sheep herders in the Altay region of China - they migrate with their big-tailed sheep, as they have for 1000 years, down to lower altitudes for the winter. The sheep are skinny due to drought conditions, so they can't fetch as much money. Yet migrate they must. (courtesy NY Times today)
Another observation.. Fish migrating from the equator areas north and south towards the poles. Maybe good news for those areas (what new predators or food will they find?), but bad news for those whose lives have depended on fishing and cannot migrate with their wooden boats and families along with the fish.
The world is entering new territory. People are entering new territories. Fish are entering new territories. Those forging ahead are driven by survival. And how will we-who-are-not-migrating treat our newcomers - ?
No comments:
Post a Comment