The giant sequoia lies across the popular Trail of 100 Giants at Sequoia National Forest, Calif. No one was hurt when it fell. (Sequoia National Forest / September 30, 2011)
Posted on 10/29/2011 12:26:50 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
The giant sequoia lies across the popular Trail of 100 Giants at Sequoia National Forest, Calif. No one was hurt when it fell. (Sequoia National Forest / September 30, 2011)
Along the Sierra Nevada's famed Trail of 100 Giants, the mammoth sequoia had stood sentry since King Arthur's knights gathered at the Round Table.
It witnessed the arrival of the first European settlers and the flurry of miners in search of gold. The onset of the Medieval Warm Period and the passing of the Little Ice Age. It stood, unperturbed, through the Great War and the one that followed.
Then a month ago, as a handful of amazed tourists looked on, it toppled — crushing a bridge over a small stream and blocking the path.
Now, the U.S. Forest Service must decide what to do.
Slice a big hole in the 300-foot-long roadblock? Go around it? Over it? Under it?
When you're dealing with a 1,500-year-old sequoia in a national monument, the questions aren't just logistical. They're environmental, emotive and potentially legal.
Officials closed the popular tourist trail, cleared the debris and solicited ideas from the public on how to deal with the fallen giant — actually two trees fused at the base.
Among the 30 or so suggestions: Reroute the trail. Tunnel under the trunks. Carve steps and build a bridge over them. Sell what would be one heck of a lot of firewood.
"This has not happened in the Sequoia National Forest before," said public affairs officer Denise Alonzo, explaining the indecision.........
In considering its options, the Forest Service wants to keep the paved path accessible to the disabled and make sure nothing is done to damage the root systems of surrounding trees, Alonzo said........
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Me too...The more people I meet, the more I love my dog.
Oh and as to what they should do about this tree, I think they should just cut a tunnel so that people can still walk the path. How cool would it be to walk through a tree tunnel? I can’t even imagine a tree that big. I’ve never seen one.
If you have to ask, it’s really not worth explaining. As for who’s spoiling for a fight, I don’t remember talking to you at all. I was responding to someone else when you chimed in.
Home alone again, right? Lay off the booze, rent a DVD and just chill out dude..............
It’s quite obvious who’s spoiling for a booze-soaked fight, lol. Sorry. You’ll have to look elsewhere.
I’m picturing one great chain saw commercial.
BTW...is it now the Trail of 99 Giants?
“I hope you are a little bit pissy at the moment”.
Not at all, teenyelliott. You see, for me to be pissed, I would have to care about what you said. I don’t. The fact that you mentioned that trees would be better off without humans... pretty much tells me what your priorities are all about. Nature over humans, right? Humans are parasites to the planet, right? I’ve read all that stuff before... and quite frankly, it is boring. The tree was nice. It lived a long time. It died. It didn’t “see” history. It didn’t participate in it. It sat there... doing tree things. It isn’t the last of its kind either. Yes... earth and all God has given us is a wonderful thing BUT to elevate a tree to human status is wrong. Have a good night!
I didn't do that.
And I didn't say you were pissed, I said you were being pissy, which you are.
Like I said before, people can disagree without being crappy. There really is no reason to be rude to anyone.
But you two keep keepin on with yer bad selves. You are certainly free to do so.
I do thank you both for the lesson, however. I will take this exchange as incentive to reinforce to my children the old adage of "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."
Somehow this how-to-fix thread has devolved into a barroom brawl.
Shame, because FReepers can fix anything and everything you throw at us.
I’m curious if the tree is technically dead (shows no infrared signature) or just lost its roots in the fall and can be revived with a massive soil pile-up.
This is a forum where debate takes place. When you make idiotic statements that trees are better off without mankind and humans are parasites, you bet you're going to get challenged.
Maybe you should edit your your old adage to" if you don't have anything intelligent to say, don't say it.
And if that sounds pissy to you it isn't, I'm typing it with tears running down my cheeks from laughing at your ridiculous post!
Seriously... why does she and Tyrone think we are mad?! I’ve been laughing till my sides hurt at the FReeper comments. FReepers have the best sense of humor. Why is it when someone disagrees with a comment.. they are suddenly pissy, mad or rude?
Don't forget hateful!
Actually, it is the first defense of someone who cannot defend a ludicrous position with any logic.
Ah... yes. The wonderful “hateful” word. Why are we such HATERS?!! Because we disagree and we point out the ludicrous.
Ents are not trees. :-) You will now apologize to Treebeard. ;-)
How are those not true statements?
Would the Earth or all the trees die without humans? Nope.
Would humans die without the Earth or any trees? Yep.
It is the human who needs the Earth, not the other way around. It is the human who needs the trees, not the other way around.
You can think that is hippie drivel all day long for all I care, because that is what you have been taught.
However, it is the truth, whether you like it or not. This planet does not need your lawn or your trash or your car or any of the things that make your life easier. You are a parasite and if that offends your delicate sensibilities as an all important human being well then I suppose you just refuse to see the biological picture that is life on this planet.
A parasite is any organism that lives on another organism and benefits from it. An organism is a living thing. Now, I would think you would agree that the Earth is not a dead planet, so if it is not dead then it must be living. Thus, humans are parasites on the Earth.
I guess people have to see themselves as being important and necessary. But that is not the case.
I didn't take issue with you disagreeing with me, or even challenging what I believe. I took issue with you being rude about it. It is just not necessary.
This grove of giant sequoias, number about 125, and about 700 others less than 10 feet in diameter, but still quite giant by any measure.
Earth is a planet, not an organism. I dislike having to be the person to tell you that but there it is anyway. God did not make Earth or the sequoia’s in His image but He did mention something about worshipping false gods. Thank the good Lord for trees and venison and make good use of both.
It’s a plant. Granted, it’s a big plant, but as a plant it has a life cycle. In this case, the curtain has rung down, it’s joined the choir invisible, it’s a dead tree. It needs to be honored as decking material, siding and really old firewood.
Funny you have brought up hippie drivel a couple of times on this thread yet I have not nor any other poster ever mentioned it.
Do you have some kind of complex over it?
The planet is an organism? Yeah, now that does sound like hippie drivel.
God gave man dominion, end of story.
Buzz off with your liberal hippie drivel and go worship your god earth.....or is it the trees?
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