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Climate change is hastening the demise of Pacific Northwest forests (aka, "Firmageddon")
Oregon Public Broadcasting ("OPB") / Columbia Insight ^ | November 17, 2023 | Nathan Gilles

Posted on 11/18/2023 8:26:08 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom

Iconic red cedars — known as the “Tree of Life” — in the Pacific Northwest have been dying because of climate-induced drought. Deep inside a forest in Oregon’s Willamette Valley stands a dead “Tree of Life.” Its foliage, normally soft and green, is tough and brown or missing altogether. Nonetheless, the tree’s reddish bark, swooping branches and thick, conical base identify it as the Pacific Northwest’s iconic western red cedar.

The rings become thinner over time, indicating the tree’s growth slowed before the tree finally died, a sign that this red cedar died from drought. “That’s why it’s the canary,” says Buhl. “Any tree that’s less drought tolerant is going to be the canary in the coal mine. They’re going to start bailing (out).”

For thousands of years, people have used red cedar to make everything from canoes to clothing. Red cedar’s many uses have earned the species endearing names, including the “Tree of Life.” More recently, scientists have started calling this water-loving relative of redwoods by a less flattering name: “the climate canary.”

Last year, Buhl and colleagues reported that red cedars were dying throughout the tree's growing range not because of a fungus or insect attack, but due to the region's "climate change-induced drought." In recent years, at least 15 native Pacific Northwest tree species have experienced growth declines and die-offs, 10 of which have been linked to drought and warming temperatures, according to recent studies and reports.

Many researchers, Buhl included, are now arguing that these drought-driven die-offs are the beginning of a much larger and long-predicted shift in tree growing ranges due to climate change.

Daniel DePinte, Forest Service aerial survey program manager, suspects range changes are driving “Firmageddon". “The forests are moving uphill,” said DePinte.

(Excerpt) Read more at opb.org ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; US: Oregon; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: climate; firmageddon; redcedar; trees
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"The forests are moving uphill,” said DePinte.

Why aren't they moving north to more hospitable climes?

More hysteria. It's probably good for a science unit in fifth grade in Oregon and Washington.

Notice the soft, lovely imagery of the noble, pristine fir trees and the kind native peoples. Then the shift to really ugly language to describe what white colonist racists are doing to the beautiful fir trees.


EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is part of a collaboration between The Associated Press and Columbia Insight, exploring the impact of climate on trees in the Pacific Northwest.

Columbia Insight is an Oregon-based nonprofit news website covering environmental issues affecting the Pacific Northwest.

Author Nathan Gilles is a science writer and journalist based in Vancouver, Washington.

1 posted on 11/18/2023 8:26:08 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Oregon Public Broadcasting. NEVERMIND.


2 posted on 11/18/2023 8:27:14 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer ('Build Back Better' is a Bidenskyyyyyyism for 'we gotta get rid of all dem white peoples'.)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

Climate change and illegal immigration. Will there be numerous terrorist attacks in the US before Gore’s or Obama’s waterfront mansions are flooded?


3 posted on 11/18/2023 8:30:43 AM PST by ActresponsiblyinVA
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Scaring the heck out of the masses, and it’s working.


4 posted on 11/18/2023 8:31:34 AM PST by brownsfan (It's going to take real, serious, hard times to wake the American public.)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

NW libs are already insane

How to keep them in a state of total fear? Tell them “the forests are dying!”


5 posted on 11/18/2023 8:31:35 AM PST by PGR88
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Difficult to believe anyone who has actually driven through southern Oregon could believe any of this.


6 posted on 11/18/2023 8:34:47 AM PST by SeeSharp
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

If you eat crickets and drink cockroach milk this won’t happen.


7 posted on 11/18/2023 8:35:11 AM PST by packagingguy
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Old growth forests naturally die off - trees do not live forever. They are replaced by new growth, which, due to wacko environmental regulations, is not allowed to develop naturally


8 posted on 11/18/2023 8:35:27 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Of course. And the only solution is put even more power into the hands of the same old people.


9 posted on 11/18/2023 8:37:19 AM PST by Salman (It's not a slippery slope if it was part of the program all along. )
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Cedars are being killed off by a water mold, imported from China, I believe.


10 posted on 11/18/2023 8:39:09 AM PST by gundog (It was a bright cold eday in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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To: ProtectOurFreedom
“The forests are moving uphill,”

They're just trans-altitude, and would prefer you not refer to them as "trees" as that assumes their species category.
11 posted on 11/18/2023 8:40:11 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: SeeSharp

If you get off the main highway, you can see some of the near-devastating work of clear-cutters. It’s ugly as hell, but it’s thriving and growing.


12 posted on 11/18/2023 8:41:20 AM PST by gundog (It was a bright cold eday in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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To: PIF

Yes, my thoughts too...trees get OLD and die. Better to harvest them and replant...but NNOOOO..that’s killing the forest. So many idiots.


13 posted on 11/18/2023 8:42:12 AM PST by goodnesswins ( We pretend to vote and they pretend to count the votes.)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

What is really interesting is that I cannot find “Oregon Public Broadcasting” ANYWHERE on their web site. All over the site, it now all shortened to “OPB” including the URL. Even “About” doesn’t mention “public broadcasting.”

DuckDuckGo shows “Oregon Public Broadcasting” when you search for it, but shows the url “opb.org.” And the Wiki sidebar shows “Oregon Public Broadcasting” and has a full article about it.

It’s almost as if they are ashamed of “Public Broadcasting” and know it sparks revulsion, distrust, and rejection in the minds of many readers and viewers.


14 posted on 11/18/2023 8:44:50 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (“Occupy your mind with good thoughts or your enemy will fill them with bad ones.” ~ Thomas More)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

NOT A SINGLE SIERRA CLUB PERSON WANTS TO ADMIT TO THE BARK BEETLE


15 posted on 11/18/2023 8:45:23 AM PST by ridesthemiles (quiet on those for awhile)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

It isn’t Climate Change that is threatening the forests and the problem isn’t limited to the Pacific Northwest. It is the water grabbers who are causing problems all over the world, in Australia, Africa and the US, snyway. They are raising the water tables, claiming that they need to protect the fish or some other some other “environmentally protected” entity. I know this because it is happening in Whatcom County, WA, right in my own backyard, where old growth trees are dying due to the artificial raising of the water table, which weakens the trees root system.
They believe that he, who controls the water, controls the people. They are using Whatcom County as an example, taking away our water rights to protect the salmon. I have a fir tree that is eight feet in diameter three feet from the ground, the smaller younger trees surrounding it are now dead.


16 posted on 11/18/2023 8:46:38 AM PST by Eva
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To: Salman

The only solution is to spend TRILLIONS and TRILLIONS, shrink the USA population to 30 million, and bow down to Marx, Mao, and Hitler.


17 posted on 11/18/2023 8:46:46 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (“Occupy your mind with good thoughts or your enemy will fill them with bad ones.” ~ Thomas More)
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To: PIF

Old growth builds its own soil over a couple of hundred years. The current plant/ harvest cycle is about 37 years. Soil depletion results.


18 posted on 11/18/2023 8:49:20 AM PST by gundog (It was a bright cold eday in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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To: gundog

IIRC-—LOGGING PERMITS REQUIRE PLANTING 3 TREES FOR EVERY ONE CUT DOWN.

The real problem with that:

There isn’t enough room/nutrients/water for 3 trees where 1 trees WAS. Sunlight cannot get thru the canopy.

Douglas Firs reach maturity & best use around 28-30 years old.

THEN-—THEY AGE REALLY FAST-—Not worth a hoot after about 2-3 more years.

All the “EDUCATED IDIOTS” need more info about trees.

I knew a guy who owned over 8600 acres of marketable timber.. Learned alot. 3rd generation timber grower.

NOT many trees have the genes of Bristlecone Pines.


19 posted on 11/18/2023 8:50:09 AM PST by ridesthemiles (quiet on those for awhile)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Red Cedar makes a fine tone wood for guitars. The tighter the rings the better. Cut a few down for me.


20 posted on 11/18/2023 8:54:31 AM PST by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
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