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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Seeing red among the sea of yellow aspens

Our world is so gorgeous right now. I can barely ride my bike because I want to constantly take photos of the autumn beauty.
So, you can imagine my dismay when K and I rolled out onto the trails this morning and found some subtle things amiss.
First, there were truck tire tracks in a no motorized vehicle forest (I'm told that it was a US Forest Service truck by those who saw it). Second, the truck had tried to go through my favorite sinuous path in an aspen grove behind my house.
Of course, the truck didn't fit on the foot path. So, what did the brilliant USFS employees do? They cut down aspen trees - gorgeous and wondrous aspen trees. That was not subtle - that was egregious.
This is the start of what superficially seems like a logical wildfire "fuel reduction" plan. However, it shows the same blatant disregard for nature's beauty as our local Forest Service has displayed numerous times in the past. In fact, they've reaped destruction in our forests twice in the past 14 years in the name of "fuel reduction". I'm seeing red. There are ominous clouds on the horizon.

Finding the photo below on my wildlife camera certainly took a giant step toward cheering me up. Can you say "Doe Eyes"?
A doe and two youngsters hung around the camera for about five minutes. The fawns have lost their spots and look like miniature moms.
Oh how I love autumn, I love our mountains, and I love our aspen trees.

25 comments:

  1. Oh my heart sank the minute I saw the poor innocent trunk of the once live and beautiful aspen tree.

    What were they thinking? Ah that is the nut and bolts of it, isn't it.

    They weren't thinking.

    This must cut you to the very core. I hope you and your beautiful path of golden hearts make it thru without too much damage.

    Bert said he would come and bite some heels if you need him too.

    MyVickie

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  2. What a beautiful place you live in. Sorry our forest service does such bone-headed things :(

    Wyatt

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  3. How senseless!!! We need to bite out tongues before we say some really nasty things.

    Those deer must have known you needed some sweetness from them.

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  4. Such a violation...and by the very people assigned to be caretakers! I am sure it comes down to budgets and practical bottom-line stuff but what price such fragile beauty?

    This time of year is simply magnificent...and your photos capture the long tawny magic!

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  5. Sometimes people do things that make me sad, this is one of them. :(

    Woofs and Licks,
    Maggie Mae

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  6. can't get much more beautiful than that!! Mom sees red when they prune all the trees in the spring when the birds are nesting..
    Benny & Lily

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  7. Hi KB
    We understand how you feel...
    It is so sad the forest service did that to the beautious trees.
    They are heartless at times, when it comes to our own forest.
    Our forest has feelings,,, but those workers do not understand.
    It's like a masacre of mother nature
    love
    tweedles

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  8. That is just sad that they cut down some of those beautiful trees! You would think that they would have a little bit of respect!

    I love the pic of the deer! So curious!

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  9. I would have been livid, too! I'm glad that you had the beauty of nature around to distract you from something so upsetting. Every day it seems to get prettier in your neck of the woods!

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  10. South of us, in St. Paul, MN they are finding emerald ash borers in some trees and cutting them. Could this be an infestation of something in your area?

    I am always sorry to lose a tree, even one!

    Cheers,

    Jo, Stella and Zkhat

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  11. Well, despite beurocratic idiocy, your autumn is beautiful!

    my vari-word is 'pawsi'!!

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  12. The violation of forests by trucks and tractors is among the many reasons we are working so hard to promote the use of heavy horses to do forestry work in France.

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  13. Beautiful indeed!
    We all have our struggles don't we?!
    To a peace filled weekend,
    Xoxo

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  14. I love the spotless fawn - sooo cute with her big ears!! Awww.... :-)

    Marilyn

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  15. Gaaa! When something becomes a job, it sometimes seems that even those who love the things they care for become blase and careless. Time for another job, IMO.

    I'm glad that the deer came along to cheer you up. Such delicate beauty, and the nature that surrounds them, can't help but do that.

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  16. Augh!!! Poor tree. You're right, though, this time of year the light quality and colors are amazing. I'm normally no fan of autumn (for other reasons), but it is lovely.

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  17. We don't understand either -do not like it BUT what we do like is the other pics of the beautiful fall colors and the the beautiful eyes of the deer.
    Tailwags
    Ernie,Sasha,Chica,Lucas

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  18. I want to say that I can't believe the Forest Service cut down those aspens but - I can believe it ~ I've witnessed some bad choices here in my forest, too. I love that youngster's BIG ears.

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  19. ah, it is so beautiful. But that truck part and the cutting down of trees, no good!

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  20. Take my breath away!!! These shots are simply magnificent.

    I got a hoot and a half outta the 'doe' eyed photo! Curious little booger they are!

    God bless and have a fantastic weekend!!! :o)

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  21. Wow. These photos are breathtaking - such colors.

    I loved the doe eyes. :)

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  22. Oh, so so gorgeous. Breathtaking. It's still very warm down here, the scrub oak are just starting to turn and the aspens are still green. Thank you for this delicious glimpse into autumn.

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  23. It is such a gorgeous time of the year. I'm enjoying your photos, and hope the Forestry trucks stay away. That's ridiculous, and I totally understand your anger.

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  24. I was seein' red as I was reading this. Just shaking my head. Then the following day's post came, and I wanted to scream.

    I wish there was something we could do to positively influence them.

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