This is one depressing film. In the script for the narration, from 1947, there is displayed not one regret, not a hint of scepticism, about the destruction of the redwood forests. This has been the fate of forests over the course of our history, and is ongoing in the tropical rainforests around the world.
Wholesale logging of the northern hemisphere began in the 1600's with the settlers and increased as a direct result of population shift from Europe to America and with the slaughter of the Native American tribes. Nothin' but 'progress' by white European/English immigrants. Now, most people don't even see the trees - especially in the weakened state they are now because of all the pollution mankind has caused along the way (another overlooked aspect to 'progress').
Thanks for the cool old film that I may have seen as a movie reel when I was a child.
I lived in the californian redwood forest in the 1990s. It was already very sad for a ton of reasons then. Here, in this city, like in many others, it would take only one storm (very high winds or ICE!!!) for a lot of big branches and whole trees to come down in no time and fuke the grid for a long period.It can happen anyday. Anyday.
Gail, when I came into this blog for another reason altogether ;-) I was not so into following trees as you are. But this summer has given me pause. Here in southern Appalachia leaves have been falling all summer, with some trees turning in August. The leaves, though... the falling leaving rustling along the road... they have creeped me out. They are not like leaves of autumn, nor the leaves of a very wet summer (worst in 50 years)... not the kind of damage you see with mold, though there is that too. What struck me is that these leaves are so strangely crinkly. As though scorched. Now they are not scorched by heat, the summer's been cool here. So I figure it must be a chemical burn. I can't think of anything else that would scorch leaves like that. Keep delving.
The leaves are falling off fast here too, Vera. Every autumn I see that they fall off earlier than the prior season, and fewer change color. They go from green to brown and fall off, instead of turning bright colors, falling off, and only then turning brown. It is going to be especially interesting this year to track the reporting in New England. Fall foliage is big business there, representing major tourist dollars, and the local news channels follow the progression and report on it. Last year I posted a bunch of funny videos where the reporters were genuinely perplexed because they just couldn't locate the fall foliage. I'll be checking this year again and doing more comparisons. Guaranteed they will be depressing. (heh)
"The lumber will last for many, many years". Tree: "1500 years". Lumber: "many, many years". Claustrophobic, this implosive reduction of natural majesty into human utility. And said with such confidence. Thank you for finding and sharing this video. I'll watch it often.
Wholesale logging of the northern hemisphere began in the 1600's with the settlers and increased as a direct result of population shift from Europe to America and with the slaughter of the Native American tribes. Nothin' but 'progress' by white European/English immigrants. Now, most people don't even see the trees - especially in the weakened state they are now because of all the pollution mankind has caused along the way (another overlooked aspect to 'progress').
ReplyDeleteThanks for the cool old film that I may have seen as a movie reel when I was a child.
Tom
I lived in the californian redwood forest in the 1990s. It was already very sad for a ton of reasons then. Here, in this city, like in many others, it would take only one storm (very high winds or ICE!!!) for a lot of big branches and whole trees to come down in no time and fuke the grid for a long period.It can happen anyday. Anyday.
ReplyDeleteGail, when I came into this blog for another reason altogether ;-) I was not so into following trees as you are. But this summer has given me pause. Here in southern Appalachia leaves have been falling all summer, with some trees turning in August. The leaves, though... the falling leaving rustling along the road... they have creeped me out. They are not like leaves of autumn, nor the leaves of a very wet summer (worst in 50 years)... not the kind of damage you see with mold, though there is that too. What struck me is that these leaves are so strangely crinkly. As though scorched. Now they are not scorched by heat, the summer's been cool here. So I figure it must be a chemical burn. I can't think of anything else that would scorch leaves like that. Keep delving.
ReplyDeleteThe leaves are falling off fast here too, Vera. Every autumn I see that they fall off earlier than the prior season, and fewer change color. They go from green to brown and fall off, instead of turning bright colors, falling off, and only then turning brown. It is going to be especially interesting this year to track the reporting in New England. Fall foliage is big business there, representing major tourist dollars, and the local news channels follow the progression and report on it. Last year I posted a bunch of funny videos where the reporters were genuinely perplexed because they just couldn't locate the fall foliage. I'll be checking this year again and doing more comparisons. Guaranteed they will be depressing. (heh)
ReplyDelete"The lumber will last for many, many years". Tree: "1500 years". Lumber: "many, many years".
ReplyDeleteClaustrophobic, this implosive reduction of natural majesty into human utility. And said with such confidence.
Thank you for finding and sharing this video. I'll watch it often.