Mother
Forest sketches -- Page 2
... toward a possible experimental film that would embrace in part
the increasingly
endangered U.S. forest
As mentioned, we're sketching out a possible film that would
include a segment on the Applachian mixed-mesophytic forest and
its
challenges. The Cumberland forest is said to have served as the mother
provider of hardwood trees and other forest life for the North American
continent for 150,000 years but now has been decimated and fragmented.
Threats
are reported to include logging, development, mining, air and
water pollutant contamination, clear-cutting for pine plantations, pulp
and chip mills, genetic modification and invasive species. A good
background on this can be found
at this World Wildlife Federation web page. We're also keeping in
touch with friends, family and other environmentalists to help guide us
on this trail.
Below,
as a brief
light-hearted start, with Eileen and our rescued dogs Mercury and
Jillie, is a six-minute video sketch of a late April hike we took
through a trail in the Savage Gulf State Natural Area in south central
Tennessee to Savage Falls. The area is a mixed mesophytic forest
preserve. Eileen has also gotten out her sketchpad and easel, so
graphic art is also forthcoming.
Below also
is a
two minute sketch of dogwood trees blooming back
of where we live, during and somewhat after a brief storm, with
indigenous woodland sounds along a
power-line right-of-way.