position:forester

102 million dead California trees ’unprecedented in our modern history,’ officials say - LA Times
▻http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-dead-trees-20161118-story.html

The number of dead trees in California’s drought-stricken forests has risen dramatically to more than 102 million in what officials described as an unparalleled ecological disaster that heightens the danger of massive wildfires and damaging erosion.

Officials said they were alarmed by the increase in dead trees, which they estimated to have risen by 36 million since the government’s last survey in May. The U.S. Forest Service, which performs such surveys of forest land, said Friday that 62 million trees have died this year alone.

“The scale of die-off in California is unprecedented in our modern history,” said Randy Moore, the forester for the region of the U.S. Forest Service that includes California. Trees are dying “at a rate much quicker than we thought.”

#arbre #sécheresse #Californie

The man who ​thinks trees talk to each other | Environment | The Guardian
▻https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/12/peter-wohlleben-man-who-believes-trees-talk-to-each-other?CMP=twt_a-env

Trees have friends, feel loneliness, scream with pain and communicate underground via the “woodwide web”. Some act as parents and good neighbours. Others do more than just throw shade – they’re brutal bullies to rival species. The young ones take risks with their drinking and leaf-dropping then remember the hard lessons from their mistakes. It’s a hard-knock life.

A book called The Hidden Life of Trees is not an obvious bestseller but it’s easy to see the popular appeal of German forester Peter Wohlleben’s claims – they are so anthropomorphic. Certainly, a walk in the park feels different when you imagine the network of roots crackling with sappy chat beneath your feet. We don’t know the half of what’s going on underground and beneath the bark, he says: “We have been looking at nature for the last 100 years like [it is] a machine.”

There’s a touchy-feely warmth to the book – an “ouch!” when he describes trees having branches hacked, roots cut or being gnawed by insects – and he talks about “brainlike things” going on in trees that enable them to learn over their long lifetimes. He points to scientific research – by Aachen University, the University of British Columbia and the Max Planck Society – that he claims underpins all his vivid descriptions, but he writes as a conservationist and admits that much is still unknown. “It’s very hard to find out what trees are communicating when they feel well,” he says.

Hidden Life of Trees
▻https://bookshop.theguardian.com/hidden-life-of-trees.html

https://d935jy3y59lth.cloudfront.net/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/363x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/media2/1250ee310d33efbdf09b60b119c1034e.jpg

#arbre #communication #livre

Oliver Lewis
Deputy Attorney General
Department of Justice, State of California
1300 I Street, Suite 125
Sacramento, California 94244

Re: Defendant Kamala Harris

Dear Mr. Lewis:

1. In a letter dated July 3, 2014, you informed me that your office is representing defendant Kamala Harris in the action I have filed in Yolo County Superior Court. Please note that I strongly object to such representation because Ms. Harris has been sued in her capacity as a private individual for misconduct which took place before she assumed the position of Attorney General of the State of California — specifically, misconduct she undertook together with her brother-in-law (Tony West), who was employed at that time at Morrison & Forester (alongside James Brosnahan and Chris Young) in her capacity as a member of Obama for America.

As such, I believe that your office’s representation of Ms. Harris under these circumstances is inappropriate, and ask that your office cease from representing Ms. Harris. If you disagree with my position, I would appreciate if you can forward an explanation.

2. Your letter also states that on July 3, 2014 you attempted to file a demurrer to the complaint, to be heard on July 25, but were told by the clerk of the court that it will not assign a hearing date. My understanding is that the last day to file any motion for a hearing date of July 25 was June 27, 2014 (for service by mail). As such, the clerk was correct in rejecting your papers.

Nevertheless, as a courtesy, I will not seek entry of default judgment against Ms. Harris, and will await word from the Court as to when it will hear your demurrer.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.