
| A tiny insect called the balsam wooly adelgid is killing what used to be a thick, dark green forest that once covered many of the highest mountains in Western North Carolina. The trees were so thick and so dark that the mountains appeared black from a distance. Weakened by acid rain and fog, mostly created by coal-fired power plants to the west and north, the trees are easy prey to the imported pest. Hiking along the ridge north of Mt. Mitchell with a friend, we came upon this other pair of old friends, who lived and died side by side, suffering a fate that will eventually befall all their relatives on the ridges beyond. The trees are in no apparent danger of extinction, as the insect takes so long to kill them that they are able to reproduce, but the forest is becoming one of exclusively young trees and old snags. |
| As most people seem to prefer them, prices are for framed prints, ready to hang. I use a very nice matt black wood frame 7/8 of an inch wide, with a white mat. If you would like to order unframed prints, go to the "Purchase" page for pricing. |