Climactic change: Should Wyoming be worried? (Lander, Boulder: calculating, camping, maintenance)

[WyoNewk]

I haven't delved into global warming issues either. I can remember studying it in grade school in the 50s, and I lived in Alaska in the late 60s, went back for visits in the 80s and 90s, and I can tell you I was shocked on return trips when I saw what had become of the glaciers. As I'd known them, they were GONE! (Actually retracted by miles.) But I understand that parts of the ice cap in Antarctica are growing and that parts of the ocean are cooling.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by chewysplace

The deforestation is a very good point, and I believe to be a problem. Many of the scientific papers I read point out that the extensive loss of the rain forest around the world is contributing. The rain forests filter millions of tons of co2 into oxygen. Thats why I am totally in support of spending more time and money on refurbishing the rain forest and less on government regulation, global government, and Cap and Trade, but you don't hear much about that because there isn't billions of dollars in profit to be made from it.

I agree with investing more in trying to replace and rebuild the rainforest, or even the clear cut forests here in the US. However, I don't see how we are going to prevent more destruction of our natural environment without more government regulation.

[jody_wy]

we actually have more trees in the USA then when Columbus came, sure alot of land was cleared but alot been let go back to trees... some parrie areas have more trees just because there not the fires tere once was.
Porperly manage grass lands , that are harvest (grazed or Hayed) store tons of CO2 in the ground building soil. Some grass land can hold more co2 then some forest land depending on managment and climate

[Froggie Legs]

Came across this interesting article. on global cooling... I know my parents said 30 years ago they predicted we were heading into an ice age. This is the first spring that we've seen snow in northern MN in May in the last 21 years.. Could be something about it.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by jody_wy

we actually have more trees in the USA then when Columbus came, sure alot of land was cleared but alot been let go back to trees... some parrie areas have more trees just because there not the fires tere once was.
Porperly manage grass lands , that are harvest (grazed or Hayed) store tons of CO2 in the ground building soil. Some grass land can hold more co2 then some forest land depending on managment and climate

This world forestation map indicates huge areas that were once forested that are no longer. HowStuffWorks "Maps of World Forest Cover" I understand the same thing has happened with grass lands.

[chewysplace]

Originally Posted by Froggie Legs

Came across this interesting article. on global cooling... I know my parents said 30 years ago they predicted we were heading into an ice age. This is the first spring that we've seen snow in northern MN in May in the last 21 years.. Could be something about it.

Thank you for posting that article, I read it twice and bookmarked the page, it really sums up what I believe very well. Though I don't dispute that man has done damage to the earth in the past, we have also made great strides to clean up what we have done, and should continue doing so.

This article also touched on the topic of the climate models, which I give 0 credibility too. These models are used to show whatever the people feeding the information into the computer want it to show. I have read that in reality there isn't a computer in existence that is powerful enough to take in to account all the variables that contribute to the climate. Someone could use a computer model to show that the sky will be purple in 50 years, they just have to plug in the data to get the result they want. The weather channel can't be that accurate for a 7 day forecast, how in the world can we put any credibility into a 50 year forecast. GREAT ARTICLE

[chewysplace]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

I agree with investing more in trying to replace and rebuild the rainforest, or even the clear cut forests here in the US. However, I don't see how we are going to prevent more destruction of our natural environment without more government regulation.

You are correct, unfortunately it is a double edged sword. I suppose it come's down to my desire that people should take responsibility for our actions, and to do things without the Government passing laws to force us to, but that doesn't seem to be happening alot these days.

[jody_wy]

well said that wrong
"
[LEFT]We can actually chart the change in forest cover over 350 years. Many people don’t
recognize that the low point in forest cover was actually late in the 19[SIZE=1][SIZE=1]th [/SIZE][/SIZE]century. We[/LEFT]
have more forests today, but there is a worrisome trend in the past 25 years."
http://www.co.cal.md.us/assets/Planning_Zoning/Slideshows/TheValueOfForests1.pdf (broken link)

we have had a 20% grow back since the late 1800 in the USA
biggest threat today is the USA is not Ag but development.

[jody_wy]

here one that show less forest then 400 years ago but more trees today....
Liberals Cannot See the Trees for the Forests from Planck's Constant

[jody_wy]

good example of trees where there was no trees is out Temporary Capital , Cheyenne . When the Capital building was done you could not see a tree any where from the top of the building. Look at the trees there now.
We may have less forest area in the USA then 400 years ago but there are more trees.