Where Have All The Forests Gone?

Look around the area that you live in and what do you see? If you are lucky enough to live in the mountains of Western North Carolina, you are blessed to be surrounded by various species of trees, free flowing rivers and streams, and many other varieties of flora and fauna that call these forests home. I have lived in many states and their individual ecosystems over the last 30 years. The one thing that has continually drawn me away from a town or city I was living in was its lack of green. I grew up in the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri where I spent 90% of the daylight hours outside playing and climbing trees. As I grew up, spending time outdoors became less important as adult responsibilities and concerns took over. Life took me to many places like Mesa, Arizona where even the houses appear to all be painted either a tan or peach color, or the houses are so close together and the lots so small that there is no room for Mother Nature to show the residents her glory. Local flora is limited to drought hardy palm trees and cactus like bushes. Last week ….