Author Archives: Norm Benson

It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine

Try matching the quote with who said it (answers at the bottom). Most convincing as evidence of populousness, we men have actually become a burden to the earth, the fruits of nature hardly suffice to sustain us, there is a general pressure of scarcity giving rise to complaints, since the earth can no longer supportContinue reading “It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine”

Weekend Postcard from Mountain Home State Forest

I was the Assistant Forest Manager at Mountain Home State Forest in the early 1980’s. Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest is a 4,800 acre tract of forest land in Tulare County managed by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The State Forest lies within the Tule River watershed some 22 air miles northeastContinue reading “Weekend Postcard from Mountain Home State Forest”

Africa, organic doesn’t work

Nearly one-third of the world’s hungry are in Africa and the Green Revolution has yet to reach the most of the African continent. They farm using organic methods. [Many repeat] “the mantra that ‘sustainable food’ in the future must be organic, local, and slow. But guess what: Rural Africa already has such a system, andContinue reading “Africa, organic doesn’t work”

Weekend Postcard from the Napa Valley

I’ve shown you this picture before. It’s of a vineyard in the Napa Valley less than an hour from where I live. And, it’s an example of deforestation because deforestation is the conversion of the land’s use from growing trees to not growing trees. Farther north and up State Route 29 is Robert Louis StevensonContinue reading “Weekend Postcard from the Napa Valley”

The silence of the limbs

My name is Norm, I love trees, and I’m a forester. Foresters love all the types of forests that exist, young, old, and in between. Trees are awesome. We love all the stuff they provide, such as shade, habitat, cleaner air, clean water, and yes, wood. We are not Romantics. We don’t confer pastoral sceneryContinue reading “The silence of the limbs”

Weekend Postcard from Yosemite-Atop Half Dome

Last weekend I posted a Postcard from Yosemite showing the cables that you use to get to the top of Half Dome. Lexi commented that the view might be rather terrifying. I suppose if one stands on the very edge it could be. The first time I went up I stood maybe 30 feet fromContinue reading “Weekend Postcard from Yosemite-Atop Half Dome”

Postcard from the top of Yosemite's Half Dome

Last weekend I posted a Postcard from Yosemite showing the cables that you use to get to the top of Half Dome. Lexi commented that the view might be rather terrifying. I suppose if one stands on the very edge it could be. The first time I went up I stood maybe 30 feet fromContinue reading “Postcard from the top of Yosemite's Half Dome”