Cascades' reddened forests signal threat to humans

PAT RASMUSSEN GUEST COLUMNIST

Signs that our local forests are stressed by global warming recently struck me while traveling over North Cascades passes in Washington state.The forest is dying near the top on both east and west sides; trees are still partially green but turning red -- old trees, young trees, the forest itself. Tents, and campers, in the Lone Fir Campground were surrounded by these dying trees.The same reddening trees can be seen hiking through the Glacier Peak Wilderness on the trail to Spider Meadow in the Chiwawa River watershed of the Wenatchee National Forest. People are reporting that forests are dying near Mt. Rainier, on Chinook and White passes and down to central Oregon... (more)

Cascades' reddened forests signal threat to humans