I seriously doubt that DJT really believes that CC is a hoax, he's surrounded by too many people that couldn't deny it, lots of 'normal' people with 'common sense' and thousands working at NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research where it's a 'given'.
I suspect it's simply a policy position. He, they, know it's far too late and that we have close to no agency in the outcome.
It's easier to look like a moron than face the youth.
Aside from the horror of facing collapse and extinction, studying the cognitive dissonance as this shit show unravels is a science of its own!
I'm not sure, I think DJT is pretty thick, but, of course, his handlers know all about the anthropogenic climate crisis. They, ie US based interests in oil, animal ag, pharma (animal ag is their biggest customer), finance and arms know exactly what's happening and that it's affecting the global south (their enemies to hegemony and primacy)first and worst.
That's why they are deliberately accelerating climate change; with propaganda its not happening, not something to worry about or not something we can do anything about anyway, and with war. Lots of war.
"This brings us to the deeply flawed debate over 'forest management' — a term that has been weaponised by politicians who speak of thinning and prescribed burns as panaceas, often with the simplistic refrain that we should simply 'manage our forests bigly'."
If you've ever seen an old homestead in the west, you'll probably see a row of aspen, generally toward the prevailing winds.
Aspen are well-known for their wildfire-fighting abilities. Most non-managed forests will feature aspens at regular intervals, which serves as a natural fire-break, keeping a lightning strike from becoming a conflagration.
But when we "manage" a forest, we manage it for economic activity. The Doug Fir comes out and goes to saw mills. The spruce and pine get cut up for firewood. The aspen, alder, and yew get trashed as "useless" trees. Then, the forest is re-planted in 100% Doug Fir.
That is, until we "discover" some economic usefulness. Yew, once the best wood for bows and arrows, is now the source for taxol, a potent breast cancer treatment.
After the trees are gone, the land is re-planted with 100% Doug Fir. No firebreak species are included.
We need to bring back the aspen. Especially around settlements and homesteads, but even better, QUIT REMOVING IT in favour of "economically important" species!
If a regular-spaced pattern of aspen "saves" Doug Fir from being consumed by fire, aspen should also be an "economically valuable" tree, no?
• The study found that, as the percentage of aspen cover increased in a burned patch, the daily area burned and maximum linear spread both decreased. This effect increased as the percentage of aspen cover increased. For example, when aspen cover within a daily burn patch was less than 10 percent, the mean burned patch size was 1112 ± 84 ha/day. However, when aspen cover exceeded 25 percent, the mean daily burned patch size averaged 368 ±43 ha/day. The researchers found similar effects for linear spread.
• These effects remained consistent relative to other vegetation types regardless of weather or climate. So, while particularly dry or windy conditions cause all vegetation types to burn more, aspen stands still burn at a lower rate than conifer stands.
Aspens influence fire perimeters
• Aspens were also disproportionally represented at the perimeters of fires—they were 44 percent more abundant in perimeters than burn interiors. While aspen stands will not stop a fire dead in its tracks, this result indicates that they can alter fire perimeters and potentially help slow fire spread.
Excellent article, thank you. And I agree about the risks and the insidiousness of the authoritarianism being cranked up in these troubled times. It's not surprising, given collapse surely brings out the most authoritarian in those who seek power, but still awful to witness and live through.
I seriously doubt that DJT really believes that CC is a hoax, he's surrounded by too many people that couldn't deny it, lots of 'normal' people with 'common sense' and thousands working at NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research where it's a 'given'.
I suspect it's simply a policy position. He, they, know it's far too late and that we have close to no agency in the outcome.
It's easier to look like a moron than face the youth.
Aside from the horror of facing collapse and extinction, studying the cognitive dissonance as this shit show unravels is a science of its own!
https://kevinhester.live/2020/02/28/cognitive-dissonance-and-outright-lies-at-the-edge-of-extinction/
I'm not sure, I think DJT is pretty thick, but, of course, his handlers know all about the anthropogenic climate crisis. They, ie US based interests in oil, animal ag, pharma (animal ag is their biggest customer), finance and arms know exactly what's happening and that it's affecting the global south (their enemies to hegemony and primacy)first and worst.
That's why they are deliberately accelerating climate change; with propaganda its not happening, not something to worry about or not something we can do anything about anyway, and with war. Lots of war.
"This brings us to the deeply flawed debate over 'forest management' — a term that has been weaponised by politicians who speak of thinning and prescribed burns as panaceas, often with the simplistic refrain that we should simply 'manage our forests bigly'."
If you've ever seen an old homestead in the west, you'll probably see a row of aspen, generally toward the prevailing winds.
Aspen are well-known for their wildfire-fighting abilities. Most non-managed forests will feature aspens at regular intervals, which serves as a natural fire-break, keeping a lightning strike from becoming a conflagration.
But when we "manage" a forest, we manage it for economic activity. The Doug Fir comes out and goes to saw mills. The spruce and pine get cut up for firewood. The aspen, alder, and yew get trashed as "useless" trees. Then, the forest is re-planted in 100% Doug Fir.
That is, until we "discover" some economic usefulness. Yew, once the best wood for bows and arrows, is now the source for taxol, a potent breast cancer treatment.
After the trees are gone, the land is re-planted with 100% Doug Fir. No firebreak species are included.
We need to bring back the aspen. Especially around settlements and homesteads, but even better, QUIT REMOVING IT in favour of "economically important" species!
If a regular-spaced pattern of aspen "saves" Doug Fir from being consumed by fire, aspen should also be an "economically valuable" tree, no?
But no. We destroy what we don't understand.
Requisite link: https://research.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2025-12/pnw-aspen_fire_suppression_fact_sheet_-_final_review_draft_3.pdf
Aspens impede fire spread
• The study found that, as the percentage of aspen cover increased in a burned patch, the daily area burned and maximum linear spread both decreased. This effect increased as the percentage of aspen cover increased. For example, when aspen cover within a daily burn patch was less than 10 percent, the mean burned patch size was 1112 ± 84 ha/day. However, when aspen cover exceeded 25 percent, the mean daily burned patch size averaged 368 ±43 ha/day. The researchers found similar effects for linear spread.
• These effects remained consistent relative to other vegetation types regardless of weather or climate. So, while particularly dry or windy conditions cause all vegetation types to burn more, aspen stands still burn at a lower rate than conifer stands.
Aspens influence fire perimeters
• Aspens were also disproportionally represented at the perimeters of fires—they were 44 percent more abundant in perimeters than burn interiors. While aspen stands will not stop a fire dead in its tracks, this result indicates that they can alter fire perimeters and potentially help slow fire spread.
Thanks for the link!
Excellent article, thank you. And I agree about the risks and the insidiousness of the authoritarianism being cranked up in these troubled times. It's not surprising, given collapse surely brings out the most authoritarian in those who seek power, but still awful to witness and live through.
I think you've managed to hit pretty much every nail squarely on the head. Excellent writing, as usual.
Thank you.