Thursday, April 28, 2011

tree hugging hippies

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150170318658601&set=a.10150170316558601.283378.654923600&type=1&theater

Southern pine beetle!!

The southern pine beetle is actually quite small and is incredible destructive to all species of yellow pine. It destroys the trees by laying egg nests underneath the bark which ultimately inhibit the tree from being able to transport water and nutrients within itself. Since 1972 the southern pine beetle has killed almost 250 million dollars worth of pine trees! Apparently the appearances of the SPB is cyclical and epidemic most often occurring around times of drought or flooding ironically. Apparently, long leaf pine is the most resistant to souther pine beetle attack.


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Olcmulgee National Monument

These preserved mounds were built by the Mississipian culture of native Americans somewhere around 1000 years ago. However, it wasn't deemed a National Monument until the 1930s when construction workers stumbled upon archaeological evidence of 8 separate mounds while digging. Today the most prominent sites there are the great temple mound which was likely used for religious ceremonies and the earth lodge, a gathering place for what were probably the tribe's leaders that is literally carved out of the earth. There are also multiple burial mounds.


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