Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Archives for September 18, 2009

White Bark Pine Trees (Part 2): A Note from James Mayeau

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James Mayeu_White Bark Pine_one tree cut “THE trail we were on is at the treeline, 8 or 9 thousand feet.  Most of the time it’s buried under 6 to 10 feet of snow, so not too many people get up their until late spring or early summer…   First people in are rangers who maintain the trail by removing tree falls or routing around avalanches.”

So began a recent email from James Mayeau telling me about a hike up to Round Top Lake with Larry Fields.  They were returning to get some photographs of the White Bark Pine Trees… remember Mr Fields told us about them in the Sierra Nevada Range of California along with that lesson on climate change?  

Anyway following is the official account from Mr Mayeau:

“GUIDED by an experienced hiker with an encyclopaedic familiarity of the trails of the central Sierra Nevada, we made the assent to the headwater of the American River.  [Read more…] about White Bark Pine Trees (Part 2): A Note from James Mayeau

More Smearing of Scientific Scepticism (Part 2)

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THERE was a most extraordinary feature story and then interview last night on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s popular late news program with well known reporter and television presenter Leigh Sales giving American journalist Chris Mooney publicity for his new book and a generous amount of air time to explain that anyone who doesn’t believe in anthropogenic global warming is scientifically illiterate and ignorant.    A friend and colleague Andrew McIntyre send Ms Sales the following email in response:    [Read more…] about More Smearing of Scientific Scepticism (Part 2)

More Smearing of Scientific Scepticism

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IT was once the case that if you didn’t believe in anthropogenic global warming (AGW) and the climate crisis you were a scientist in the pay of big oil.  That was also an accusation in Chris Mooney’s first book ‘The Republican War on Science’.  

Mr Mooney now has a second book out entitled ‘Unscientific America’.   I haven’t read the new book yet, but according to an interview Mr Mooney gave last night on Australian television if you don’t believe in AGW you aren’t even a scientist.   Indeed he told well-known ABC journalist and television presenter Leigh Sales that while society hasn’t agreed on the facts, the scientists have.

Ms Sales initially queried Mr Mooney, suggesting that many claim there is no scientific consensus on AGW.   But she didn’t then pursue the point when Mr Mooney reframed, side-stepped the question and then contradicted himself.   [Read more…] about More Smearing of Scientific Scepticism