Parts of Eastern Slovakia suffered a devastating forestry loss during a storm in the first part of 2014. Its estimated that 40% of the landmass of Slovakia is forest. As evidence, the economy suffered and recovery is slow. Two separate storms within a week both wreaked havoc with extremely rare wind velocities. Slovakia borders Ukraine on the east, Poland on the north and Hungary on the south. All the media attention was centered on Vladimir Putin and the Russian aggression into Crimea and the Eastern Ukraine. Death and destruction there in Ukraine paled the natural events in Slovakia's weather.
Surprisingly less damage was placed in the lower valleys of the former Czechoslovakia. The economic and natural disaster occurred in the higher elevations of the hills and mountains. Hundreds of thousands of trees blown over dot the view in huge swaths of land. A delegation from Shenandoah, Iowa observed the devastation to the landscape in Tisovec, Slovakia. There will be no facts and figures in this post but an interesting thought to be shared. This thought derives and is inspired by the scenes viewed of entire acreages laid waste that was once lush with green vegetation.
In a couple of heavy duty vehicles we set out on a trek up the mountainside with a local Forestry Director as our guide. We stopped on the road not long into our journey. In awe we pulled out our cameras and captured the ruin by the roadside. It was easy to empathize with the feelings and concerns of the local residents. One may think, as I did, that this event would be good for the department. My thinking was that the trees are now brought down that eventually would need to be. The Forestry controls the wood supply to the community and promotes future growth in a rotation schedule just as many farmers in the States do with corn, wheat and soybeans. Instead of being a good thing this wound up a calamity in logistics. This storm further upset the rotation and blocked important roadways for their work. The storm had an adverse affect on an already troubled forest.
When we had an up close look I marveled how the trees were wholly uprooted and laid over. So much so that I asked if the trees were mechanically pulled up for safety reasons from the crippling affect of the storm. No, the trees went straight over without any help from man. It wasn't until the next day that I learned an important truth about the trees here in the Tisovec area and about man in general. A parable if you will.
The next day a couple of us went out with another gentleman whose livelihood deals in trees and forestry as well. He explained further the problems facing the forestry here and the infestation taking place. Many of these trees are being plagued with dangerous insects like bark beetles and diseases. It was explained that up until a hundred years ago the native Birch tree was used in all wood purposes whether it be heating or building. Around that time the Spruce was introduced. The Spruce grew just as tall as the Birch and provided an added resource. However, nature seems to have fought back. The Spruce roots do not go deep in the rocky ground of Slovakia. Though tall this also makes the tree very unstable. This is part of the reason why so many trees seemed to be uprooted from the storm. Their roots didn't go deep and were susceptible to the wind. Unlike the native Birch the Spruce doesn't provide the elasticity to sway with the Slovakian winds. Evidently, this intrusive introduction of the Spruce has brought the modern problems of insects and disease.
This learning experience brought me to reflection. In pondering this parable of life it was clear that I was supposed to come at this particular time to learn and bring back certain lessons to the United States. We have a growing problem in the United States and that is in personal identity and moral decay. Too many are mutilating their minds and bodies in an outcry effort to have an identity. Lost in the crowd and the grays of confusion many of our young and middle age seek out artificial individuality. Regardless of popular belief I know this to be evident in the spike of body piercings, tattoos and other activities that enslave the mind like Internet gaming. What we lack is a firm foundation that provides man stability and a lasting happiness.
Every generation has its own unique opposing problems to conquer. This generation doesn't suffer the pains of physical labor like our ancestors or the engineering skills to map out a nuclear bomb shelter. This generation's obstacles suppress and fog those activities and principles that generations past have utilized to gain a firm footing in life. Our fathers and mothers, authors of our lineage, used family traditions, religious values and honesty as their compass. If they were without wisdom they at least knew how to seek it.
Our people today thirst after that which matters most to their inner being. Yet, they fail to find the will to search for it. To fill this vast void, unhappiness finds alternate Band-aid quick fixes to satisfy their self worth. It is true that this is folly because they have no comprehension of what these permanent "fixes" will do to them in the long term. Adverse powers tell the mind to seek immediate satisfaction.
This journey into the perils of the Slovak forest was a visual parable depiction of the storms of life. If we lose hope and fail to provide strong roots for our being we will be at the mercy of the smallest of change in the wind. We will not have the better chance to stand like the native Birch, but one-by-one we will fall because our small roots did not provide a sure foundation in the rocky terrain of life.
The gentleman on this second day in the forest said that its not destruction what took place here but destiny. Storms will come and go, and what we have done to ourselves and the land provide the destiny that storm gives us. There will always be clean-up and moving on. Those activities are a part of life, yet equally as important is learning the lessons from the tempests that plague us.
When you have acquired your foundation and after the storm passes then you can ask yourself - is it destruction or destiny?
Surprisingly less damage was placed in the lower valleys of the former Czechoslovakia. The economic and natural disaster occurred in the higher elevations of the hills and mountains. Hundreds of thousands of trees blown over dot the view in huge swaths of land. A delegation from Shenandoah, Iowa observed the devastation to the landscape in Tisovec, Slovakia. There will be no facts and figures in this post but an interesting thought to be shared. This thought derives and is inspired by the scenes viewed of entire acreages laid waste that was once lush with green vegetation.
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| Trees uprooted straight from the ground and laid over. |
The next day a couple of us went out with another gentleman whose livelihood deals in trees and forestry as well. He explained further the problems facing the forestry here and the infestation taking place. Many of these trees are being plagued with dangerous insects like bark beetles and diseases. It was explained that up until a hundred years ago the native Birch tree was used in all wood purposes whether it be heating or building. Around that time the Spruce was introduced. The Spruce grew just as tall as the Birch and provided an added resource. However, nature seems to have fought back. The Spruce roots do not go deep in the rocky ground of Slovakia. Though tall this also makes the tree very unstable. This is part of the reason why so many trees seemed to be uprooted from the storm. Their roots didn't go deep and were susceptible to the wind. Unlike the native Birch the Spruce doesn't provide the elasticity to sway with the Slovakian winds. Evidently, this intrusive introduction of the Spruce has brought the modern problems of insects and disease.
This learning experience brought me to reflection. In pondering this parable of life it was clear that I was supposed to come at this particular time to learn and bring back certain lessons to the United States. We have a growing problem in the United States and that is in personal identity and moral decay. Too many are mutilating their minds and bodies in an outcry effort to have an identity. Lost in the crowd and the grays of confusion many of our young and middle age seek out artificial individuality. Regardless of popular belief I know this to be evident in the spike of body piercings, tattoos and other activities that enslave the mind like Internet gaming. What we lack is a firm foundation that provides man stability and a lasting happiness.
Every generation has its own unique opposing problems to conquer. This generation doesn't suffer the pains of physical labor like our ancestors or the engineering skills to map out a nuclear bomb shelter. This generation's obstacles suppress and fog those activities and principles that generations past have utilized to gain a firm footing in life. Our fathers and mothers, authors of our lineage, used family traditions, religious values and honesty as their compass. If they were without wisdom they at least knew how to seek it.
Our people today thirst after that which matters most to their inner being. Yet, they fail to find the will to search for it. To fill this vast void, unhappiness finds alternate Band-aid quick fixes to satisfy their self worth. It is true that this is folly because they have no comprehension of what these permanent "fixes" will do to them in the long term. Adverse powers tell the mind to seek immediate satisfaction.
This journey into the perils of the Slovak forest was a visual parable depiction of the storms of life. If we lose hope and fail to provide strong roots for our being we will be at the mercy of the smallest of change in the wind. We will not have the better chance to stand like the native Birch, but one-by-one we will fall because our small roots did not provide a sure foundation in the rocky terrain of life.
The gentleman on this second day in the forest said that its not destruction what took place here but destiny. Storms will come and go, and what we have done to ourselves and the land provide the destiny that storm gives us. There will always be clean-up and moving on. Those activities are a part of life, yet equally as important is learning the lessons from the tempests that plague us.
When you have acquired your foundation and after the storm passes then you can ask yourself - is it destruction or destiny?
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