The earth was smoking, so we had to walk carefully. Blackened trees were still glowing on the ashy ground, the tropical sun blindingly hot. Dax and I had walked through towering ancient forest to reach this spot, and so the contrast was shocking: what had once been dark green, jungle-shaded, moist, and lush with life was now obliterated to scorched earth. The trees lay blackened and smouldering. Wildlife was gone. As we walked, we could hear the snap and pop of fire but little else. Everything had been destroyed.
You can read the full article on Age of Union’s website— but I’ll tell you here: this story taught me something. Seeing the regrowth taught me something. It reaffirmed that if we were not doing this work, this forest would certainly be destroyed. It also kindled what I had always hoped: if we can protect this ancient ecosystem, the jungle can endure some scars. We may have lost some crucial acres, but because we are covering most of the surrounding habitat, the forest will continue the endless march of life, and the churning speciation will continue for uninhibited millennia. And long after we are all gone, a great and ancient basin of life will continue to exist in an ever-changing world.
Thank you @daxdasilva and @ageofunion for making this crucial work possible!
