You might never guess by looking at this photograph, but I made this on a beautiful day with blue sky and dramatic clouds, in an area along a trail in the Cotswolds that was very green. I was surrounded by gentle hills, green wheat fields, and many spring-green trees. But there was this one dead snag, devoid of leaves, standing starkly against that sky.
I’m not sure of the cause of this tree’s demise, but that past week I read an article about the deaths of historic and very old (nearly 1000 years in some cases) oak trees in England. The causes include climate change — trees don’t adapt well to a warming climate or to changes in precipitation — and in some cases too many people walking around near the trees and compacting the soil. I wonder if this tree is one of the victims?
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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.
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