RED BUDS ON THE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA & Dogs

Yes, this is the same wildlife management area that I've been taking the dogs to and dealing with dead fish and road kills tossed along the trail just above the pretty stream to rot.  It seems that filthy, unhealthy habit of throwing dead animals on a pile out in the woods along a walking trail isn't going to stop for some reason so  I took the dogs in a different direction, ignoring the cold stream they like to swim in.  Its interesting that those who throw those dead fish and road kills out on the ground are too lazy to dig a hole and bury them.  And, its nothing but laziness.  Anyway -

The hike in the opposite direction of the creek proved to be a very nice walk.  The forest hasn't been bulldozed down yet but there are fields cut into the woods for planting.  Those always did exist.  The amazing thing here on this land is the colorful red bud trees.  I've not seen them together in this great quantity before.

There is a lack of dogwood trees on this side of the management area.  The groves of dogwood trees were bulldozed over down on the lower end of the WMA along with all the big poplar, oak, pine and red woods just to name a few in the name of the start of a project called Savannah.

The Savannah project, as I understand it, is where land is cleared and mast producing trees and grasses are planted.  The primary purpose of this is to bring back the quail.  No kidding.  Actually the nuts and berry producing trees and shrubs will feed all wildlife.  But, the problem I have with it, as do many, many others is the total destruction of a fantastic forest to accomplish this.  East Tennessee is nothing but farms, huge treeless fields and cows.  Period.  That's it.  So, TWRA took the only terrific 500 acre forest with some real old growth trees and just bulldozed it over.  For what?  Gotta be a politician behind this so called Savannah project.  You've been looking at trees above in the entry.  Look below.  That used to look like what you just saw.

 This entire forest was annihilated!

The shots above are just the area that will fit in the camera.  There's a lot more.  Those tufts of grass are in rows so I guess they were planted with a drill.  The huge, now dead and cut trees lay in long rows, their beauty reduced to woods litter.  All this devastation to plant mast bearing trees and bushes for quail & turkeys makes no sense?  The deed is done so we live with the ugliness and the beauty will not return in my life time if it returns at all.  Anyway, back to the beauty of life.

The upper area of this property is very pretty and I hope humans can manage to keep their saws out of it and their hands in their pockets.  It has an old world, rustic flavor up here and is a pleasant place to walk with a dog, or just sit and write a word or two while sitting in the shade of one of the huge hardwoods that reside here.

I can't walk past a shack or any old building that has a hint of character without photographing it.

The day was very hot, low eighties, and I'm glad I remembered to bring the water for the pups.  We normally go to the stream below but that's off limits now, or at least when I have all three dogs along.  One dog will work but I can't stay on top of all three well enough to keep them out of the dead piles of fish and garbage.

The red buds are amazing!  Chestnut was having a great time.  She doesn't get out much at all and this two hours for her was her Disney world.  It doesn't take much to keep a dog happy.  They like to go somewhere occasionally.  They don't care where - just so it's somewhere.

I had to get back home and pack up the state truck for the afternoon run along the river and we walked back toward my truck that was parked in what I call the dead zone.

I sure hope they, whoever, leaves this area alone as its the only salvation for this wildlife management area.  The lower part of the area is ruined for current generations as it can't possibly grow back in time for many citizens to enjoy before their --- demise.

 Come on girls - lets go!

 My bayba

"Hurry Chestnut!"

Then, we get closer to truck parked on the lower end.

 What were they thinking when they did this?

Sort of reminds me of my home where the neighbor cut all the dead wood out of the woodlot that separates his property from mine.  He thinned out the shrubbery that grew there too.  Now I have to look at his yard with the florescent child's slides and climbing crap along with his house and the rest of it.  The dogs look through the woods now and see movement and bark.  Well, the same is true above.  That forest blocked out all civilization from view.

 Now, buildings can bee seen through the thin line of trees that are left standing.  For decades, and longer, this was dense forest.  It's a shame!

I've made an observation while living over here in this section of East Tennessee.
It seems that folks who live in close proximity to each other or in what they call "rural" settings seem to have lost the ability to appreciate the ambiance of a lake or forest.  They enjoy the lake, woods or trail in mass and call it a good time at the end of the day. As long as the kids are screaming and the bass boats are bassing and the RV has a place to park in the overcrowded campground - it's a great time.

What happened to the need to be surrounded by the beauty of wild places?  At least create places that mimic the wild places so people can be fooled to think they are in a wild place.  I think the desire to seek out and enjoy nature's solitude is lost, gone and replaced by quick fun reinforced by digital "devices", as they now call them.  I guess that's why there is absolutely no wild experiences left over here in this part of Tennessee where I now reside.  A damn shame and its getting worse.  Sell, sell, sell it all.  Then find more land to sell.

 This is what ya get.  Well, I guess a RV park could be started if the idea doesn't work as planned.

Below is the prettiest place on this property now.  It used to be a stand of old oaks but, they are gone now - bulldozed down last year for this project.  So, this is one of the last sweet holdouts.

It is what it is and won't be changed in this lifetime so I'll deal with it.  That means I'll avoid it.  I have to use the WMA as there is no other place to take the dogs off leash anywhere in this part of East Tennessee.  Isn't that a sad state of affairs?  What are we all becoming?