All photos © Loree Griffin Burns
In 2008, a resident of Worcester found some strange looking beetles in her yard … and life in this part of Massachusetts has not been the same since. More than twenty-seven thousand beetle-infested trees have been removed from our landscape, and thousands more are being treated with chemicals to curb movement of the beetle. At risk is the entire northeastern hardwood forest, and scientists and foresters are taking a hard stand here in Worcester. It’s a fascinating story, scary and worrisome and a little bit amazing. After a day of field research last week, I’m realizing this story is different from–harder than–any other I’ve ever written about, because it’s close to home. Very close to home.