How much decline of biological life has there been along the AT over its history?

[Starchild]

The Housatonic River is interesting to me. It is contaminated, so no fish can be taken from it. As a result the fish are plentiful and many very large. On a Kayak trip I was amazed at the size and number and I did recall reading some of the early settlers letters talking about rivers teeming with fish. To actually see that really was eye opening of what we have lost, and very ironically how here we got it back.

[Roll Tide]

Talked with a US Forest Service guy in southern Virginia a few weeks back. He was listening for birds at designated spots in the forest. Said he has been doing this for 30 years and that there are less birds now than 30 years ago.

[VT-Mike]

Yes, just like the newest flourishing national park in Russia! Chernobyl!! The place has been reclaimed by lots of wildlife. They might be a wee bit hot, radioactive but abundant. Sure some other life will repopulate an altered environment but at what cost, of what quality? And ultimately for who's benefit or more likely profit? Frame the argument how you like but IMHO it all boils down to profits. Whats your/my return on investment?

[Berserker]

Chestnut trees used to dominate the Appalachians until the blight that was introduced by man. It was probably mentioned by an earlier poster but if not, yeah that's a big 'un there. Now all that's left of 'em is an occasional chestnut "bush"...i.e. a tree that is trying to grow, but will not make it past a certain point because the blight becomes active once it's a certain age and kills it. So these are easy to spot. Look for the saw tooth leaves, and then look for a dead trunk that is often in the middle of the "bush".

[Venchka]

Talked with a US Forest Service guy in southern Virginia a few weeks back. He was listening for birds at designated spots in the forest. Said he has been doing this for 30 years and that there are less birds now than 30 years ago.

They are all at my feeders in my backyard. You need the whole story to draw conclusions.
Wayne

[Slo-go'en]

You hear all kinds of birds down south, but the woods are eerily quiet up here in New Hampshire. Your lucky if you hear a few tweets early in the morning. Song birds are pretty much gone. Turkeys are making a come back though. Moose are dying off due to ticks.

[TX Aggie]

I know there's absolutely no endangerment to Canadian geese.....

Or their poop.