Green Moss Comes to the Protected Forest

Green Moss Comes to the Protected Forest – Archie Creek Fire, Swiftwater BLM Park

24″ x 18″

Acrylic on Canvas

I journeyed with my two kids up to see the area that burned in the Archie Creek fire, along the Umpqua river. Right before the border of the Umpqua National Forest, is the Swiftwater Day-Use area. Normally, an idyllic location, in the BLM section, after the fire it told a different story. Everywhere a stunningly beautiful green moss was covering the burnt forest floor. However, behind the park, the regular BLM section, full clear-cutting had happened. No green. No moss. No habitat of the burnt logs. As I looked up, green was leafing out from the trees. Funny how all of those must have stopped at the park border, because they weren’t supposed to cut the trees that still had green-tops.

This painting shows that beautiful green moss, the forest living through its cycles, while the background, the BLM clear cut and replanting area tells a different story.