weisserwatercolours

In January 2011, a Pacific ponderosa pine in the Rogue River–Siskiyou National Forest in Oregon was measured with a laser to be 268.35 ft (81.79 m) high. This is now the tallest known pine. The previous tallest known pine was a sugar pine.

 Ponderosa Pine photo by Jason Sturner

The needles are harvested by First Nations and other local artisans, then washed and woven into Ponderosa Pine needle baskets . . .

(photos: PineGardenBaskets, Etsy)

The mountain pine beetle is just over six millimetres long (about the size of a grain of rice). But the tiny forest insect has infested huge areas of mature pine around the interior of British Columbia, causing colossal amounts of damage on B.C. forests.

The beetle likes mature pine and mild weather. Because B.C. has more old pine than ever before, and has had several consecutive mild winters, mountain pine beetle populations have exploded to epidemic levels.  (source + photo: Government of British Columbia)

Here in Kamloops, B. C., even pines growing in people’s yards get ravaged–as much as in our great forests.  It is a helpless feeling, yet more and more innovative products are being developed from pine beetle timber.

Below is the Richmond, B. C., Olympic Skating Oval, totally made from pine beetle-killed timber.  The wood has retained all the pine beetle bores and markings, and has been acclaimed as a ‘truly majestic work of art and design’.

photo: Architectural Review

‘Mountain Pine’, (study), watercolour, 15cm x 36cm, 6″ x 14″, Arches Hot Press 140 lb. Paper, unsold