Deacon, Brett. Trout lake Reflection II. Brett deacon photography, Yellowstone National park
Yellowstone 2140
Who would have ever thought that the terms climate change, displacement of species, and wildfires would have ever meant anything? The United States is guilty of playing politics and our societies negligence to these existential threats has led to these nightmares. My name is Yaseen Ikramuddin, a biologist, that studies the effects of climate change and invasive species. I was recently invited to the white house to be sent on an important mission. In the morning, I will embark on a journey that will forever change my life. I remember turning on CNN and hearing Anderson Cooper III bring up that there were rumors of mysterious and unexpected activity occurring within Yellowstone National Park. The discussion panel around him argued over whether these events were manmade or natural. I felt devastated that still some experts believed that what was being witnessed was not anything to worry about. I threw my remote and went straight to bed.
I woke up and got dressed. I received a phone call from the white house that a helicopter was coming to pick me up. As I walked outside, I noticed that the helicopter had three other people on board. The helicopter was so modern that t was able to take us from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C within minutes. I arrived at the Rose Garden and was met by the President of the United States. The President told me and the three other people that we were to meet with him and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The three other people with me were a journalist, firefighter, and a veterinarian. In the oval office the President praised us for our talent and told us that we were well qualified for the job. He then made way for the NDRF to speak to us and brief us on the events at Yellowstone National Park. The NDRF told us that they had witnessed that the landscape of Yellowstone had become more grassland. We were also informed that the maintain pine beetles had been killing off Lodgepole Pine, Megafires were ravaging the landscape, and the grizzly bears were on the brink of extinction do to relying on the pine trees as a food source. After this briefing I was told I was being sent to Billings, Montana to witness and learn about the pine beetles, climate change effects, and purpose a solution to slow down the pine beetles. Pine beetles started becoming a problem around 1988, with their role in aiding the wildfire disaster that year. They attack bark of pine trees and when that bark falls to the ground it ignites a fire.
I was sent straight down to Billings on a jet and arrived there within a couple hours. As I dropped down at Yellowstone, I was amazed by how the landscape had changed so much since the 21st Century. It was very warm outside, and the sun was radiating harshly over by body. The very first sight that struck me was how there were patches of grassland. My family had told me as a child that Yellowstone was a majestic and filled with forest area. This discovery came as not a huge surprise to me. Climate change has been known in the scientific community for many years to contribute to warmer climates and spread of fires. These fires are known as a phenomenon known as Megafires. Looking back at history one event that has forever puzzled us scientists is the event known as “Black Saturday”. Black Saturday was a day where Yellowstone was set ablaze in 1988. This left 36% of Yellowstone set in fire and an effected 1.2 million acres of vast forest. Megafires are defined as wildfires that burn more than 100,000 acres of land.
I decided to take some pictures of the patches of grassland scattered across the area. I started to walk around Yellowstone and came across some fallen trees. These trees are known as White bark pines. They appeared to be lifeless, moldy, and empty. Grizzly Bears use to be a vibrant and proud species. They relied on these pines as a food source for survival. The government’s failure to try to preserve these trees led to Grizzly Bears being on the brink of extinction. In our time, only 10% of grizzly bears remained. Grizzly Bears are known to survive by raiding pines cones that are hidden by squirrels and eat the seeds to help bulk up for the cold winter. In the scientific community it is accepted that the reason for these trees being scarce is the wildfires, maintain pine beetles, and climate change.
I took out my scientific journal and wrote some notes about the trees and the very few grizzles remaining in the area. I decided to call a helicopter. The crew and I flew into the air and surveyed Yellowstone. I took out my binoculars and looked for any remaining grizzles. One grizzly I Saw was motionless and lacking energy. It was also breathing heavily. Within moments, it died. I was deeply saddened at this sight. We hovered around more and after 10 minutes I found another grizzly at a high elevation. It looked like it lacked the necessary fur to survive in the winter and looked malnourished. I told my crew that it is my sworn duty to help save Yellowstone and slow down the dangerous pine beetles. I told them to take me to a spot I pointed out with fallen lodgepole pine trees.
I told the crew to stand by and go grab lunch. I was sweating a lot. The landscape was so dry and humid. I took a moment to take out a water bottle and drank most of it. I started then to walk around and take out my binoculars. I saw my most hated enemy the maintain pine beetle. The pine beetle can be described as a mean, vicious, and aggressive. They are relatively small being about a quarter of an inch. I noticed an infestation of them on a lodgepole pine tree. They appeared to be black and dark brown. They appeared to be shaped like cylinders also. On the surface, there appeared to be pitch tubes. I would describe these tubes as a collection of red and amorphous resin mixed on the bark. I also took note that there were vertical egg galleries shaped like a J. They were about 3 feet long. These galleries were packed by boring dust, which I would describe as a brown sawdust material.
I took more pictures and organized my notes. Then, I noticed a few miles away a burning smell and vivid scene. I called for my helicopter to come and take us up above. My crew arrived and told me they had noticed a megafire starting up. They told me we would have to be quick and not be in the area for too long. Below ground a series of fallen lodgepole trees had ignited and started a chain of fires. I started to take out my camera and take pictures. There was a wall of smoke. I could barely breathe in the air. I saw a frightening sight of an expanded fire spreading across the landscape for miles. The trees looked dark and helpless. The crew yelled at me that we had to leave. We tried to fly away, but the helicopter had been set on fire. As we had nearly made it out of Yellowstone National Park. The helicopter started spinning out of control. We decided we had to jump for our lives. We fell into the lake. Our helicopter burned and went down in flames.
My crew and I woke up back at the White House. Luckily, we had not suffered severe injuries and my scientific journal was intact. An emergency distress signal was sent out to recover us. I was told the President wanted to see me. He told me he was glad that I was alive and was grateful for all my hard work. He also told me to be more careful and not take too many risks. He said my other three colleagues were worried about me. They were very relieved to know I made it back alive. He also wanted me to take a break from my work. I told him no and that what I found will be key to preserving our planet.
I was told then to go rest up and meet in the NDRF later that night. I was picked up from my hotel room and brought into the Oval Office through a limo escort. The NDRF and President greeted me and wanted me to give a briefing. I told them of the sights and images I had collected. I urged them that we needed to provide a solution for the climatic effects I had observed in Yellowstone and the pine beetles. They were saddened by what I had found and asked me then and there to give a plan.
I presented to the team a scientific technology known as the Gene Drive. This technology forces the population of a species to undergo a specific genetic modification within a few generations. I stressed the importance of taking advantage of the millions the government has spent for genetic editing tests. The Gene Drive heavily relies on a technique called Crispr. This system works by spreading a fertility reducing gene through the targeted invasive species. Crispr is encoded with a bacterial enzyme known as Cas9. This acts as a functional tool to cut off unwanted DNA. With the addition of guided RNA into embryonic cells Crispr can facilitate its aim. So, if we can inject the pine beetles with fertility modifications, we would be able to slow the rate of reproduction and help preserve Yellowstone.
The NDRF and the President were very supportive of my plan. The president as the commander and chief of the military gave his troops orders to inject infested beetle populations with the Gene Drive technology. With the combination of Crispr and Gene Drive many populations of beetles were treated with infertility gene manipulation. I oversaw the changes to the pine beetle population. The population of pine beetles decreased by 70%. This happened within the course of three years. The lifespan of an average pine beetle is one year.
The grizzly bears slowly increased in population size. The grizzly bear population was now 25%, instead of the alarming 10% a few years back. The bears had their food source back and were able to eat more of the pinecones. I took one more trip on a helicopter around Yellowstone. There were still a few fires in the area. There were still humid temperatures. Yet, I had helped lay the groundwork to preserve the natural beauty of Yellowstone. There was less episodes of fire due to the lessened infestations of pine beetles against lodgepole pines. The grizzly bears also were able to eat more of their White bark pines. More acres of forested land started to appear in Yellowstone. The land was filled with more hope and beautiful long trees.
My work does not mean the threat of climate change is over. There are many changes that still need to happen. There is still a need for the world to adapt and drive electric vehicles. The public needs to not live in a conservative mindset. We need to limit and cut down on the fossil fuel industry. I would call for my peers to consider using wind and solar power, compared to electricity. My role as a scientist is to give the truth, but I will ultimately pray and hope that our elected officials legislate with more empathy and develop the legislation necessary to implement these changes. Thank you for reading my perspective and please read the findings of my three other team members. They are well qualified, and they will shed more light on the value of Yellowstone.
Links of Group Members Encounter Narratives:
Evan- 5f5952e3b64b4.site123.me/
Tiffinnie-Encounter Narrative | Econarratives (wixsite.com)
McKenzie- Encounter Narrative (weebly.com)
I woke up and got dressed. I received a phone call from the white house that a helicopter was coming to pick me up. As I walked outside, I noticed that the helicopter had three other people on board. The helicopter was so modern that t was able to take us from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C within minutes. I arrived at the Rose Garden and was met by the President of the United States. The President told me and the three other people that we were to meet with him and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The three other people with me were a journalist, firefighter, and a veterinarian. In the oval office the President praised us for our talent and told us that we were well qualified for the job. He then made way for the NDRF to speak to us and brief us on the events at Yellowstone National Park. The NDRF told us that they had witnessed that the landscape of Yellowstone had become more grassland. We were also informed that the maintain pine beetles had been killing off Lodgepole Pine, Megafires were ravaging the landscape, and the grizzly bears were on the brink of extinction do to relying on the pine trees as a food source. After this briefing I was told I was being sent to Billings, Montana to witness and learn about the pine beetles, climate change effects, and purpose a solution to slow down the pine beetles. Pine beetles started becoming a problem around 1988, with their role in aiding the wildfire disaster that year. They attack bark of pine trees and when that bark falls to the ground it ignites a fire.
I was sent straight down to Billings on a jet and arrived there within a couple hours. As I dropped down at Yellowstone, I was amazed by how the landscape had changed so much since the 21st Century. It was very warm outside, and the sun was radiating harshly over by body. The very first sight that struck me was how there were patches of grassland. My family had told me as a child that Yellowstone was a majestic and filled with forest area. This discovery came as not a huge surprise to me. Climate change has been known in the scientific community for many years to contribute to warmer climates and spread of fires. These fires are known as a phenomenon known as Megafires. Looking back at history one event that has forever puzzled us scientists is the event known as “Black Saturday”. Black Saturday was a day where Yellowstone was set ablaze in 1988. This left 36% of Yellowstone set in fire and an effected 1.2 million acres of vast forest. Megafires are defined as wildfires that burn more than 100,000 acres of land.
I decided to take some pictures of the patches of grassland scattered across the area. I started to walk around Yellowstone and came across some fallen trees. These trees are known as White bark pines. They appeared to be lifeless, moldy, and empty. Grizzly Bears use to be a vibrant and proud species. They relied on these pines as a food source for survival. The government’s failure to try to preserve these trees led to Grizzly Bears being on the brink of extinction. In our time, only 10% of grizzly bears remained. Grizzly Bears are known to survive by raiding pines cones that are hidden by squirrels and eat the seeds to help bulk up for the cold winter. In the scientific community it is accepted that the reason for these trees being scarce is the wildfires, maintain pine beetles, and climate change.
I took out my scientific journal and wrote some notes about the trees and the very few grizzles remaining in the area. I decided to call a helicopter. The crew and I flew into the air and surveyed Yellowstone. I took out my binoculars and looked for any remaining grizzles. One grizzly I Saw was motionless and lacking energy. It was also breathing heavily. Within moments, it died. I was deeply saddened at this sight. We hovered around more and after 10 minutes I found another grizzly at a high elevation. It looked like it lacked the necessary fur to survive in the winter and looked malnourished. I told my crew that it is my sworn duty to help save Yellowstone and slow down the dangerous pine beetles. I told them to take me to a spot I pointed out with fallen lodgepole pine trees.
I told the crew to stand by and go grab lunch. I was sweating a lot. The landscape was so dry and humid. I took a moment to take out a water bottle and drank most of it. I started then to walk around and take out my binoculars. I saw my most hated enemy the maintain pine beetle. The pine beetle can be described as a mean, vicious, and aggressive. They are relatively small being about a quarter of an inch. I noticed an infestation of them on a lodgepole pine tree. They appeared to be black and dark brown. They appeared to be shaped like cylinders also. On the surface, there appeared to be pitch tubes. I would describe these tubes as a collection of red and amorphous resin mixed on the bark. I also took note that there were vertical egg galleries shaped like a J. They were about 3 feet long. These galleries were packed by boring dust, which I would describe as a brown sawdust material.
I took more pictures and organized my notes. Then, I noticed a few miles away a burning smell and vivid scene. I called for my helicopter to come and take us up above. My crew arrived and told me they had noticed a megafire starting up. They told me we would have to be quick and not be in the area for too long. Below ground a series of fallen lodgepole trees had ignited and started a chain of fires. I started to take out my camera and take pictures. There was a wall of smoke. I could barely breathe in the air. I saw a frightening sight of an expanded fire spreading across the landscape for miles. The trees looked dark and helpless. The crew yelled at me that we had to leave. We tried to fly away, but the helicopter had been set on fire. As we had nearly made it out of Yellowstone National Park. The helicopter started spinning out of control. We decided we had to jump for our lives. We fell into the lake. Our helicopter burned and went down in flames.
My crew and I woke up back at the White House. Luckily, we had not suffered severe injuries and my scientific journal was intact. An emergency distress signal was sent out to recover us. I was told the President wanted to see me. He told me he was glad that I was alive and was grateful for all my hard work. He also told me to be more careful and not take too many risks. He said my other three colleagues were worried about me. They were very relieved to know I made it back alive. He also wanted me to take a break from my work. I told him no and that what I found will be key to preserving our planet.
I was told then to go rest up and meet in the NDRF later that night. I was picked up from my hotel room and brought into the Oval Office through a limo escort. The NDRF and President greeted me and wanted me to give a briefing. I told them of the sights and images I had collected. I urged them that we needed to provide a solution for the climatic effects I had observed in Yellowstone and the pine beetles. They were saddened by what I had found and asked me then and there to give a plan.
I presented to the team a scientific technology known as the Gene Drive. This technology forces the population of a species to undergo a specific genetic modification within a few generations. I stressed the importance of taking advantage of the millions the government has spent for genetic editing tests. The Gene Drive heavily relies on a technique called Crispr. This system works by spreading a fertility reducing gene through the targeted invasive species. Crispr is encoded with a bacterial enzyme known as Cas9. This acts as a functional tool to cut off unwanted DNA. With the addition of guided RNA into embryonic cells Crispr can facilitate its aim. So, if we can inject the pine beetles with fertility modifications, we would be able to slow the rate of reproduction and help preserve Yellowstone.
The NDRF and the President were very supportive of my plan. The president as the commander and chief of the military gave his troops orders to inject infested beetle populations with the Gene Drive technology. With the combination of Crispr and Gene Drive many populations of beetles were treated with infertility gene manipulation. I oversaw the changes to the pine beetle population. The population of pine beetles decreased by 70%. This happened within the course of three years. The lifespan of an average pine beetle is one year.
The grizzly bears slowly increased in population size. The grizzly bear population was now 25%, instead of the alarming 10% a few years back. The bears had their food source back and were able to eat more of the pinecones. I took one more trip on a helicopter around Yellowstone. There were still a few fires in the area. There were still humid temperatures. Yet, I had helped lay the groundwork to preserve the natural beauty of Yellowstone. There was less episodes of fire due to the lessened infestations of pine beetles against lodgepole pines. The grizzly bears also were able to eat more of their White bark pines. More acres of forested land started to appear in Yellowstone. The land was filled with more hope and beautiful long trees.
My work does not mean the threat of climate change is over. There are many changes that still need to happen. There is still a need for the world to adapt and drive electric vehicles. The public needs to not live in a conservative mindset. We need to limit and cut down on the fossil fuel industry. I would call for my peers to consider using wind and solar power, compared to electricity. My role as a scientist is to give the truth, but I will ultimately pray and hope that our elected officials legislate with more empathy and develop the legislation necessary to implement these changes. Thank you for reading my perspective and please read the findings of my three other team members. They are well qualified, and they will shed more light on the value of Yellowstone.
Links of Group Members Encounter Narratives:
Evan- 5f5952e3b64b4.site123.me/
Tiffinnie-Encounter Narrative | Econarratives (wixsite.com)
McKenzie- Encounter Narrative (weebly.com)
HOPPE, BEN. WILDFIRE IN YELLOWSTONE BACKCOUNTRY UP TO 3 SQUARE MILES. ASSOCIATED PRESS, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
This is the scene of what my character experienced when sent to Billings, Montana. It was quite a scene and you should see it for yourself. The fires are occurring more frequently and are permanently changing the landscape. Areas are being shaped into grassland, which some species are not able to form habitats in.
