Marie Antoinette oak victim of heat wave--sad

[EastofEdon]

Marie Antoinette oak faces axe

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=857&ncid=757&e=10&u=/nm/20030828/od_uk_nm/oukoe_france_forests

PARIS (Reuters) - A heatwave this month in France has killed hundreds of thousands of trees in the worst crisis to hit forests since violent storms in 1999 and has claimed Marie Antoinette's favourite oak tree at the Palace of Versailles.

 Forestry experts said the heatwave, which saw temperatures topping 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in some regions in the first half of the month, has decimated forests due to lack of water and insect plagues and is now making other trees shed their leaves early.
<snip>

The most high-profile casualty, now likely to face the axe, is a 321-year-old oak tree at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris which is said to have provided shade for Marie Antoinette, the wife of King Louis XVI. They were beheaded in the French Revolution.

Standing 30 metres high, with a trunk circumference of 5.5 metres, it was considered one of 16 outstanding trees in the imposing gardens which are one of France's top tourist attractions, said Alain Baraton, chief gardener at Versailles.
<snip>

[Ein]

1. When do we get indignant.

Wildfires, cancer, and heatwaves.

It's all happening b/c of global warming, the depletion of our o-zone, and pollution. We don't need this shit, the human race can do a helluva lot better with thier energy sources.

When do we get sick of this shit? Absolutely sick? I know I am.

Why are people focusing on save the *insert righteous cause here*, when they could all take on the oil industry, among other large opponents?

[SoCalDem]

2. Did it occur to the gardner to give it extra water????

:(

[Paschall]

4. I don't know about Versailles

But much of France is currently under water rationning. The rain forecast this week is not expected to help. Rationning will continue in some regions until the end of October. Cities are even prohibited from watering public gardens; water is reserved exclusively for truck farmers. And at least one navigable canal has been closed because the reservoirs that feed it are almost 20 meters below their usual level. IIRC, this is the first time the canal has been closed since it was built in the mid-1800s.

[G_j]

5. yes, a water crisis also,

sad indeed

[oasis]

3. The heat wave was indeed a tragedy. The French will bounce back

they always do. I realize the tree could never be replaced but I hope the museums had a/c enough to avoid damage to the masterworks.