Validity of Monarch Sanctuary Deforestation Claims

[Paul Cherubini]

The largest monarch colony in Mexico is the El Rosario
Monarch Sanctuary
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/1992.jpg

In Feb. 2005, several monarch scientists said the
following about the Sierra Campanario (El Rosario Monarch
Sanctuary) forest in this report:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/authb.jpg

"until recent years the forest has been relatively dense"
"ongoing culling of the trees in the area has opened the forest
and created microclimate conditions that the butterflies do not
tolerate."

Now look at actual photos of the Sierra Campanario (El
Rosario) forest I took in 1990 vs 2005:

Distant shot:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/9005.jpg

Closer shot:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/9005a.jpg

Closest shots:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/1990b.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/2005h.jpg

Does anyone see any change in forest cover / forest density
between the 1990 and 2005 photos?

Paul Cherubini
El Dorado, Calif.

 
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