Conservationist TikToker Jessie Dickson (@sacramentofoodforest) shared screenshots from Google Earth that show vast swaths of old-growth forest in California have been taken over by corporate monoculture tree farms, which make wildfires even worse. 

In the video, Jessie zoomed in on a massive tree plantation near an old-growth forest in the Sierra Nevada range, exposing the "unsustainable" clear-cut logging in the area. The landscape has a checkerboard pattern, revealing where huge sections of forest have been harvested in one fell swoop.

@sacramentofoodforest Google maps is out here showing us how California is being taken over by monoculture lumber plantations that are clear cut logged. And owned by only a handful of rich corporations. California and Canada are covered in unhealthy second growth tree plantations that are logged every 50-100 years. Old growth logging is 100% unsustainable and planting monoculture tree farms is just making forest wildfires even worse. While hurting endangered species. And they are why we see so many mega fires in Canada and California. Just because a tree is tall it doesn't mean the ecosystem is thriving. Protect old growth before it's all gone. #greenwashing #oldgrowth #forest #logging #factoryfarming #forestry #climatechange #planting #trees #wildfire #googlemaps #secondgrowth #tree #plantation #greed #fire #sustainability #clearcut #logger #nature #endangeredspecies #habitat #california #canada #nativeplants #nativehabitatproject #calltoaction #plantlover #botany #plantingtrees ♬ som original - AV music

Jessie said it "looks like a f****** bomb went off" and that the forest resembled a "war zone" since only a few new plantings remained. 

"This is why California is in a wildfire crisis," he wrote in text overlaid on the video, adding that the landscape hadn't had a substantial fire in over 100 years. 

That may sound like a good thing, but ecosystems benefit from periodic fires since they clear out dead vegetation, promote new growth, and provide habitat for wildlife. The next time a fire breaks out at the lumber plantation, it could be particularly explosive since monoculture farms typically grow highly flammable non-native species. The lack of diversity also reduces resistance to fires and can make it easier for them to spread uncontrollably. 

And despite what the timber industry says about the benefits of clear-cut logging to prevent forest fires, science shows this practice can make wildfires worse and burn hotter if underbrush and debris aren't cleared out with prescribed fires regularly, per ProPublica. 

Jessie said that 98% of forest land in California looks like the depleted landscape in the Sierra Nevada range. Unsustainable forestry methods are not only dangerous, but they also threaten habitats for countless species. Jessie explained that tree plantations have 80% less wildlife than old-growth forests, likely because of a lack of biodiversity and the use of pesticides. 

As our overheating planet fuels more frequent wildfires that destroy homes, communities, and lives, it's more important than ever to adopt sustainable habits and support companies that care for the planet. Using your voice to raise awareness about the impacts of clear-cut logging encourages others to pressure the timber industry to change its ways. 

"Protect old growth before it's all gone," Jessie wrote in the caption. 

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely 👍 Only in some areas ☝️ No way 👎 I'm not sure 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

One commenter praised him for getting the word out, writing, "I'm glad you're saying something."

"So sad every time I look. Been watching this for years," another said.

"It's so thoughtless and dare I say cruel. Cruel to nature, the Earth and humanity," someone else shared.

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