Passing the year with the bark beetle

John Weeks, Staff Writer
February 21, 2007

Every year it's the same thing. I get a ton of calendars and I spend a month or two fussing and dithering over them, trying to decide which one to stick with for the whole year.

It's a big decision. I'll have to look at this thing every day. It's like a commitment. I don't want to get stuck with a bad decision.

I think I finally have made my choice for 2007. I'm going to go with the bark-beetle calendar.

That's right, there really is a bark-beetle calendar, and I like it for two reasons. First, it's a local product. It's published by the Mountain Area Safety Task Force (MAST) as part of its effort to educate the public about dangerous forest conditions in the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains.

Widespread die-off caused by overgrowth, drought and insect infestation continues to pose critical fire risk in mountain areas. Residents are urged to cooperate with authorities in having dead trees removed and healthy trees thinned. And campers, hikers and other visitors must do their part, too, by observing strict safety protocols while enjoying the mountains.

The second reason I like the bark- beetle calendar is that there are no pictures of bark beetles in it.

I was worried at first.

And I'm thinking, what's next? Are we going to come out with calendars featuring all the things that plague us here in the Inland Empire? Is there going to be a gangbangers calendar, and a blight and litter calendar, and a freeway gridlock calendar? A smog calendar?

Fortunately, though, the bark-beetle calendar does not have ugly bugs in it. Or anything else that is ugly. Quite the opposite, in fact.

It contains beautiful photos of lush, healthy forests, pristine mountainsides and picture-perfect lakes, all shot at or near Wrightwood, Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear Lake.

I get it. It's reverse idealism. These are pictures of the way our mountains should look, and can look, when they are cared for properly.

Nice.

Maybe that gangbangers calendar wouldn't be such a bad idea, either. It would show pictures of healthy communities where families and neighbors feel happy and safe. The blight and litter calendar would show spic-and-span streets and yards. The freeway gridlock calendar would show pictures of traffic moving smoothly. The smog calendar? Nothing but blue skies.

These calendars would inspire us with images of how things should look, could look, will look, if we work together to fix problems and furbish our future.

These are calendars we all could stand to look at, every day of the year.

Meanwhile, the bark-beetle calendar is a good start. In addition to gorgeous photography of our local mountains, it also is loaded with month-to-month information and tips on how residents and visitors can help make the mountains a better, healthier, safer, more beautiful place.

For more information, visit online at www.calmast.org.