A good year for prairie flameleaf sumac
This has turned into an excellent season for fall foliage from prairie flameleaf sumac, Rhus lanceolata. Above, you get a good look at the colorful chaos we saw at the Doeskin Ranch in Burnet County on December 4th. And below is an emblematic backlit leaf glowing in northwest Austin on November 14th.
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I call your attention to an excellent interview by John Stossel of Byørn Lomborg, who offers insights into climate change and who outlines practical—as opposed to hysterical—measures for dealing with the negatives of a warming climate. He also does something activists don’t do: he points out some benefits of a warmer climate. Beyond the interview, you can learn more at Byørn Lomborg’s website.
© 2023 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
bright and beautiful
beth
December 21, 2023 at 5:30 AM
That’s a B&B I get to stay at for a bargain price.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 6:45 AM
Read this for a thoughtful critique of Lomborg. He has been characteristically energetic in persuading right-wing newspapers, particularly those owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, such as The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post and The Australian, to advertise his book for free in their opinion columns.
But, like his previous contributions to this issue, Dr Lomborg’s arguments are based on fantastical numbers that have little or no credibility. Overall, the numbers presented by Dr Lomborg, who has a PhD in political science, understate the potential economic impacts of climate change and exaggerate the costs of cutting greenhouse gases. And he has promoted them apparently secure in the knowledge that they will not be fact-checked by book publishers or newspaper comment editors.
This commentary details five examples of Dr Lomborg’s misuse of outdated, concocted and misinterpreted numbers that are central to his ‘lukewarmer’ argument in the following ways:
Ignoring the costs of fossil fuel subsidies
Illegitimately doubling the cost estimates of action by the European Union
Misrepresenting the impact of the Paris Agreement on climate change
Cherry-picking an outdated model estimate of the costs of climate change impacts
Miscalculating the ‘optimal’ level of global warming. ..and for the full article at this link. https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/news/a-closer-examination-of-the-fantastical-numbers-in-bjorn-lomborgs-new-book/
MichaelStephenWills
December 21, 2023 at 5:32 AM
Thank you for speaking up. People like Lomborg make claims about how a warming planet can beneficial but don’t want to acknowledge to whom. I’m from a small island in the Eastern Caribbean. A warming plant has significant negative impact on communities on the equator.
Khürt Williams
December 21, 2023 at 6:43 AM
I commiserate with people on small tropical islands or along coasts who are at serious risk from rising sea levels. For you it’s a calamity that you feel personally. Some people around the world will probably have to migrate elsewhere, as sad as that would be for them. There’s no shortage of ancient inhabited sites that once were on land but ended up under water—and that was centuries and even millennia before our modern industrial era.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 7:25 AM
If Lomborg “has been characteristically energetic in persuading right-wing newspapers, particularly those owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, such as The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post and The Australian, to advertise his book for free in their opinion columns,” then it’s true that people who oppose Lomborg have succeeded on a much grander scale in getting the majority of news outlets to advertise their opposing ideas for free, as evidenced by the huge number of outlets promoting a climate “emergency” or even “apocalypse.”
On the website you linked to, I found this: “The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment was established by the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2008 to create a world-leading multidisciplinary centre for policy-relevant research and training on climate change and the environment, bringing together international expertise from across LSE and beyond, including on economics, finance, geography, the environment, science, law, international relations, development and political science.” Surely the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment profits from the stance it maintains; it would interesting to see a list of the people and groups supporting it financially.
As a non-scientist, I’m not in a position to evaluate each scientific claim. It’s clear that knowledgeable people who side with Lomborg are in a small minority, but there are some, like physicist Steven Koonin, whom I’ve highlighted several times.
I’m generally not in favor of subsidies; they lead to things seeming to cost less than they really do because consumers don’t realize they need to add to the nominal cost of something the additional cost they pay in taxes to support the subsidies. I favor the idea that an enterprise should fail or succeed based on the true costs of its operations. That applies to oil as much as to “alternative” energy. There are many examples of government-picked (i.e. paid for) “winners” that turned out to be losers, one well-known example being the solar energy company Solyndra.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 7:12 AM
Gorgeous colour. Flameleaf certainly living up to its name. A lot of people where my sister lives in Cairns are now in need of practical solutions to a natural disaster. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/queensland-communities-remain-isolated-as-evacuations-continue-amid-floods/AC2WMJ7JCRE35GCZVB7H6X45SI/
Gallivanta
December 21, 2023 at 5:45 AM
While Far North Queensland was being inundated other parts of Australia were on fire. And, hooray, hooray, NOT, all that nasty bushfire smoke made it to Christchurch today. What an unfortunate Xmas present from across the ditch although not as unfortunate for us as for the places actually burning. The cost of these fires, floods and other disasters is exorbitant and whether we like it or not, insurance companies are going to force us to make better decisions around climate as well as where and how we live.
Gallivanta
December 21, 2023 at 5:55 AM
I didn’t know that bushfire smoke had been making its way to you from “across the ditch.” As you said, that’s a minor inconvenience compared to what the people at the source of the smoke are experiencing.
Some places are inherently riskier than others. People who build houses right on the coast in a hurricane-prone area can expect trouble sooner or later. Steeply rising insurance rates in more-hazardous places may make home buyers think twice about where they decide to live.
In an earthquake-prone country like New Zealand, you don’t seem to have an easy way out.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 8:03 AM
We don’t have an easy way out in NZ but we can mitigate our exposure to natural events by building better and more sensibly. That requires long term thinking which, unfortunately, is not most people’s or governments’ forte.
Gallivanta
December 21, 2023 at 2:28 PM
A little while after I posted my comment I coincidentally noticed Eve was reading a web page that mentioned the smoke.
Increasingly strong building practices over many decades have fortunately led to fewer deaths and less destruction from natural disasters, even as the world’s population has gotten bigger.
You’ve reminded me of how the second Imperial Hotel, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, survived the great Tokyo earthquake of 1922:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Hotel,_Tokyo
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 3:39 PM
Recently Australia and Tuvalu signed the Australia–Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty. Under this deal, Australia will provide migration pathways for people from Tuvalu ‘facing the existential threat of climate change’. It is the world’s first bilateral agreement on climate mobility. This is a practical solution to a big problem which faces many Pacific Island communities. But what most people want is to be able to stay in their own countries, as safely as possible. How to do that when you can’t stop the water rising or the land sinking is really difficult to work out. https://www.unsw.edu.au/news/2023/11/australia-s-offer-of-climate-migration-to-tuvalu-residents-is-gr#:~:text=Under%20the%20treaty%2C%20Australia%20will,presumably%20on%20a%20permanent%20basis.
Gallivanta
December 21, 2023 at 6:14 AM
It’s good of Australia to do that, though I see from the article that at most 280 Tuvaluans per year will be allowed in. Even at that maximum rate, it will take 40 years for all Tuvaluans to emigrate to Australia.
Tuvalu’s population is about 11,200. Similar numbers of people are now allowed to illegally cross the border into the United States every single day.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 9:48 AM
I think the treaty is as much a symbolic gesture as anything else and it remains to be seen how many people from Tuvalu decide to go to Australia. Tuvalu has always been pro-active in trying to find solutions for its population. In 1946, a group of people from Tuvalu bought an island in Fiji and relocated there. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kioa Innovative solutions fix a lot of problems. Your border issues definitely need some solutions.
Gallivanta
December 21, 2023 at 2:56 PM
If Tuvalu gets inundated more quickly than expected, I wonder if Australia will raise the quota to turn the symbolic gesture into a practical one.
You won’t be surprised that I’ve never heard of Kioa and the migration of some Tuvaluans there.
Sometimes the best solution to a problem isn’t innovative. A good old-fashioned “We’re not going to let you come in illegally, and if you do we’ll send you back immediately” would do the trick. I’m sympathetic to immigrants (look how many have been in my family) but I want an orderly, lawful process.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 3:49 PM
An orderly and lawful process is usually the best option for all parties. As for Tuvalu and Australia, I think Australia may offer more places at some stage but a lot will depend, not on climate, but on how much Australia wants to challenge China’s place in the Pacific. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/resettlement-offer-pacific-win-australia-over-china-2023-11-13/
Gallivanta
December 21, 2023 at 7:37 PM
Nations have been slow to wake up to China’s dictatorial threat to the world. It’s good that some are finally coming to their senses.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 9:27 PM
As I have indicated previously, threats from China in my part of the world always seemed negligible in comparison to what I perceived as real threats when I was growing up. America, France, and to some extent the UK, terrified me because they were all ‘playing’ with nuclear weapons in my backyard. Next most terrifying was the potential of a nuclear clash between Russia and the US.
Gallivanta
December 22, 2023 at 4:50 PM
China has unfortunately made huge technical advances since we were growing up. That’s why I consider the Chinese dictatorship such a threat to the world now.
Steve Schwartzman
December 22, 2023 at 4:57 PM
Oh indeed it has!
Gallivanta
December 22, 2023 at 5:02 PM
Arrgh…… my comment was sent before I finished it. These days I am no longer terrified of the US, UK etc but I do worry about the influence of the big powers in our region. China has joined my worry list particularly as it is so important to our economies downunder.
Gallivanta
December 22, 2023 at 4:57 PM
China has an economical stranglehold on such a large part of world commerce that we have good reason to worry. For example, a large portion of America’s medicines come from China—that’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Steve Schwartzman
December 22, 2023 at 5:01 PM
In our case, it’s our dairy industry which depends on China for its growth. On the plus side of China/NZ relations we now have ( thanks to Immigration ) a thriving Chinese bakery in Christchurch which produces the most delicious Chinese breads and cakes and biscuits. I am off to buy some to give out on Christmas Day; that’s if they are not already sold out.
Gallivanta
December 22, 2023 at 5:17 PM
Too bad we over here can’t sample the breads and cakes and biscuits you’re about to buy.
Steve Schwartzman
December 22, 2023 at 6:25 PM
‘Flameleaf’ describes it well!
Eliza Waters
December 21, 2023 at 6:39 AM
With that name we have “truth in advertising.”
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 8:04 AM
Beautiful fall colors and backlight on them!
circadianreflections
December 21, 2023 at 9:44 AM
Yes. I made good use of backlighting this month. Now the skies have clouded over and we’re supposed to have drizzle for four days, so it’s likely no more backlit fall foliage will come my way in 2023.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 9:52 AM
We’ve been having the same weather as you’ll be having all week!
circadianreflections
December 21, 2023 at 10:03 AM
I don’t know about you, but over here we’re 10 inches below average for rain in 2023. The forecast calls for only about an inch of rain over these drizzly days.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 1:46 PM
I think Nevada is the driest state in the union so, if we’re low it can’t be by that much maybe 1%. We had two days of good rain this week so I think we’re alright.
I was out photographing foggy scenes this morning. A nice change! 😀
circadianreflections
December 21, 2023 at 4:30 PM
Glad to hear it. Fog can be magical.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 4:37 PM
I love the way the colour moves from red to yellow in these leaves. There used to be a sumac in a garden close to us and I noticed its leaves every time I went past it in autumn. Sadly it has been removed.
Ann Mackay
December 21, 2023 at 10:48 AM
Let’s hope you get some sumac back. That botanical family sure is colorful is the autumn. We have several species here, with the aptly named flameleaf being the most colorful. You’ve seen that even poison ivy, another family member, can put on a colorful show here.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 1:50 PM
This is such an attractive sumac, although it’s not part of our landscape. We do have Rhus glabra within striking distance, but Ft. Bend county is the closest. That makes me wonder whether it might be found at Brazos Bend State Park; it seems likely, since it’s in Ft. Bend. That said, this one’s my favorite, because of its vibrant colors.
shoreacres
December 21, 2023 at 2:08 PM
You’ve been seeing for years that flameleaf sumac is among my favorites for fall foliage, too, of which it has probably afforded me more pictures than any other species, in large part because it grows right here in Austin and its suburbs. I’m sorry that the closest it gets to you is Brazos County. At least the nearest Rhus glabra is only about 20 miles from you. Is a plant list for Brazos Bend State Park available?
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 2:25 PM
“Colorful chaos”–very apt description and a beautiful photo. My new flameleaf hasn’t put on much of a show. It’s turning, but not particularly impressive. I’m hoping with age and growth, it’ll be a nice autumn-in-December plant. It’s from a seedling of a neighbor’s tree. However, my red oak are real stars in the garden right now!
Tina
December 21, 2023 at 2:17 PM
I’m glad to hear your red oaks are making up for what your new flameleaf sumac has disappointingly failed to come forth with. May its leaves learn to glow bright in autumns to come. A native plant friend of ours recently confirmed that many of the flamelaf sumacs he’s seen between Austin and his home in Driftwood have been excellent this year.
Steve Schwartzman
December 21, 2023 at 2:31 PM
[…] addition to the prairie flameleaf sumacs, Rhus lanceolata, that we saw at the Doeskin Ranch in Burnet County on December 4th, Texas oaks (presumably Quercus buckleyi) were asserting themselves. You see the two together […]
Now add colorful oaks | Portraits of Wildflowers
December 22, 2023 at 4:17 AM