Originally brought
to Argentina for timber
plantations, non-native
pine trees now have
grown out of control,
creating an environ-
mental tinderbox
and an ecologically
fragile system in the
Patagonia region.
Near the town of El
Bolsón, a flashlight’s
beam illuminates some
remaining trees of
native species—maqui,
ciprés, ñire—dusted
with ash. Here, as in
other spots around
the globe, climate
change exacerbates
factors that create
perfect fire conditions.JAN. 2 7 CLIMATE CHANGE FUELS DISASTERS, EXTREME WEATHER
UNLESS WE
MANAGE THE
NATURAL WORLD
AROUND US
BETTER, WE ARE
DESTROYING THE
VERY FOUNDATION
OF OUR LIFE ON
THIS PLANET.”
—Elliott Harris,
UN chief economist
16