🏞 OPINION: How will Virginia's Continuing Deforestation and Suburbanization Impact the Environment?

God created nature, and man destroyed nature.

Before you read this article, I want to let everyone know, that I'm not a crazy liberal environmentalist but a conservative environmentalist, meaning conserving our beautiful commonwealth of its forests and nature. My opinion article is about the consequences of deforestation and suburbanization and how it impacts Virginia's environment.

Over the years since the late 20th century, there's been more migration from other American states mostly from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Yanks, carpetbaggers, and land grabbers from those states have acquired a lot of land in the commonwealth, especially near the Appalachian Mountains where housing will be the most expensive because of the view. They buy up our land and “rape” the land to pay for their new houses.

Thousands and thousands of old houses and buildings need to be restored or redone instead of just sitting there to rot. But most people in this day and age, will not buy or restore older houses but rather buy brand new houses. Why is this bad? Well, let's just say for example, a new couple built a house and lived there until they both passed away, the house is for sale, but no one has bought it for decades, next door, another house, brand new, is built. It gets sold by another couple, then they grow old and die, their house is for sale, but no one buys it, then another brand-new house is built, and another couple buys it. Then the cycle continues over and over again. No one buys these already-established houses, because most people are lazy these days and want something new and shiny. They just don't want to fix them.

The Virginian government and the local counties claim the "care" about the environment but they really don't. They also want the money through land taxes, when land is bought, it is divided into subdivision and the more subdivision the more tax more the government and counties will get because it benefits them.

Abandoned House. Bedford, Virginia - Gene West via Pinterest

When the cycle keeps going on, more trees would be cut down and more houses are built, while other houses are empty and just sitting there. Not only that but it will be destroying animals' habitat like deer and other critters. There's already been reports and aggravation of deer moving to suburbs and often on the highways more after a new forest has been cut down. If all of the trees are cut down for humans, where are the animals going to go?

Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio are a few of the most urbanized states in the U.S. No trees, barely any grass fields, and no animals, just houses, buildings, and streets. When people often build a new house and property, they often cut 2/3 of the land or the entire area, including near the side of a mountain or hilltop, making the scenery an eye sore. Suburbanization causes animals (mostly deer) to migrate to other forest areas until they are cut down, then move to another area again until eventually being in people's backyards.

Examples of Deforestation in Southwest Virginia - Google Images

Virginia formally had a lot of land, both forests and farmland, but that is slowly declining. We're thankful for the national forest, state parks, and parkways to preserve the wildlife of those areas.

Why's there been an increase in housing in the Commonwealth?

Because of the money. It's all about the money, and they (consumers and sellers) don't care about the environment. We must conserve Virginia's natural beauty and not let history repeat itself. Humans in general are ignorant and think about themselves and money. They don't even care about the looks of the house, most of today's houses are often modern or post-modern architecture, not using the old-school traditional Virginian architecture. It's also because of mass human immigration from foreigners and domestic migration from New Yorkers and other Americans that have no respect for Virginia, its people, and its culture. Getting away from the harsh and crazy regulations that they voted for, bringing their culture, and trouble with them...

Large-scale land investments in the land since the 2000s have been scrutinized by civil society organizations, researchers, and other organizations because of issues such as land insecurity, local consultation, and compensation for land, displacement of local peoples, employment of local people, the process of negotiations between investors and governments, and the environmental consequences of large-scale deforestation. Not only building houses causes an environmental impact, but also other man-made things. Appalachian Power, an AEP company announced a new powerline in Southwest Virginia from Reusens to Roanoke that will replace the old one from 2025 to 2028. This has also caused scrutiny with residents living near the powerlines and people that own a lot of land near the line that wants to keep the forests. New cellular towers in Southwest Virginia were constructed around 2019, local residents around the area say that it ruins the scenery of the mountains and valley.

Suburbanization has also had negative social impacts on many groups of people, including children, adolescents, and the elderly. Children who are affected by suburbanization (because children live in a suburb) cannot go anywhere without a parent, and they are unable to practice being independent. Teenagers that are unable to be independent experience a lot of boredom, isolation, and frustration. These feelings have even led to an increase in rates of mental problems and teenage suicide and school shootings in suburban areas. 

The Europeans, centuries ago, cut 2/3 of their natural forests, almost running out of wood without conserving future trees to use for their wood supply. Back then, 80 percent of Western Europe was forested; today the figure is now 34 percent. 

"Europeans had lived in the midst of vast forests throughout the earlier medieval centuries. After 1250 they became so skilled at deforestation that by 1500, they were running short of wood for heating and cooking. They were faced with a nutritional decline because of the elimination of the generous supply of wild game that had inhabited the now-disappearing forests, which throughout medieval times had provided the staple of their carnivorous high-protein diet."

- Norman F. Cantor's summary of the effects of late medieval deforestation applies equally well to Early Modern Europe.

Virginians that have lived in rural areas, including the mountains, mostly conserve trees for firewood, due to the expensive costs of oil and electric heating. They mostly don't cut down the new trees, but mostly cut down the ones that are dead, dying, already destroyed, or in the way. But they will cut new trees if they have to, to stay warm. 

Reforestation is uncommon within the commonwealth, most Virginians don't replant trees, very few do, and most do not give the newer trees a chance to grow. But when they do, they replant trees to sell wood and Christmas trees; mostly pine trees due to their quick growth. 

Not only forests are being taken over, but also farmland is being suburbanized. You see, Virginia had many independent farms that grew their own food to support their families and the local communities. Today, it is rare because most of the older silent/lost generation Virginians have died out, and their Boomer children do not care about their family's legacy and just want to sell the farmland for money. As I said, it's all about the money $$$. Don't get me wrong, there are some Boomers and other generations that are trying to keep their family's legacy going or revive farm life. Generation X has been planting small crops and learning how to can their own food. They've been doing this since the 2010s when grocery and gas prices were skyrocketing.

Most new-generation Virginians are spoiled by mainstream grocery stores and supermarkets like Walmart, Food Lion, and Kroger that don't care about you. They can be dumb sometimes because they don't even know how to grow their own food or know where "Milk" comes from...

    Once the United States collapses (it eventually will) due to cultural and economic decline, people in Virginia will panic over food shortages because of the lack of farmland and dependency on mainstream supermarkets.

Farmland - Southwest Virginia

So, what can we do to conserve Virginia's natural beauty and environment?

Plant and replant more trees

If you own a lot of land with an open field that you don't really use or want some privacy, plant some trees, they're not that expensive and you can also carefully transplant smaller trees for free if you can find some. They will take years to grow so you must be penitent, but if you're not patient you can grow pine trees, but I must warn you that pines are known to be weak and prone to fall often. You can also plant other plants as well.

Buy an old house or building

There are hundreds to thousands of older houses within the commonwealth that need to be restored, you buy one and restore it. You can do this for yourself or resell it as an investment. If it's an old traditional house, you shouldn't bastardize it with post-modernism because that's an eye-sore and will make our ancestors roll over in their graves.

Educate others about the consequences of deforestation and suburbanization.

With the rise of immigration/domestic migration from American globalists, civic nationalists, and foreigners that just don't care about the sustainability of the commonwealth (or the continent in general), tell others about the consequences of mass human migration, destroying animals' habitats, and waste of building materials.

Conclusion

The lost/silent generation Virginians are mostly gone, most of their boomer children have sold off their farmland for useless ca$h. Outsiders cutting down forests and animals' habitats for ca$h. It's all about the money, and no one thinks of the consequences. With the growth of suburbanization and the spread of people living outside the city consequently can cause negative impacts on the environment. 

Learn and tell others about the consequences of deforestation and suburbanization.

Opinion article written by  Roanoke resident,

Joe Bloggs