High in the mountains the process of destruction begins with the breaking down of bare rock by acids, rain and frost.

Up to a point this is a natural process and there are many plants adapted to make a home in these conditions and help stabilise the land.

But where man strips off the natural vegetation cover, the destruction is accelerated tragically. The scale of these events does not allow for rock to be colonised by nature's own healing process.

As a result, we often learn from our mistakes too late - when accelerated runoff gouges out soil and floods the lower reaches of our rivers. Such a lesson was learned in New Zealand's Hawkes Bay, where only massive revegetation plantings at Mangatu have in time saved thousands of acres of high country from total destruction.

Wherever in the world natural vegetation is being destroyed now, THIS WILL HAPPEN....and no excuse, NO EXCUSE WHATEVER, will justify deforestation of our planet.

This painting is a reminder of the destructive forces that we unleash when we tamper thoughtlessly with nature.

Acrylic on Arches Dessein 160gsm Art Paper mounted on backing board and matted in a biscuit color.

Actual painting size is 19in x 24.5in - overall size is 25in x 30.5in.