It appears that the forest death generally lessens approaching the Connecticut River and increases toward the Green Mountains. The problem seems to be increasing rapidly and affecting lower and lower elevations. The areas that were hardest hit in Vermont by pear thrips defoliation this past summer lay in Orange County and the four southern counties of Windsor, Windham, Rutland and Bennington. Well over one-half million acres of forest were damaged. Early coloration on individual trees and limbs has always been a sign of poor health and often impending death.
Acid rain is only a part of it.
The conclusion in Europe is that there is no one pollutant. You get varying mixes and concentrations of pollution in different areas, plus varying soil conditions, amounts of rainfall, etc. Somewhere around 3,000 toxic chemicals are routinely emitted into the atmosphere. Hawkes' international experience causes him to see New England's forests from a broad perspective. I could see parallels to what impact human developments were having there and what would be happening here.