Don't Worry, Plant a Tree
  By Ted Willians,  May, 1991 Audubon, pg 24-33
 
  

== 3 of 6 ==
Date: Sun, Feb 3 2008 12:19 pm
From: "symplastless"


I thought some of you would like this if you have not read it yet. Kind of
makes sense.

http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/hardtoget/myth5/index.html 

Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Consulting Forester & Tree Expert


== 4 of 6 ==
Date: Sun, Feb 3 2008 2:09 pm
From: dbhguru@comcast.net


John,

Thanks for sharing the article with us. A lot of the ideas in the article resonate with me. Many of us who love trees also love grasslands, deserts, alpine meadows, etc. The wide open expanses of the treeless prairies and plains hold their visual appeal for me primarily because of their lack of trees. Gosh, did I just say that? The American Forest Global Releaf program is often an exercise in planting trees where they don't belong.

I'm reminded of the DCR Parks people scratching their heads over what kinds of non-native tree species to plant in the headquarters of Mohawk Trail State Forest. With the most exemplary stand of white pines in New England in full view, it was clear that those people didn't have a clue. Not a clue. They still don't. However, they obviously don't stand alone. In 100 years it may not make a difference. Native forests are in trouble everywhere.

Bob


== 5 of 6 ==
Date: Sun, Feb 3 2008 4:53 pm
From: Randy Brown

It's funny how culturally pervasive this view is that you pick it up
without even thinking about it. I can remember back as a grade
schooler weeding soybeans in my dad's field and finding a seedling
every 10' or so underneath the old Walnut and Oak trees that are still
present in the fields* (I've been told they were left behind for
livestock back when fields were still rotated into pasture) And later
I planted some elms and acorns and was surprised how easy it was to
get them to grow. And I was thinking "Tree's grow by themselves!?"
Wow who woulda thunk.

* Generally these trees are ~100-150 years old. There are less of
them all the time, both because they tend to be picked off by a major
lightening strike eventually and farmers cut them down because they
get tired of tilling around them and cleaning up after their fallen
branches. I can still remember when my neighbor cut -all- his down in
a single day. And then he selectively logged (high graded) his wood
lot. I was so pissed. Turned out he rented the farm and his old
landlord died and her heirs sold it off to him, so he finally got to
'take care of unfinished business'.


==============================================================================
TOPIC: Old tree planting article
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/9413289a9dad86c3?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, Feb 4 2008 7:31 pm
From: "Edward Frank"


John,

Thanks very much for posting the link to this article. It was fascinating
and points out the need to not applaud every tree planting effort, unless
they are using native trees, and planting in appropriate places, at
appropriate times. Great article.

Ed Frank