|
 We have
been fumbling around like children playing a new game for the last three
years. It seems one has to continually think in order to know what to do
in their own backyard as far as contributing, or not contributing to the
ecology.
The shooting tall slender
cypress trees on Grecian landscapes always were outstanding to me. Their
tall shape reaching high on the hills gave a sacred look to the area
around that well known temple on the Acropolis. Not that we could achieve
such a look, but still one can always try for the possible or maybe
impossible. This is why we chose to plant Poplar trees.
The first stumbling block
was simply the fact the trees could not be purchased in and around us.
The excuse was, “they do not have a long life span.” To have gone into an
explanation as to why this was no problem would have made no impression on
anyone and we simply went on to another store. After three years of this
we finally decided to go on line to look. Sure enough, right away we found
a man in Washington who grows them and sells them very reasonably.
Actually, for around one dollar each. We now have forty trees which are,
so far, coming right along.
These are the contributions
the Poplar trees make:
1. They fix more Carbon
Dioxide than any other plant. This simply means they cleanse the air.
During these times of concern as to the global warming from car emissions
this alone is a contribution.
2. Poplars are tops in
their use for the bio remediation of metalliferous soils. Again the
additions of metal to our soil from the use of the automobile cause this
to be a concern.
3. These fast-growing trees
also have the ability to remove toxic metals from streams which gives a
cleaner place for fish to grow.
4. Less chlorine is added
to the water making them into pulp since the wood doesn't have to be
bleached as much.
5. Livestock benefit since
they provide a windbreak for them.
6. Manure from livestock is
leached out before it enters steams.
7. Pulp for paper making
is one contribution the trees make.
8. Scott paper is already
growing and making harvest of these trees thus saving the old trees of the
country.
9. Habitat for wildlife
10. Poplars are a source of
ethanol
11. Fast growth of the tree
makes them full grown in three years and this is while other trees are
only the size of Christmas trees in the same period of time.
12. The trees can be grown
on rough lands, or on the edges of farm land not taking up valuable
agricultural space for growing food. Europe is already well along in their
cultivation of these trees for the above purposes.
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