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Hi Nancy & All, Nov 20, 2014
Thanks for the soapbox.
The artificial tree (Plastic), marketed with subtle skill as a green =
choice because no live tree is killed, is by a wide margin the worst =
choice. Their cost includes, oil spills, refineries, plastic factories, =
plastic fabrication and parking lots; all contributing to destruction or =
degradation of habitat where trees might otherwise grow. Artificial =
trees are also pushed as being a lesser fire hazard. And some swallow =
this line also.
The commercial trimmed tree industry is more positive because it =
provides local employment, the land area devoted to trimmed Christmas =
Trees is relatively small, it serves a demand for trees in NS and =
elsewhere and those which are exported bring money into the province. So =
more power to them.
I have always cut a natural Fir tree; Charlie Brown tree if you =
wish. And have always cut Fir branches for wreaths. The fate of most =
natural Fir trees (roughly 99 % of seedlings and of all lower Fir =
branches is to die without producing seed). Fir invades any canopy =
opening within flight distance of a seed source and generates especially =
dense thickets if some windbreak, such as a Spruce windfall, causes =
windblown seeds to stall. These thickets smother everything else and in =
time smother themselves.
So cutting a natural Fir tree for Christmas is comparable to =
thinning Turnips; remove the large ones so the little ones have a =
chance. This also can give a nearby Maple, Oak, Birch, Beech, Spruce... =
a better chance and perhaps break the Fir rotation cycle of grow up =
thick, die, fall over and do it all over again. When Fir trees are well =
spaced they reach seed bearing age and, as the name suggests, are =
excellent firewood; Fir and fire are cognate.
Moving off the record--
And James, the idea of moving the same tree into your house in =
December and, I suppose, moving it back into the yard in Janurary does =
not sound very practical but it does sound pointless. Trees get taller =
every year if you don't top them so even if it did survive the =
physiological torture of being moved from cool to hot and back to cold =
each year, which is doubtful, it would have to be pruned heavily each =
summer to contain size and would soon come to resemble a tapered bottle =
brush with a shell of needle bearing twigs.=20
Also a root plus medium mass consistent with moving implies drip =
irrigation throughout the transpiration season which for a conifer would =
become quite tedious.
=20
For those in the Kentville area, including you James, who might care =
to try a Charlie Brown tree I have a good crop that flourished after the =
wind of Dec 13 (?), 2010 took over many Poplar. Powerlines and road =
edges frequently grow in before they are mowed so those who walk should =
readily find a source of natural Fir even if they don't know a woodlot =
owner.=20
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
----- Original Message -----=20
From: N Robinson=20
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2014 12:55 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] question to all re a "nature lover's take on the =
Xmas tree"
Hello fellow nature lovers,
As some of you know, I write a column called "Environmentally Yours", =
for the Trading Post , a small newspaper distributed in Yarmouth, Digby =
and Shelburne Counties. I am planning a column on Xmas trees. =20
Would any of you care to write to me to tell me what your take is on =
the Christmas tree and if you will buy one, cut one down yourself, =
substitute it, do nothing or.... =20
I know that the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax offers =
"chemical-free, sustainably logged Christmas Trees" (visit =
www.ecologyaction.ca/trees). Is there any other such initiative in the =
rest of the province, particularly in South West Nova Scotia?
I would appreciate your input and would like the permission to quote =
you, first name or full name. =20
Many thanks!
Nancy Robinson
Environmentally Yours
The Trading Post, Yarmouth, Digby and Shelburne Counties
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<DIV>Hi Nancy & All, =
=20
=
=20
Nov 20, 2014</DIV>
<DIV> Thanks for the soapbox.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> The artificial tree (Plastic), marketed with =
subtle=20
skill as a green choice because no live tree is killed, is by a wide =
margin the=20
worst choice. Their cost includes, oil spills, refineries, plastic =
factories,=20
plastic fabrication and parking lots; all contributing to =
destruction or=20
degradation of habitat where trees might otherwise grow. Artificial =
trees are=20
also pushed as being a lesser fire hazard. And some swallow this line=20
also.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> The commercial trimmed tree industry is more =
positive=20
because it provides local employment, the land area devoted to =
trimmed=20
Christmas Trees is relatively small, it serves a demand for trees =
in NS and=20
elsewhere and those which are exported bring money into the =
province. So=20
more power to them.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> I have always cut a natural Fir tree; Charlie =
Brown tree=20
if you wish. And have always cut Fir branches for wreaths. The fate of =
most=20
natural Fir trees (roughly 99 % of seedlings and of all lower Fir =
branches=20
is to die without producing seed). Fir invades any canopy opening =
within=20
flight distance of a seed source and generates especially dense =
thickets if=20
some windbreak, such as a Spruce windfall, causes windblown seeds to =
stall.=20
These thickets smother everything else and in time smother =
themselves.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> So cutting a natural F