A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE GOES A LONG WAY

June 10, 2017

"If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people." ~Confucius

The Redwood Forest in California sports the tallest trees on Earth with some as tall as at 379 feet. Giant Sequoia and Giant Redwoods can live up to 2,000 years. A bristle pinecone tree in California, nicknamed Methuselah, is estimated to be 5,000 years old. The location is held secret to protect it.

Why does the tree need protection?

Remember the historic trees at Toomer's Corner in Auburn, Alabama? These Live Oak trees stood their ground between the town and Auburn campus for nearly 100 years. Live Oak trees have the ability to live up to 400 years. In 2010, a University of Alabama fan poisoned the trees with a lethal dose of herbicide and nothing could be done to reverse the damage--100 years removed in a flash. Because of football rivalry.

It's disheartening to watch trees that have grown for many years cut to the ground based on an indiscriminate action of one individual. It perplexes me when someone wants to live in a pasture that they would buy property filled with trees.

I recently cited two occasions when trees have been randomly eliminated because of personal preference with no regard to the value or loss:

- I remember designing a landscape in a high-end development that required a minimum square footage of turfgrass--at the expense of eliminating trees to achieve that requirement! From an environmental perspective, what were they thinking? Of course, no one on the homeowners association planning committee had horticultural, or environmental expertise. Their agenda was aesthetic--agreed. Expansive, lush green lawns can be beautiful. And labor intensive, expensive fertilizer-chemical-water hoarders.

- I had my eye on a house for sale overlooking Lake Peachtree. It was a small ranch-style home nestled beneath shade and pine trees--the perfect setting for hydrangeas and other understory trees and shrubs. In fact, last year I was walking the neighborhood and spied the intense hues of a small hydrangea that prompted me to head back with my camera in hand. A few months after the new owner took control, they apparently hired a logging crew to strip the landscape of trees leaving no risk of storm damage. And no shade, no ambiance, no shelter for the hydrangea.

Loss is most painful when the item cannot be replaced, like original works of art. During World War II the "Monument Men" saved thousands of original pieces of art from destruction. Who will protect and preserve our natural resources? Many municipalities have tree ordinances that can help. It is impractical to believe that every old tree can be saved--the price of progress--but most can and should be saved.

The senseless elimination of something that takes one hundred plus years to grow is what burns my bacon. I learned too late that a local city hall cut down all of its old trees because one limb fell on one patrol car. Evaluating the trees and selectively cutting damaged, dying limbs would have been a better option.

A little knowledge goes a long way. The following are six basic ways to promote healthy mature trees:

1. Keep vehicles and heavy equipment off of the root zone. The root zone extends to the canopy of the tree and beyond.
2. Avoid use of weedeaters around the trunk.
3. Follow proper pruning practices.
4. Reduce competition for nutrients and water by eliminating plantings in the root zone.
5. Mulch root zone with 2-4 inches in depth to conserve moisture. Keep the mulch from touching the trunk.
6. Reference expert advice for recommendations on damage control. http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm…

Now you know--enjoy the shade!