I've started this thread over in "Trees and Shrubs" and have had alot of interesting comments but would like to hear from some people that live in New England. So far, i'm getting the idea that my concern is unfounded.
extinction of hardwoods
I read through some of that thread earlier. I think there is always reason to be concerned about the planting of new trees, hardwood or otherwise. I don't think you can have enough. Seems the population is booming and thus more trees to build and less forests to stand. First thing I do in a new home is plant trees in the yard.
We will not lose all the hardwoods, even with new pests and diseases. You may be unfortunate to have ones that get affected, but they will not all disappear.
Is maple a hardwood? Cut down all the pest Norway maples and then use that wood - or its plywood or sawdust - to build the new McMansions. Sorry, just a knee jerk reaction, not well-thought out or any of that good stuff. Both (McMansions and Norway Maples) are pests in my area... Apologies in advance. My brother lives in one. (A McMansion or a Norway maple? LOL) xx, Carrie
Of course this argument sort of goes along with logging and the replacement of slower growing trees with faster growing ones(not hardwoods). I would be surprised if there wasn't a reduction in hardwoods over time, more from man's influence than pests though.
Nature is resilient, but we should probably not dismiss fears about losing trees lightly. Consider what's happening in the Brazilian rain forest:
http://www.mongabay.com/brazil.html
CT was pretty much clear cut by the 19th century. What drove it as much as the need for farmland was the felling and burning of trees for potash. A landowner could turn a profit on that alone. Hickory and birch were the most desired as they yielded 4 pounds of potash per cord; chestnut the least at under half a pound. Read old accounts in which writers seemed almost mad at trees. They were taking up all the potassium from the soil! People needed that to stay were it was for food! But there was a reaction too. In my town in 1846, Buckmaster B. Elderkin (wonderful name, isn't it?) launched a tree planting drive on East Main street. In the 1880s another resident offered a $100 prize to the person who planted the most trees in one year. Probably more hardwood in town today than any time in the last 200 years.
Audrey, you did not provide a link to your original thread, so I am not sure what your concern is. Norway Maples may be considerd a pest in some areas, but I consider them beautiful with a great canopy. I have been trying to get one growing here without much sucess. So those of you who hate the Norway Maples, please send them my way. I think my water table is too high for those gorgeous trees. "you don't know what you got till it's gone"
Sorry about not giving the link . I just tried but it only comes through as Daves Garden and not with the link number, which is 808916. title "will hardwoods become extinct?" I don't know how else to do it.
Sounds like Buckmaster had the right idea, except now there aren't too many open spaces to plant trees.
Regarding the Norway Maples-several years ago I purchased a maple tree (rather expensive) in memory of a relative that passed. It did very well in my front yard for several years. All of a sudden it got very sick. I called in a tree man and found out that it was actually a Norway Maple and not what I originally thought it was. Well it died. I never really knew why until recently. At that time I experimented with a new water purification system that used salt. The person trying to sell it to me assured me that it couldn't possibly harm my plants. Wrong! My suspicions were verified after I recently spoke to my plumber and he explained the various treatment methods. Don't ever water outside plants or trees with water treated with salt. Maples are especially susceptible to salt damage.
This message was edited Feb 2, 2008 10:32 AM
Here is the link:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/808916/#new
Thanks, Victor. Here's my two cent shallow understanding of the Norway maple thing. Norway maples are REALLY fast growers and very good reproducers, made them handy for developers in the 20th century but they are apparently not very long lived.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/191/
As the maples planted 50 - 75 years ago are dying along my street, one by one, they are being replaced with Bradford Pears. :>( Norway maples are taking over mixed ecosystems because they are better competitors. They can survive in the very dense shade they create so fast - but nothing else can. Their roots are shallow, so they fall over easily, and being shallow means the roots are close to the surface so nothing else can grow there, not grass, at least. My sunny gardens turned into part shade gardens and this year might need to be full shade gardens, but then next year, if the tree in front of MY house cracks or falls over or gets struck by lightning, it'll all of a sudden be a full sun garden again!
Here endeth my limited understanding, to date.
x, C