Failure To Ourselves And Those Who Follow

This post is and isnt just about native plants and trees, it is my observation and my belief. We all who are over 40 and some younger have failed to show the next generation and the next the importance of planting and preserving trees and other vegetation for our own survival and our planets environmental well being. We are killing ourselves.

The (lifestyle) that are society has embraced does not promote any outside activities other than sports and most of that is as spectators. Family interaction on the lawn including planting flowers and trees has been replaced by the next trip to Target or Walmart. Those in rural areas of our County who own large tracts of hard wood forested land are being forced through local taxes to cut and sell their timber to replant pines or turn the once forested property into crop production. Local governments no longer want tracts of land to be idle.

Trees are important sources of building material and our society and many professions depend on building including landscaping. But the one thing we have not stressed in the GREEN movement, in our school science classes, to our Hunters and Fisherman and to the rest of our society is that every species of native trees and plants have certain types of wildlife whether they be animals or insects that depend on that type of plant or tree to survive. Many butterflies and moths depend on one species of trees or shrubs as a larvae food source and without it they cannot exist. Every species has its importance, we are all connected and all in a chain. When the chain is broken it effects smaller species at first then gradually works it way up to the larger ones. Trees and understory plants protect our water quality which in a world of 7 billion people should concern someone! But that is a rant all by itself.

Large landscape trees have risen sharply in costs in the last several years. Also most consumers have no way of transporting or handling or planting large size trees. Start small in a couple years a tree you purchased for under $25 and planted yourself can be worth over ten times that. With minimal care and common sense most small trees grow very fast the first several years and have less transplant shock. Our nursery is starting several varieties of native trees both small and a few large shade tree types to offer in small packages with good root systems that can be carried home and planted without too much of a problem. You just have to wait a couple years then your small investment value has grown tremendously. Plant with your children, and plant various species to benefit many things as well to improve the looks of your landscape. With the amounts of trees we are losing on private land rising we cannot plant enough. Teach your children that dirt is a good thing and how important the green things are we all take for granted.