Right after the storm,
I rode around on my bike
tree branches occupied the streets and parkways.
It altered the cultural landscape,
from mowed, tidy lawns,
to wild organic chaos.
"Who does your landscaping?"
I asked.
The broken limbs were full or glistening green leaves.
Two days later they would start to brown and crisp. Not as lovely.
At the river we had many, many large branches and trees go down,
blocking streets and alleys.
We got to work, like so many other neighbors,
sawing and piling and clearing a way for emergency vehicles.
The crew from MWRD showed up two days later to haul and chip and do the heavy lifting to clear massive trunks and branches.
They were great. Careful not to trample and damage the bank.
But also, very, very willing to leave trunks of trees on site, on the bank,
as we requested.
We did so to minimize the damage done by the workers on a steep bank,
but also because, these trunks and branches,
this sequestered CO2 is a precious part of the ecosystem.
It is congealed solar power captured by photosynthesis.
It wilill slowly decompose through the actions of insects, animals, fungi and lichen.
It is the mark of an intact ecosystem.
So,
why not leave that trunk,
those special branches ON YOUR PARKWAY?
Nature playspace for your kids, the fungi, animals and bugs!
Eventually, depending on the tree-type, and diameter,
it will collapse into a lovely humus,
a wonderful soil amendment.,
It will mark out our time on earth as we watch it (and ourselves) weather, and crumble.
So much better than being hauled to a landfill.
Mr. Leki
I rode around on my bike
tree branches occupied the streets and parkways.
It altered the cultural landscape,
from mowed, tidy lawns,
to wild organic chaos.
"Who does your landscaping?"
I asked.
The broken limbs were full or glistening green leaves.
Two days later they would start to brown and crisp. Not as lovely.
At the river we had many, many large branches and trees go down,
blocking streets and alleys.
We got to work, like so many other neighbors,
sawing and piling and clearing a way for emergency vehicles.
The crew from MWRD showed up two days later to haul and chip and do the heavy lifting to clear massive trunks and branches.
They were great. Careful not to trample and damage the bank.
But also, very, very willing to leave trunks of trees on site, on the bank,
as we requested.
We did so to minimize the damage done by the workers on a steep bank,
but also because, these trunks and branches,
this sequestered CO2 is a precious part of the ecosystem.
It is congealed solar power captured by photosynthesis.
It wilill slowly decompose through the actions of insects, animals, fungi and lichen.
It is the mark of an intact ecosystem.
So,
why not leave that trunk,
those special branches ON YOUR PARKWAY?
Nature playspace for your kids, the fungi, animals and bugs!
Eventually, depending on the tree-type, and diameter,
it will collapse into a lovely humus,
a wonderful soil amendment.,
It will mark out our time on earth as we watch it (and ourselves) weather, and crumble.
So much better than being hauled to a landfill.
Mr. Leki
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