[Stoves] planting trees ( the way I'd do it 1, 000, 000, 000 years from n...

[Carefreeland at aol.com]

Christa, 
    I will agree with what you say here and fully  understand this. One 
thing to note though, is that the plants in Ohio  also adapt to the local 
conditions. We may have half the overall sunlight,  but it is used more 
efficiently. Trees do grow in diameter the winter by  using stored starches from the 
roots. We also have a nearly unlimited,  regular supply of water, and deep 
fertile soils, which makes a huge  difference. I am suprized at how 
comparible growing production is between here  and South Mississippi which is a sub 
tropical rainforest. The density of the  wood in Mississippi is better 
because of the better growing conditions,  yet natural reforestation takes place 
nearly as quickly here. 
    We have less sunlight, water, and a shorter growing  season than 
Mississippi. However. we do not have the heat in the long summers  that reduces 
photosynthisis. Also the dryer conditions in our summers allow  plants in Ohio 
to cool themselves better when they need to most through  evaporation. I 
was always amazed how cooling through increased ventilation  during the hot 
days, incresed production in my greenhouse more than a similar  increase in 
temperature during a cold day. It is cheaper to ventilate than to  heat. For 
example, most plants will photosynthisise better at 60 degrees F than  at 90 
degrees F if they do the best at 75 degrees F. The sunlight, as well  as 
chemical processes, are producing a lot of heat within the leaf during  peak 
activity. Having adaquate water and dry enough air or enough air  circulation 
is key to staying cool and productive. 
    Just because a given environment has a warm,  sunny, climate does not 
guarentee that it will produce more biomass. The  deserts are vary warm, yet 
have little production of biomass. It is the right  climate conditions, with 
the right soil fertility, with the right plants, that  makes the most 
production.  The areas of my farm with deep soil and a  higher underground water 
table are growing the same trees trees twice as fast as  the areas with 
shallow bedrock and less water. They are 100 yards apart.   They have the same 
climate conditions year round. 
Plants compete for the same amount of ground reguardless of the conditions. 
 That competition seems to produce ever more productive plants. We need to  
harness that ability to adapt, and adapt plants to do our work. 
    Evergreens like White Pine and Red Cedar grow and  photosynthisise all 
winter long. When interplanted with deciduous trees, the  winter sunlight is 
not wasted. Snow on the ground reflects sunlight to the  borttoms of the 
needles from surrounding areas, shaded in the summer by the  deciduous trees. 
I am amazed how well the local Red Cedar grows, while  being nearly choked 
by Honeysuckle. Amure Honeysuckle is an agressive - non  native deciduous 
species of tall shrub around here. It was introduced 100 years  ago for erosion 
control, but went wild. It tends to choke out most deciduous  species that 
are not adapted to growing in dense canopy. The Red Cedar has  adapted to 
grow fastest in the winter when the honeysuckle is dormant. In the  summer, it 
just gets enough light to keep growing slowly. This combination  produces 
twice the biomass per acre year  as either species growing  alone.
    As I stated, the wood I am interested in is already  being grown for 
building lumber, and is delivered free as demolition wastes. The  biggest 
problem is that it needs sorted from other wastes. There is a need for  on site 
demolition waste sorting. I think that can be automated, saving  labor. By 
converting waste wood into charcoal, nails can be  easily removed after the 
conversion process. If used for iron making, the nails  can be left in the 
char, adding  to the production totals, saving use of  iron ore dug from the 
ground. 
    As the cost of tipping fees at landfills increases,  the likely hood of 
demolition contractors being willing to help sort the waste  increases. 
They can profit from the loss of tipping fees and possibly even  transportaion 
costs if collection areas are managed properly. 
    When you study the workability of a process  like I describe, it is the 
manegement of the little things which makes  a practical solution. When I 
worked in a grocery store at a young age, my  boss always told me" If you 
take care of all the little things Dan, the big  problems take care of 
themselves".  He was right, because most big problems  are made of lots of little 
ones. It is by looking at every step of the process  that the most improvement 
can be found. 
    Selecting trees for reproduction which best work in  a specific 
interplanting situation, in a given environment, will produce  the most significant 
production increases. 
    
    Dan Dimiduk 
    
    
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 11/15/2013 5:37:25 AM Eastern Standard Time,  
stoves at foodandfuel.info writes:

Dan,  please keep in mind that Kenya is on the equator meaning  intensive  
sunlight and temperatures conducive for photosynthesis all year round. Even 
if  total amounts of rainfall maybe low in some dry areas, they are 
distributed  over two rainy seasons and the plants are optimized to make the best of 
 the situation.  
So growing conditions and achievable increments are not quite comparable  
in Ohio and Kenya.
regards Christa




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