Thursday, September 03, 2009

Seedlings


A few years ago I thinned about five acres of the forest at the back end of my property. All the other property around my property had been clear cut leaving my trees without any protection from the wind. I was losing several big trees with each wind storm, so I decided it was time to harvest and put the wood to a better use other than rotting or firewood. We make a tidy sum of money from the operation.

After logging I replanted close to two thousand trees; cedar, spruce, hemlock, fir and alder. I lost a lot of hemlock seedlings the first year and I was concerned that I would need to replant, but somehow nature filled the gaps.

While poking around picking black berries recently, I came across my seedlings that are all now around four feet tall. Some trees are already over six feet tall. I hope and suspect I will live long enough to see that acreage as a shaded forest again.

That is one thing about planting trees. It is usually an investment for the next generation. I can only hope that the next owners of this tract find the land here like I found it and care for it like I have. Though I do realize that the next owner could be greedy and develop it into spec houses. Future rat bastards!

5 Comments:

Blogger Auntie said...

but, but....you are only gonna live til 66, remember?

5:01 AM  
Blogger Beth said...

Humbling, isn’t it, to see those seeds and saplings grow?
As for you – already railing against the rat bastards of the future!

5:14 AM  
Blogger weese said...

while we only have a surburban acre and 1/2 of this earth - we feel similary. like we are stewards of this property.
we planted many trees over the 22 years we have been here. some of them are quite mature now. (kicking myself for the ones with leaves) we have also let over 1/2 of the backyard return to meadow and trees. even in this tiny plot we notice many more animals seem to be hanging out back there.
we plan to move next year. i hope the next family will be good stewards as well.

6:07 AM  
Blogger JustRex said...

Heck, leave it to Critter in your will. Her and her hubby will turn it into a memorial garden with koi ponds and japanese chicken houses.

8:07 AM  
Blogger The Guy Who Writes This said...

Auntie, You would be amazed how much more growth there will be in twelve years.

Beth, Yes, the future rat bastards need to be exposed right now for what they will become.

Weese, I planted a lot of trees when I moved here at about the same time you were planting your trees. It was heart breaking to lose most of them in a storm.

Darev, Critter is just getting her place to where she likes it and she doesn't need another project.

6:27 AM  

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