Last week I wasn’t able to post too much as I was in the woods. So this week, I wanted to show you a bit more of the plantation I visited. Scroll through below to learn more about the process of “planting oxygen.”
Here are workers trimming the cuttings. They want to isolate a single strong leaf. These are “mother trees.” Not those big ones in the back but these tiny little ones in the foreground. They are small because every time they sprout a new branch, it’s cut off to become a new tree. The potting soil is soft, but all the same, they pre-poke a hole into it to allow the stem go in easily without taking any damage at all. Each stem gets a quick dip of fertilizer (in the little bowls) placed on it’s bottom and then in it goes to the potting soil. The seedlings are placed under cover, first in a greenhouse condition for a few weeks and then under shade for a few more, to allow them time to grow without additional stress. Here is a fine young seedling ready to find a permanent home. See how well developed the root ball is? There are approximately 10,000 seedlings per block here—there are nearly a quarter of a million trees beginning their lives, ready to start storing carbon and releasing oxygen into the air. And here’s how they look when they are all grown up.
Next week, let’s continue talking trees and why we should be planting a LOT more of them.
Elizabeth Baldwin is Environmental Compliance Officer for Metropolitan Hardwood Floors. In her 25 plus year career in the wood industry has visited over 70 countries and hundreds of facilities of all sizes and types. She describes herself as a “jack of all wood trades.” Familiar with jungles of all sorts–having camped out along the Amazon and walked the halls of Congress–she blogs for the NWFA on both environmental and regulatory issues for educational and informational purposes only. Her blog is not intended and should not be construed as legal advice. Persons seeking legal advice on compliance with CARB, TSCA, the U.S. Lacey Act or any other law, regulation, or compliance requirement/claim should consult with the regulatory agency directly and/or a qualified legal professional.