Subject: [permaculture] concerns about conifers (pine, fir, spruce, cedars, etc.)
Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 11:47:13 -0600
I think I should call this part of the series of things I do to get
thousands of people to hate me.
I think this is an important message. Especially for permaculture
folk. We often hear of all the upsides, but as we make our designs, I
think it is wise to be aware of the downsides too.
Just to be clear: I do NOT advocate elimination of conifers. I
advocate diversity. I advocate replacing conifer monocultures with a
diversity of trees that include conifers.
The first part is where Brad Knight (Sage Mountain Homestead,
Corvallis, Montana) and I are investigating the understory of a large
pine. Nothing growing there. Conifers are allelopathic - they sorta
poison the competition.
The second part is with Ernie Wisner (http://www.ernieanderica.info)
who conveys the days that he worked at measuring the biodiversity
under douglas fir monocultures.
The third part shows the mighty, the glorious, the amazing Sepp Holzer
(http://www.richsoil.com/sepp-holzer/sepp-holzer-permaculture.jsp)
expressing his opinion on "conifer desert" referring to how conifers,
when left unchecked, tend to take over a landscape and greatly reduce
horticultural diversity which leads to a broad variety of problems.
And finally, Rick Valley, horticulturalist and permaculture instructor
at the Lost Valley Educational Center in Dexter, Oregon
(http://www.lostvalley.org/), sums it all up especially well. He
points out how a douglas fir tree easily outcompetes oak trees. And
relates how the native people burned back the douglas fir trees so
their food is given a better chance.