look upon the sycamores , oak , tulip and hickory trees as wise friends standing guard , bearing witness . Over these many years , stewardship of our small acreage has become a mission . The forest taught me about ecology , made me an activist , inspired my art , gave me courage to speak up for other watersheds . It drew out the fierce mother in me . I am a much better person for loving my forest . I hope it loves me back .
Ginny Barnes is an artist and environmental activist .
I ’ ve written the Council many times about the destruction of our forests , particularly the one on my own street that is across from the Canal National Park . New people are moving in and not respecting the forest we live in . Every time I hear the saws and the chippers my heart sinks . One family chopped off the tops of 10 trees to get more sun on their pool . These stripped , silent sentinels call out for regulation . I painted the tree . I am honoring its spirit . ~ A . B . for the love of trees
BY françoise andre
My husband and I have the privilege to live in a home located between the Berryville Road Conservation Park and Seneca Creek State Park . From our backyard , we enjoy a beautiful view of the forests , with roaming deer , foxes , and birds above . We also have several majestic trees on our own property , attracting a myriad of birds and occasional chipmunks and rabbits . The beauty of the forests and our tall native poplar , silver maple and sycamore trees was the reason why we decided to buy and renovate a “ fixerupper .” A big part of it was to replace our oil heating system to help the environment .
We considered the installation of solar panels that would generate enough electricity to power an air-sourced heat pump to heat and cool our home . Because of the shade provided by the deciduous trees on our roof , we knew that the generated power would be limited in summer . Unfortunately all solar panel companies we contacted insisted on cutting down our large trees as a precondition to ensure a greater solar efficiency . We thought it was counterproductive as those trees help keep the house cool in summer and absorb a substantial amount of CO2 . So we ended up installing a “ geothermal ” ground-sourced heat pump , which is four times more efficient than air-sourced . Even though a geothermal system is more expensive , it still made sense economically : with the current oil price , generous federal tax incentive and state grant , we anticipate to break even within 15 years .
The planet is on fire and the decision to take down healthy trees , especially large ones , should not be taken lightly . Each tree matters and one has to think holistically to arrive at an optimal environmental solution . We are happy to have found one that preserves our beloved trees .
Françoise Andre , retired from engineering roles in oil companies ( her “ past sin ”) and the high tech industry , shares together with her husband a passion for the environment .
36 plenty I autumn harvest 2022