Sunday 22 October 2017

Liven Your Home With Spectacular Wooden Furniture

Your home is your safe haven. It protects you not only from the elements but from many other things too. You definitely feel safe and protected inside the four corners of your home. It livens up your living space and gives you all the more reason to stay at home. Wooden furniture gives any abode a warm and cozy feeling, like a warm cabin in the woods during a cold winter night.

Even if technology runs the world now and most homeowners take tech-inspiration when designing their houses, a house full of wooden furniture exudes a different aura. Not only do they look gorgeous and classy too but wooden furniture is eco-friendly. It is also a valuable investment that can level up the appearance of any space. You can choose from a softwood or hardwood material depending on your budget and the ambiance you are aspiring for. It is easier to maintain wooden furniture too. You just have to wipe the dirt off. For deeper stains, it can be sanded again and repainted. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

Wood feels right. It looks right. Quality wooden furniture connects us with nature in our homes at a deep level.
The craftsmen who make the furniture fill many different niches but the best ones understand this special gift wood brings to homes and their role in making it happen.
Trends come and go but quality craftsmanship will always be in style.

(Via: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/living/94852866/wood-craftsmen-put-a-little-of-themselves-into-every-piece)

Wood craftsmen take a lot of pride in their work and you can see it in the intricate details they add to their designs. It’s no wonder why homeowners who have wooden furniture make these pieces the centerpiece of their home and a source of pride for them. You can even incorporate it into different living designs, even those modern and eclectic ones.

Green furniture is eco-friendly furniture that is typically crafted from eco-friendly materials — be they recycled or specially-developed materials.

The process of making green furniture is also eco-friendly because it does not release any harmful chemicals into the environment. This means that even the byproducts that are produced are environmentally sustainable. Green furniture should also be easily recycled.

(Via: http://www.thehindu.com/real-estate/going-green-greening-it-with-wood/article19336596.ece)

Examples of eco-friendly wooden furniture are the ones made of bamboo. Bamboo is so versatile that you can use it as a flooring, walls, or even actual furniture pieces that remind you of lush tropical beaches. It is surprisingly durable too, so you can expect it to last a long time – definitely worth every penny you pay for it.

With a spin of the blade, something old becomes something new.

This is what takes place at a custom furniture fabrication shop on Mayo Island in Richmond.

Iron Oaks makes new and upscale furniture made from downed trees and old wood only from Virginia.

Owner Karl Harkness says when they remove the trees, instead of chipping them, they cut them into slabs.

Harkness shows Anchor Morgan Dean the reclaimed and recycled wood that he will turn into high-end furniture and fixtures, such as coffee and end tables.

(Via: http://wric.com/2017/07/25/made-in-rva-old-wood-finds-new-life-at-local-custom-furniture-shop/)

Most wood craftsmen actually offer customized designs to ensure whatever product you order fits your taste and your home. And while rare woods are expensive, you can choose from other more cost-effective options and still get the same vibe that you want to achieve for your home.

And since we are on the topic of trees already, it’s not only wooden furniture that makes a difference but even the ones found outside as well. And no, they aren’t outdoor wooden furniture but actual trees planted in your surroundings. We love them for the coolness and shade they bring and for everything else they benefit the planet. Hence we go to extreme lengths to ensure our home looks spic and span both in and out by making sure trees are trimmed regularly so that passers by can really appreciate the beauty of your home. If you don’t have the time to do it yourself, http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming can do it for you at a reasonable price. There’s no need to cut down a tree when it adds to your home’s beauty and most especially that the planet needs trees more than ever to combat the effects of climate change and global warming.

The following blog post Liven Your Home With Spectacular Wooden Furniture was initially published on http://www.allcleartree.com/



source http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming/liven-home-spectacular-wooden-furniture

Monday 16 October 2017

When Trees Have Fallen

Trees have been around far longer than us humans. They have filled the earth and made it lush and encouraged other forms of life to grow. They have provided us with shelter and shade from the elements and a source of food among other things. They may fall down on their own or not but still new one grows in its wake. However, as modern life keeps on advancing and the human population also growing, more trees have to give way for civilization to continue.

Many trees have been forcibly cut down to make space for modern developments whether it is for commercial, residential, or agricultural purposes. Yet, it is a depressing thought for environmentalists and virtually all of us who cares for this planet seeing how sparse it already is of trees and other plants. And we are actually paying a high price for this neglect as climate change is no longer just a threat but an actual reality we are living in. While we have come to rely on many of the modern contrivances we are using daily now, some things in this world are irreplaceable and that includes trees that do so much for us without us fully realizing their worth.

Michael Gove has intervened in a long-running battle to try to stop a controversial tree-felling programme in Sheffield.

A number of Sheffield residents have been arrested trying to protect some of the 6,000 trees that face being chopped down as part of a 25-year £2bn highway maintenance scheme called Streets Ahead.

Now the environment secretary has sent a letter to the council demanding an end to the “destruction of thousands of mature trees”, which he said would “damage our children’s rightful inheritance”.

In his letter, addressed to the council leader, Julie Dore, and leaked to the Yorkshire Post, he also expressed concerns about the “transparency in the decision-making process” that identified the trees for the chainsaw.

(Via: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/aug/10/michael-gove-sheffield-tree-felling)

Trees are intentionally cut down especially if they are blocking roads or posing a potential threat in case they accidentally fall down because of strong winds/rain, if they block the view or certain landmarks or if their space is needed to make way for more human progress. Cutting down a tree is understandable in instances where their existence may prove to be harmful to human life or property, other reasons don’t just make sense and not worth it to cut down a tree that has been around for years, decades, or even centuries perhaps.

The felling of 50 trees in De Montfort Hall gardens is under way, despite a last-ditch attempt to have the work put on hold.

Leicester City Council announced last week it intended to cut down a number of trees in the grounds of the popular venue, saying it had become overgrown.

However, councillors representing Castle ward, in which De Montfort Hall stands, said they had not been consulted on clearance work.

Their request for more time to explain the felling to the public was, however, turned down by the council.

The removal of the trees – which are largely purple plums caring from saplings to 40 year-old specimens began on Monday and so far 20 trees have been cut down as part of a £50,000 operation which is likely to take another three weeks.

(Via: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/tree-felling-underway-de-montfort-224269)

Let trees grow in peace whenever possible. Unless they really pose an imminent threat to us, that’s when the option of cutting them down should then be considered. When that happens, do not try to cut it down by yourself because most of these trees are decades and centuries old, so to say they are huge and heavy is an understatement. Let the pros do it for you, so you can fully relax knowing the job is done properly. They can even get rid of big tree stumps so the space is free and open at last. Check this out http://www.allcleartree.com/stump-removal for professional stump removal services at a price you can definitely afford.

The post When Trees Have Fallen is republished from allcleartree.com



source http://www.allcleartree.com/removal/when-trees-have-fallen

Saturday 7 October 2017

Trees Get Stressed Too

Humans often feel stressed today. The challenges of daily living have significantly increased in the presence of modern technological advancements. Thinking about how much cluttered the world has become, it is easy to get lost amidst all the new technologies that define modern living. While we may think it is only us humans that get overwhelmed by the various contraptions we now use in our daily life, we are badly mistaken. There are other living beings that co-exist with us in this planet that is mostly always on the losing end against us.

Plants can’t speak up for itself no matter how much they are also affected by the various environmental stressors surrounding them. They may not be able to speak up and tell us how much they suffer from the neglectful things we do but there are certain tell-tale signs that indicate the level of stress they are feeling because of our doing. This is often seen if trees are neglected and not taken cared of properly. Trees can live longer if trimmed when necessary. http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming can take care of your tree trimming needs. They’re just a phone call away and you don’t need to pay a fortune for their services.

I recently had questions about Autumn Blaze maple leaves turning red. Early fall color in trees has also been reported in other counties.

This is usually a sign that maples and other types of trees are responding to stressful growing conditions such as compacted soils, drought or extremes in temperatures. This may also be a response to mechanical damage.

Tightly compacted soil, consistently wet soils from overwatering and drought are detrimental to maples and other trees.

These conditions can cause trees to lose leaves or develop fall color early in the season. The stress is mainly a response to diminished oxygen or water supply to the roots.

(Via: http://columbustelegram.com/news/local/feehan-early-color-change-signals-tree-stress/article_4e2357c0-e75f-54f2-adbe-79176a46c93f.html)

Seeing these symptoms of stress in trees often indicate that if the conditions in their immediate environment do not change and they continue to be exposed to these dangers and risks, they will become more unhealthy and may even die in the next few months and years or so. Their death is not always sudden because the tree still attempts to cope until it can’t any longer.

As the number of droughts increases globally, scientists are working to develop predictions of how future parched conditions will affect plants, especially trees.

New results published today in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution by 62 scientists, led by Henry Adams at Oklahoma State University, synthesized research from drought manipulation studies and revealed the mechanisms by which tree deaths happen.

"Understanding drought is critical to managing our nation's forests," says Lina Patino, a section head in the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division of Earth Sciences, which co-funded the study through its Critical Zone Observatories program. "This research will help us more accurately predict how trees will respond to environmental stresses, whether drought, insect damage or disease."

Adds Liz Blood, director of NSF's MacroSystems Biology program, which co-funded the research, "Droughts are simultaneously happening over large regions of the globe, affecting forests with very different trees. The discovery of how droughts cause mortality in trees, regardless of the type of tree, allows us to make better regional-scale predictions of droughts' effects on forests."

(Via: https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=242634)

Poor soil, extreme temperatures, and other forms of physical damage a tree may sustain can put it at higher risk of disease and insect attacks leaving these poor trees silently hurting and enduring their own internal battles. We may shrug this off and make ourselves believe that trees getting sick and dying are none of our business, but no, we are all interconnected in this planet and our lives are intertwined in the delicate balance of life. Fewer trees mean not enough plants to suck in circulating carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and lead to the consequential problem we are now facing – climate change. All these little things add up and we eventually have no choice but to face the music sooner rather than later.

Trees Get Stressed Too is republished from All Clear Tree Service's Blog



source http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming/trees-get-stressed

Saturday 30 September 2017

Tree Planting Tips

Since the world is more aware right now of the repercussions of neglecting the environment, we start to realize just how crucial trees are to our life. We can’t just keep on ignoring the harsh realities we are facing because they are a product of our previous mistakes. Fortunately, we still have time to correct our errors and salvage what is there left for all of us. Tree planting is a great way to protect Mother Earth and reduce the effects of global warming and climate change. They are now unstoppable climatic forces that wreak havoc to our weather systems and makes living doubly harder especially once these natural systems act up.

So, why not start planting a tree now and see the world become populated by these lush vertical greens that once dominated the planet? Trees are the foundation of the world’s most important ecosystems. Aside from the oxygen it gives off, they supply us with many of the things we need in order to live. Hence, tree planting shouldn’t be brushed aside but should be taken seriously by every single one of us.

Many mistakes are made when the tree is planted, but often the problems do not appear until later.

It is important to know that tree roots grow outward, like the spokes of a wheel, rather than down. This allows the roots to gather water and nutrients from a larger area, and anchors the tree In all directions.

Tree roots also need air to thrive. Most of a tree’s roots grow no deeper than 18 inches.

When planting a potted tree the hole should be no deeper than the pot, but at least twice as wide as the diametre of the pot. If the roots are wound around they must be freed from the root ball and spread outward.

The tree should be planted no deeper than the level it was at in the pot – planted too deep, the roots will not get enough air. Remember that the soil will settle and you do not want the trunk of the tree in a depression where water can collect and cause the bark at the soil level to rot.

(Via: http://www.thereminder.ca/columns/northern-gardening/northern-gardening-more-tips-for-growing-trees-1.21596535)

You may think planting a tree is an easy thing to do but it is not. You don’t just dig a hole and drop a seed and wait for it to grow. There are various factors you need to consider if you want your tree to grow at all. Even by just planting a single tree at a time, the world becomes a much better place to live in considering the rate of tree cutting loggers is doing now. It takes years for a tree to grow so tall and only a few minutes or hours to cut it down.

The biggest mistake people make while planting trees is planting them too deep or building mounds around the trunk.  If a trunk is below ground it will rot.  “Look for the root flair and make sure that is exposed,” he said.

Primeau also recommended that people keep staking to a minimum.  “I don’t like to stake the trees.  The wind will help train the tree to be strong and resistant to the wind,” he said.

Pruning is also important to understand. Most trees have a “central leader” that comes from the trunk.  If the central leader is pruned it can branch off into two or more central leaders, impacting the appearance of the tree.

(Via: http://oaklandcounty115.com/2017/04/27/tree-time-tips-for-planting-how-to-order-trees-from-city/)

We are not all gardeners who can pull-off magic tricks with plants. Learning these tips about tree planting can make a big difference to your success especially today when trees are needed more than ever. It can take a long while before a tree grows big and tall and capable of caring for itself, so plant the tree right and give it the time and care it needs during the first few years. For instance, trees less than a year old need more water than the ones already upright on the ground. Also, make sure the area is clear and free of obstruction especially from all tree stumps on the ground that has long been deceased. It may be quite bothersome to remove these chunky and heavy tree stumps on your own, so ask the help of the experts regarding http://www.allcleartree.com/removal to make sure your new tree grows up as it should be.

Tree Planting Tips was first published on All Clear Tree Service



source http://www.allcleartree.com/removal/tree-planting-tips

Sunday 24 September 2017

Tree Conservation: Why The World Needs More Trees

Have you seen the movie adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s book, The Lorax? The story talks about living in a walled city full of plastic – not a single real tree in sight. Despite looking like the perfect community, Thneedville is simply a synthetic version of the world we used to have. Even the outdoors is a depressing and barren wasteland that is devoid of life. Now, the question is, do we want our world to become like that in the future? It may be a possibility considering how polluted the world is now and how much abuse Mother Earth is enduring day in and day out.

Well, it is not too late yet. There is still something all of us can do to protect the planet and preserve whatever there is in the world right now. And whether we like to admit it or not, it has something to do with trees. Trees breathe life to the planet. Can we ever survive without oxygen? The answer is a BIG NO. It’s why conservationists and environmentalists are working double time to educate the rest of mankind about the error of our ways.

Pakistan’s northwestern province, Khyber Pakhtunkhaw (KPK), has planted an unprecedented 1 billion trees in just more than two years and surpassed an international commitment of restoring 350,000 hectares of forests and degraded land.

The massive effort aims to turn the tide on land degradation and loss in the mountainous, formerly forested KPK, which lies in the Hindu Kush mountain range.

Imran Khan, head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party governing the province, launched the reforestation campaign, dubbed “Billion Tree Tsunami,” in 2015.

(Via: https://www.voanews.com/a/one-billion-trees-planted-in-pakistan-nw-province/3983609.html)

If Pakistan can do it, there is no reason that the rest of the world can’t also do it. After all, more hands are better than one. You may even contribute in your own little way and not always at a scale similar to what the Pakistanis has accomplished. Or if you don’t have a green thumb or don’t have space where you can plant a tree of your own, avoid doing things that are detrimental to the environment and try to conserve energy as much as you can. You’d be surprised at how much difference all these things have when done by many.

THE CRITICALLY endangered tree species Shorea lumutensis only found in Perak must be conserved, and promoted as an eco-tourism product to prevent IT from going extinct.

Eco-tourism and Conservation Society Malaysia (Ecomy) co-founder and CEO Andrew Sebastian said the species, locally known as balau putih, can only be found at the high conservation value forests (HCVF) of the Sungai Pinang Virgin Jungle Reserve on Pangkor Island, Segari-Melintang Forest Reserve, and at the Teluk Rubiah Forest Reserve in Lumut.

Sebastian said Ecomy hopes to find ways to develop and package these areas into a proper eco-tourism product following a seven-day expedition to the island that ended yesterday.

Andrew, who was also the expedition’s coordinator, said due to its limited range and distribution, the rare tree categorised as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), must be protected.

(Via: http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/07/22/society-calls-for-conservation-of-endangered-tree-species/)

And similar to some animals becoming extinct, tree species can get extinct too. Let us do the future generations a favor and preserve the planet as it is now so they also get a chance to see and live with everything that we now enjoy and not just see them in books because they have long gone extinct. Trees serve lots of purposes.

First of all, trees give off oxygen that is vital to our survival as a species and virtually everything else we need to live – shelter, food, tools, medicine, and so much more. It gives us shade from the harsh heat of the sun and protects us from the cold and the rest of the elements. A planet without trees isn’t home anymore. Let us all unite in saving them from our very own and continue to perpetuate this planet for centuries to come.

In order to avoid cutting down old trees that may be blocking your path or your home, the answer is to trim them. But it is easier said than done. Let the pros deal with it to spare you from the hassle of going up and down trees. Tree trimming does not always need to be expensive, though. Contact http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming for a professional trimming service that leaves you with perfectly trimmed trees without breaking the bank.

Tree Conservation: Why The World Needs More Trees Find more on: The All Clear Tree Service Blog



source http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming/tree-conservation-world-needs-trees

Sunday 17 September 2017

The Dangers Of Forest Fires

You’ll get amazed of all the wonderful things happening on our planet. All living things big or small make our life so much fun and exciting. However, it’s not always rainbows and butterflies and everything nice. There are cons to living too. Whether it is pollution, human’s evil side, and the wrath of Mother Nature in the form of destructive natural calamities, one can easily perish in an instant if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

One of the most understated calamities that can either be man-made or a natural one is forest fires. It can burn millions of acres of land and cross states if the conditions permit. Many animals are displaced because of it and even humans too that live in rural areas and happen to be living nearby. Also known as wildfires or bush fires, forest fires are simply fires happening in rural areas or the countryside that is rich in combustible plants and vegetation. And it is not a new phenomenon because wildfires have been happening for millions of years ago – ever since terrestrial plants first appeared on earth.

This summer, a searing heat wave has helped spawn major fires in the Balkans, parts of Italy and Spain, and southern France and Corsica, as a changing climate affects countries across Southern Europe.

But Portugal has become a particularly stark case of what the future may hold if changes to land, climate and economies go mismanaged.

The deaths in June provoked a fresh round of soul-searching and spurred an investigation, still continuing, into how and why the wildfire engulfed Pedrógão Grande, about 10 miles from where Mr. Muralha lives, close to Oleiros.

Oleiros and its environs are a prime example of the changes to the landscape that have rendered Portugal ever more vulnerable to fire.

The area is a hub for the country’s wood industry. The hamlet where Mr. Muralha lives has just 12 residents, down from about 180 in the 1960s, he said.

(Via: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/12/world/europe/portugal-forest-fires-pedrogao-grande.html)

Bush fires aren’t just a problem faced by rural dwellers in the United States but in other parts of the world as well. Most of the time, it takes years and decades of rehabilitation before a place struck by such a calamity eventually recovers. It is a concerted effort by the government, NGOs and the community as a whole alongside the natural ability of the landscape to heal and recover. Trees don’t grow in a day or two. It takes months and even years for some to reach a towering height that is characteristic of trees in the forest.

More than 3,000 firefighters struggled yesterday to put out forest fires across Portugal, after the country requested assistance from Europe to fight blazes that threaten to spread with more hot weather in the coming days.
Exceptionally dry and hot weather ignited
Portugal’s worst fire disaster in memory early this summer, killing 64 people, and fires have continued to flare up in recent weeks with the arrival of each new hotter spell of weather.
Interior Minister Constanca Urbana de Sousa said the country sent the request for help to Europe late on Saturday because of concerns that high temperatures and high winds in the coming days could increase the number of fires.
The minister said the request was carried out “because of a question of prudence” due to the weather forecast for coming days, according to news agency Lusa.
It covered requests for firefighting airplanes and firemen and is part of a European mechanism for co-operation to fight fires.

(Via: http://www.gulf-times.com/story/560130/Portugal-asks-for-help-to-battle-forest-fires)

Not only does the environment suffer in the wake of widespread bushfires but it has an effect on the country’s economy as well. Since some of the natural and raw resources we use in various industries can be found in most forests, it is easy to understand how devastating losing access to these resources is when the forest is now devoid of life. And don’t get me started on the harmful gases it emits that contribute to global warming. The list can go on and on.

However, as damaging as it may be, wildfires actually serve a crucial role in shaping various ecosystems by initiating change to take place. So, no matter how difficult it may be, don’t hesitate in planting anew after tragedies like bushfires. Ensure that dead and burnt trees are removed from the ground. http://www.allcleartree.com/removal may be of help as tree removal is their expertise. Only then can new trees be planted if the old ones are no longer there.

The blog post The Dangers Of Forest Fires Find more on: All Clear Tree Service's Blog



source http://www.allcleartree.com/removal/dangers-forest-fires

Sunday 10 September 2017

The Story About The Joshua Tree

The planet is full of mysteries the human mind can’t always comprehend. From the intricate design of the planet to the interesting inter-relationships among various species, your mind is blown over and over again as to how we manage to coexist alongside each other, although not always peacefully. Like the Joshua tree, for instance, it has helped shape California’s the Mojave Desert along with its ever faithful companion, the Yucca moths. The symbiotic (win-win) relationship between various species has helped fill the world with living things big and small that live alongside us humans.

It’s funny how even the tiniest of living things can have a big impact on the world. In this case, the Yucca moth helped the Joshua tree pollinate and in the process co-evolved. Experts attest to the fact that their relationship has been going on for years as both need one another for survival. Yucca moth caterpillars only have the Joshua tree seeds for sustenance and the latter won’t be able to thrive without the aid of the moths in pollination.

But in the vast world of plants and their pollinators, there was one example that Darwin deemed the “most wonderful case of fertilisation ever published” in a letter to botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker. This was the curious case of the Joshua tree and the yucca moth. 

We’ll start with the Joshua tree, the Mojave Desert’s most iconic plant. With its spiny fronds and clubbed tufts topped by pungent, waxy flowers twisting towards the desert sky, this desert-adapted shrub has a reputation for otherworldliness. Everyone who passes through the desert remembers the majestic Joshua tree; its namesake has inspired artists, filmmakers and many a sojourner in search of transcendence. 

Few travelers, however, wax poetic about its evolutionary partner, the yucca moth. The small, dun bug is initially unassuming, but upon closer inspection, it is an equally extraterrestrial match for the iconic Joshua tree. Instead of a regular mouthpiece, it sports bizarre, tentacle-like fronds, the likes of which are unique among insects—and serve an essential purpose in the desert ecosystem. 

(Via: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-tree-and-its-moth-shaped-mojave-desert-180964452/)

The world works in mysterious ways, indeed. There are many things that happen around us that we are totally clueless of because some are so minuscule we can’t possibly see it with our naked eyes but they contribute greatly to the planet. The humble Joshua tree managed to survive for years just with the help of the Yucca moth and same with the latter.

Some 2 million people flock to southern California's Joshua Tree National Park every year to see its namesake flora and experience its unforgiving desert environment—but those who leave before sundown are missing out. At night the sky comes alive with stars and now it is being officially recognized as an "International Dark Sky Park," a designation given by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) to "a land possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment."

As Desert Sun, a subsidiary of USA Today, reported, Joshua Tree will officially join the list of over 50 other Dark Sky Parks around the world, which draw stargazers and astronomers for clear views of our galaxy, at a ceremony at Joshua Tree's Copper Mountain College on August 12. So why doesn't every remote outpost around the world get the designation? To be a designated Dark Sky Park, the communities that surround it have to actively contribute to minimizing light pollution.

(Via: http://www.cntraveler.com/story/joshua-tree-national-park-to-get-dark-sky-park-designation-for-stargazing)

Aside from the rich history and nature of the tree itself, the place where this tree only grows is also famous as an “International Dark Sky Park” – meaning it is a great place to watch starry nights. It is more reason to head to this renowned park, if not to see the Joshua tree up close but to experience what it is like to see the night-sky away from the blinding city lights. The residents living nearby do their part in ensuring there is little light traffic in the place to preserve its natural light once night time falls.

While trees are welcome in the far rural areas of California where the Joshua tree grows, it’s not the same in San Diego. Some trees can be a bother to the residents, which is why it needs to be removed. For times like this, contact a professional here: http://www.allcleartree.com/removal because you may get hurt cutting down a tree if you do not know what you are doing. Better let the pros deal with it and wait for all the mess to be cleared after. Trees serve their purpose, so when they don’t anymore it is fine to take them down.

The blog post The Story About The Joshua Tree Read more on: AllClearTree.com



source http://www.allcleartree.com/removal/story-joshua-tree

Sunday 3 September 2017

Trees Dry Up During The Hot Summer Months

Trees are living things as well like us humans. They have needs that must be met in order to grow and thrive in an increasingly inhospitable planet. It also means that they get affected too by a myriad of factors that likewise affects human beings. The climate, pollution, human activities, etc. all make survival doubly harder for every single one of us. Imagine yourself suffering from the extreme heat at this time of the year. You are not alone. Trees feel the heat too and if you just give them the time of day and look a little closer, you’d see them drying up from top to bottom.

Our first instinct is to increase our water intake to fight the heat. It makes perfect sense actually and it is probably our survival instinct taking over that we immediately reach out for a cool and refreshing glass of water to quench our thirst and beat the heat. Plants need as much water too. Seeing tree trunks and barks drying and cracking is a strong indicator that it is likewise in dire need of water and some TLC.

It’s been several weeks since Grande Prairie has seen significant rainfall, and its starting to show. The city’s parks department says local trees are showing signs of drought stress, which is forcing some into early dormancy.

Some of the symptoms include yellowing leaves and dying branches, and without some relief, they could be killed over the winter. The city is asking residents to consider watering their trees and shrubs over the next few days to help, as they will need enough reserves to last them through to next spring.

In order to properly water a tree, people should turn their hose to a trickle, and leave it where rain would normally drip off of its branches. It should be left in several spots for a total of an hour.

“Grass consumes a significant amount of water so shallow, frequent watering does little to
help trees” it’s explained in a release. “Deep, infrequent watering (once every two weeks for mature trees) is much more effective.”

(Via: http://www.mygrandeprairienow.com/31335/dry-conditions-causing-tree-stress/)

But while watering plants and trees help them overcome the heat and lets them stay hydrated all day-long, it isn’t always an easy thing to do. First, droughts are becoming quite common now, so water is becoming more of a precious commodity that no longer always comes for free. Then, the summer months are longer and more intense perhaps because of climate change. Once trees lose their color, dry up, and begin to wilt, they become susceptible as well to disease and insect infestation. Even the oldest and biggest of trees have a hard time staying healthy during long and dry summer spells.

As the number of droughts increases globally, scientists are working to develop predictions of how future parched conditions will affect plants, especially trees.

New results published today in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution by 62 scientists, led by Henry Adams at Oklahoma State University, synthesized research from drought manipulation studies and revealed the mechanisms by which tree deaths happen.

"Understanding drought is critical to managing our nation's forests," says Lina Patino, a section head in the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division of Earth Sciences, which co-funded the study through its Critical Zone Observatories program. "This research will help us more accurately predict how trees will respond to environmental stresses, whether drought, insect damage or disease."

Adds Liz Blood, director of NSF's MacroSystems Biology program, which co-funded the research, "Droughts are simultaneously happening over large regions of the globe, affecting forests with very different trees. The discovery of how droughts cause mortality in trees, regardless of the type of tree, allows us to make better regional-scale predictions of droughts' effects on forests."

(Via: https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=242634)

When it is the time of the year when the heat is just too much and you can’t possibly move a tree somewhere else cooler, try to eliminate any other factors that can cause further stress to the tree like creepy, crawling insects. And while we like to believe that water is the answer to trees drying issues, there is a proper method to watering down a tree. Water it gradually and at soil level. Sprinklers aren’t ideal since only the top soil is soaked and the tree roots remain all dried up. Avoid over-watering it down too since it can drown the tree especially when the surrounding soil already appears soaked with water.

Trees that already died because of the heat and can no longer be salvaged better be removed from the land. Stumps can be problematic, though, as they are huge and grow deep into the ground. Experts at stump removal can help you with this one as they have the knowledge, skills, and manpower on how to do this right. http://www.allcleartree.com/stump-removal is a cost-effective way to get these dead tree stumps removed for good. Now, you can keep on caring for your (still) live and breathing trees and not waste your time, effort, and resources in something that is long gone.

The post Trees Dry Up During The Hot Summer Months Find more on: allcleartree.com



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Tuesday 29 August 2017

Build The Treehouse Of Your Dreams

Our childhood was often filled with laughter, imagination, active play and lots of adventure back in the days. We actually went out of the house to have a good time. Looking back, our childhood wasn’t so bad at all. It is a stark contradiction to how kids pass their time these days. Most youngsters are glued to their smart gadgets and totally immersed in their virtual life.

But we can change that. As adults, we can recreate our childhood and let our kids have a great time without the use of technology all the time. For starters, why not take away their gadgets and limit their use daily. When they don’t have their gadgets to tinker with, kids will be forced to use their imagination to entertain themselves and actually do something else with their hands. And a tree house fits the purpose of livening up their childhood to a T.

“The treehouse just grew up,” says host Pete Nelson at the start of Animal Planet’s “Treehouse Masters” — and he means it.

Just as comic book superheroes and video games have been absorbed into the adult world, “Treehouse Masters” allows grownups to enjoy an enduring symbol of American childhood.

The entertaining and informative show, which has aired over 70 episodes since 2013 and was just renewed for a new season, follows the treehouse-building exploits of Nelson, who is owner of Nelson Treehouse and Supply in Fall City, Washington, where he’s surrounded by some of the world’s most gorgeous forests. Picture an outdoorsy Mr. Rogers after a few cups of coffee —that’s Nelson. He brings a kid-like enthusiasm to a kid-like endeavor, but with distinctly mature twists.

(Via: https://www.lifezette.com/popzette/treehouses-have-never-looked-good-this-show-knows-it/)

The funny thing about building tree houses is the joy it gives to the adult aside from that of the child. Often times you’d see the adult showing more emotion than their kids. Indeed, it is a great way for a parent and a child to bond. You can stay up in the tree house and make up all sorts of adventure in your own little make believe world. Kids and adults alike can also use this space as their cozy getaway when they want to be just by themselves and do some self-reflection, reading, or just about anything else they want to.

Dozens of volunteers in the village of Hamburg on Friday began building a $450,000 playground that will be more than your average swing set and slide.

The Hamburg Community Playground will be "a true destination playground," playground committee member Jennifer Gallardo predicted during the planning.

With five slides, swings, ring climber, spinner and a two-way zip line, tight rope bridge, fire pole and more, there should be something for every child when it's built.

(Via: http://buffalonews.com/2017/04/28/construction-starts-hamburg-community-playground/)

But what if an entire community pledges to realize such an ambitious feat for young kids to play with? The result is an epic tree house where kids can get lost for hours while enjoying themselves and honing their muscular agility and dexterity at a young age.

It's a common-sense rule of treehouse construction: Make it lightweight. So I felt some stirrings of anxiety when the stocky, bearded sawmill owner pulled up to the house with a flatbed trailer stacked with oak timbers. Full of water, densely grained and smelling like bourbon, the rough-cut framing lumber I'd ordered spanned 18 feet and looked like bridge supports. As we offloaded the first 2 x 8, each of us taking an end in hand, I smiled doggedly to mask the strain I felt. He peered over the garden fence past the lilac bushes, and politely asked, "What kind of treehouse are you building?"

One thing was certain: It wouldn't look much like the rickety aeries of my childhood, hammered together out of whatever construction scraps and packing crates we neighborhood kids could scrounge up. (The most ambitious of these was a three-story fort spanning a creek and topped by a crow's-nest made from an old kitchen chair nailed to the trunk.) This time, I'd enjoy the advantages of milled lumber and a carpenter's square and level, not to mention power tools. Yet I hoped to match the spirit of those earlier tree forts with a rustic structure where my children could waste their afternoons dreaming up rules to games I'd never understand or even hear about.

(Via: http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/a5490/how-to-build-a-treehouse/)

Make a plan and determine what your tree house will look like before rolling your sleeves and start working on it. Pick a sturdy platform because that will serve as your tree house’s base. While the tree house will likely be frequented by youngsters, it should still be strong enough to carry their combined weights and even survive inclement weather. It’s a treat for kids to have their own tree house where they can hang out with their friends and make pretend play. It’s one of the best gifts any parent can give to their children instead of buying them yet another gadget that is just as pricey. The memories they can make from their own little fort is priceless.

On the other hand, if a tree is proving to be a major obstruction in your home and poses a security threat, having it cut down is unavoidable. When that happens, you can contact http://www.allcleartree.com/removal for professional tree removal help because things like this can go from bad to worse fast, so better let the pros deal with it right from the start.

The article Build The Treehouse Of Your Dreams was originally published on http://www.allcleartree.com/



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Tuesday 15 August 2017

The World Needs More Trees For Humans To Survive

Trees are here for various reasons. During ancient times, trees provided food and shelter to both man and animals. Fruit-bearing trees provided us with tasty and juicy fruits to satisfy our hunger and give us the energy we need to pursue our various interests in life. And when we started using tools, we cut down trees and fashioned them in different forms like in building homes and furniture making. Trees also provide excellent shade for all forms of life especially when the heat of the sun is too much and we need a temporary relief from it once in a while.

But if there is one more thing that we need most from trees for human life to flourish is the oxygen it produces. Man will perish if there is no more oxygen in the planet. The same thing can be said if carbon output shoots up way, way, way above normal. Unfortunately, that is the reality we are now facing in the world. CO₂ levels in the atmosphere are so high it is almost impossible to bring them back to normal range even if we keep on planting new trees.

Humans emit roughly 30 to 40 billion tons of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere each year. If we keep it up, Earth will continue to heat up and ultimately devastate our way of life.

So what can we do about it?

Most scientists agree that we need a way to capture some of that CO2 out of the atmosphere. One idea is to plant lots of trees. Trees use CO2 in order to grow. They also release oxygen, so it's a win-win.

But recent reports indicate that we simply can't grow enough trees to capture the necessary amount of CO2 that would help us meet the goals set by the Paris Agreement.

In truth, we would have to cover the entire contiguous US with trees just to capture 10% of the CO2 we emit annually.

(Via: http://www.businessinsider.com/so-much-co2-planting-trees-cant-save-us-2017-5)

But planting these trees isn’t as easy as A-B-C or 1-2-3. For starters, we don’t have enough space on the planet to plant these trees that can totally wipe out all the carbon emissions in the atmosphere. And most of the land is also used for planting crops. If we don’t plant crops, we starve. If we don’t plant trees, mankind may ultimately die. We are currently trapped in this confusing dilemma.

A new report from the Potsdam Institute in Germany shows that planting trees and other plants to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere cannot substitute for cutting carbon emissions.

Growing trees and other kinds of "biomass" have been thought of as an effective countermeasure against our rising global carbon emissions. In fact, countries that preserve forests or green spaces can receive carbon credits that they can trade or sell to other countries that are polluters. 

The researchers looked at several scenarios. One was the the "business-as-usual" scenario, in which greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise at current rates, and which scientists fear could lead to a global average temperature rise of 4.5 C by 2100. They found that if we want trees to absorb all that extra carbon, even if we converted all of our agricultural land to biomass cultivation, it cannot be done without experiencing the "most dire consequences for food production or the biosphere."

(Via: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/trees-carbon-emissions-bob-mcdonald-1.4132679)

The rationale to this massive tree planting concept is because tree needs carbon dioxide to build their tissues. In return, they release oxygen that is needed by man for survival. Our increasingly advancing technology has resulted in carbon emissions that have severely clouded the atmosphere and has endangered everyone living on the planet because of climate change. Unfortunately, even if we cover every open space in the planet with trees, it won’t be able to totally eradicate all the carbon emissions already clouding the atmosphere right now.

As of now, we haven’t found a solution yet on how to address this problem because there are numerous challenges that must first be overcome and they aren’t easy hurdles too. However, it won’t hurt if you plant more trees when you can and do your part in saving the world in your own little ways. But on the contrary, when the presence of a tree presents more harm than good, don’t hesitate to cut it down because ultimately, human life is still more valuable than it. Contact http://www.allcleartree.com/removal for expert yet affordable assistance on tree removal to ensure that no one gets hurt in the process. Try to help out Mother Nature in many other ways because as of now, it needs all the help it can get.

The blog post The World Needs More Trees For Humans To Survive is republished from allcleartree.com



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Tuesday 8 August 2017

Trump No Longer In Agreement With The Paris Climate Accord

US President Donald Trump’s colorful personality and controversial opinions have captured the attention of many over the years. Despite his many flaws, though, one can not argue his love for his country. It’s this passion for the land of the free and the home of the brave that helped him win the presidential seat against a veteran in politics like Hillary Clinton. The ones who voted for him truly believed that Trump can deliver his promise of making America great again but is he doing a good job at it now.

Unfortunately, his performance ever since he assumed office isn’t impressive at all. What he has accomplished so far was use up a big chunk of the nation’s resources in tracking down and deporting illegal immigrants, shutting the border from refugees, cutting down the budget on government agencies he does not consider to be important like the education, arts, and even the US Environmental Protection Agency as well as issue more travel bans that only resulted to the Trump Slump.

Donald Trump, who called climate change “a hoax” during his campaign, has withdrawn the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, rejecting a pact that is being honored by more than 190 nations.

The U.S. signed and ratified the agreement under President Obama, and it is a pact that is also heavily backed by U.S. and global corporations, including oil companies ExxonMobil, BP, and Royal Dutch Shell.

The U.S., the world’s second largest producer of greenhouse gases after China, committed in Paris to cutting its carbon emissions by between 26 to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025.

Trump justified his reversal of the U.S. commitment made to the world in Paris with the wholly unsubstantiated claim that the agreement is bad for U.S. business and labor.

The Paris Agreement aims at preventing dangerous climate change and keeping the world well below a 2 degree Celsius (3.6 degree Fahrenheit) average temperature rise over preindustrial levels. Studies have shown that the emission cuts volunteered by the world’s nations in Paris are still deeply inadequate for meeting that goal, and Trump’s move will only steepen the very difficult climb to climate stability and safety.

(Via: https://news.mongabay.com/2017/06/trump-withdraws-u-s-from-paris-climate-accord-scientists-respond/)

This recent move from Trump is no longer surprising considering how vocal he was in saying that climate change is just a hoax for government organizations to get more money and federal support. However, he shouldn’t let his personal biases cloud his judgment when millions of lives rely on his decisions. He is the voice of America. So, are we now ready to face the implications of his decision to get out of the Paris Climate Agreement?

The U.S.’s withdrawal could prompt other countries to reconsider their contributions. Or it could have the opposite effect. The Trump Administration is leaving the energy technologies of the future to other countries to develop, and many nations see an economic opportunity. As the headline of a recent post on Foreign Policy’s Web site put it,“If Trump Dumps the Paris Accord, China Will Rule the Energy Future.” It is telling that several of the U.S.’s largest tech companies, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Intel, signed an open letter to Trump, urging him to “keep the United States in the Paris Agreement.” The letter states, “By expanding markets for innovative clean technologies, the agreement generates jobs and economic growth.” On Tuesday, Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook, reportedly put in a call to the President, urging him to remain in the agreement.

In another open letter to the President, which ran as a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal, the heads of thirty other mammoth companies, including 3M, Cargill, Bank of America, and Morgan Stanley, wrote to express their “strong support for the United States remaining in the Paris Climate Agreement.” The C.E.O.s said that they were concerned about the “strong potential for negative trade implications if the United States exits from the Paris Agreement.”

(Via: http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/au-revoir-trump-exits-the-paris-climate-accord)

Trump’s flair for drama or his unorthodox view on things is not doing the country any good so far. He should remember that his actions represent the country in general and that’s how other countries see the US on the outside. Moreover, this action can cause more damage to our already deteriorating environment. Just how much everyone will suffer from this decision, we are yet to find out. Others are also concerned how other countries will react to this strange move from America. It might trigger them to do away with the agreement themselves and further harm our planet and even speed up climate change.

In as much as we want to preserve the environment and advocate for tree-planting whenever possible, there are instances when trees can also pose harm to the people around it. For example, trees can fall down because of strong winds or storms and damage properties and endanger human lives. To prevent that from happening, make sure you get those big trees trimmed down http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming with our professional help, so the risk of it falling down is reduced. Hence, you no longer need to cut down more trees when we need them more badly than ever now.

The following article Trump No Longer In Agreement With The Paris Climate Accord is republished from AllClearTree.com



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Tuesday 1 August 2017

Fight Pollution Along Busy City Streets

Fighting pollution is a never-ending struggle in our day-to-day. Imagine you’re all dressed up for work early in the morning but you suddenly look haggard after fighting your way through traffic and the accompanying smoke from other vehicles as you step out of your car and make your way to school or work. Pollution will always be a part of city life. How unfortunate it may seem but is actually our fault.

Now, local governments are doing their best in lining city streets with trees to reduce pollution levels and make the air cleaner and healthier for the people to breathe. Even through this simple measure, the air in major thoroughfares becomes cleaner. It may be baby steps to healthier living but better to have this than nothing at all.

Trees need to be compatible with their environment to maximize their ability to survive and influence urban air quality, a new study has suggested.

Based on the findings, a team of Filipino scientists has come up with a “menu” identifying which species can withstand the air quality in seven of Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfares: Edsa, Ortigas Avenue, Roxas Boulevard, Taft Avenue, Pasay Road, C3 and C5 Road.

The list was the product of a yearlong study which ended last year and looked at 47 tree species found on major roads. Of this number, 18 species were native or indigenous to the country.

“There is a notion that if you plant a tree, it helps the environment. But you need to plant the right tree that can adopt to the environment that we have. If we plant the wrong tree in a particular environment, if it’s not tolerant, it may die,” said Dr. Glenn Sia Su, the main proponent of the research.

(Via: http://motioncars.inquirer.net/49357/study-lists-16-pollution-tolerant-trees-7-busiest-metro-roads)

With the help of science, we may be able to implement effective and efficient programs to help solve the pollution problem in most major cities. Local government units should keep this in mind when making local policies that address this issue to ensure their efforts don’t go down the drain.

The connection between trees, human health and well-being dates back millennia. The ancient Celts worshipped in sacred groves, believing the trees would protect them from physical and spiritual harm. In Hebrew and Christian scriptures a tree of life in the Garden of Eden imparted immortality. Potted conifers helped to cleanse the air inside tuberculosis sanatoriums of nineteenth century Europe.

In recent years, scientists studying urban forests have turned up links between exposure to green space and health benefits, including fewer deaths from heart disease and respiratory diseases, fewer hospitalizations, better infant birth weights and even less crime.

“We’ve had this intuitive understanding that nature is good for us. Now we’re backing it up on an empirical level,” said Geoffrey Donovan, a resource economist with the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station in Oregon.

Donovan and others are digging into the underlying science to understand the relationship between nature and health, a step they say will help guide the design of healthier cities and suburbs.

(Via: http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/2017/april/trees-science-and-the-goodness-of-green-space)

We can’t deny the positive correlation between green space and optimum health of the people. Numerous studies support such claims that human health improves in the presence of nature. While it is impossible to uproot ancient trees from the rainforest and transplant them in the city, we can still plant new ones that will be effective in reducing particulate matter in the air, and eventually reduce air pollution levels.

We may take it for granted now but over time we will realize how valuable these measures are when the world is overtaken by technology in the near future. The best time to plant trees is now. It takes a long time for them to grow, so we should no longer dilly-dally and just plant them along busy city streets while we still can and make the world still livable for the generations to come.

Other times, though, trees weren’t placed in strategic locations and become a bother to people and properties as they grow and mature. They may likewise get toppled down during calamities and affect the day-to-day of tens to thousands of people. To take care of this mess and remove the tree including its stump, call the pros for help http://www.allcleartree.com/stump-removal so they can get rid of the troublesome tree and stump safely and without affecting nearby properties. It may sound easy but tree removal requires careful planning especially if it is an urban location.

The post Fight Pollution Along Busy City Streets is courtesy of All Clear Tree Service's Blog



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Sunday 9 July 2017

Technology Comes To The Aid Of Trees

When the world started, only primitive life existed. More complex living beings appeared little by little over time. And for as long as we can remember, we have seen a thriving flora and fauna out there in the wild. These vast ecosystems have been here even before man came to be. They have provided habitat and food source to the wildlife up to the present. Unfortunately, these rainforests are receding as technology keeps on progressing.

Technology and nature often go the opposite way. You can seldom say that technology works in the favor of nature because more often than not, it does more, and even irreparable, damage than we can ever comprehend. But this time around, technology is being used in a good way by saving trees rather than cutting them down.

The Uttar Pradesh forest and environment department has decided to protect trees through a smart mobile application to be launched soon by chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

Tree felling is rampant in areas including Noida and Greater Noida and officials are unable to act against those cutting trees mindlessly for frivolous reasons because it is not easy to identify offenders.

In Noida and Greater Noida, trees are being cut for developmental projects, often without permission from the forest department. Even residents cut trees to make way for parking space. The forest department, in many cases, do not get to know about tree felling instances as there are no complaints lodged.

“Many a time, people do not file a complaint because the process is tedious. We have decided to come up with an app to make filing of the complaint easier. The app will be available on Google Playstore. Anyone can click a picture of a tree being cut, mark the location and send it on the app. Our department will act swiftly,” said Sanjeev Saran, principal secretary, department of environment, Uttar Pradesh.

(Via: http://www.hindustantimes.com/noida/coming-soon-a-smartphone-app-to-save-trees/story-0HWh5qltbRr5gljVKH6pYI.html)

You can’t just cut down trees (especially in rainforests and other protected areas) because you want to. You need to secure permits from respective government agencies before you can do such a thing. This helpful app can empower ordinary individuals in reporting complaints involving tree abuse so that appropriate actions can be taken to address it and no more trees succumb to the will of man.

It's not everyday that you meet someone like Haritha Rao. The 19-year-old student of environmental science at Mount Carmel College has mapped 600 trees since November last. She recognises species and different types of canopies that trees have.

Rao and many like-minded volunteers have been mapping trees in the city for Talking Earth. The nonprofit was involved in counting the number of trees that were slated to be wiped out by the steel flyover, which was later scrapped.

Rao, a botany student, believes the mapping exercise has taught her much more than her textbooks did."It is time we as citizens know our trees, why they fall and also what trees need to be planted instead of just randomly planting trees without understanding their life cycle," she says.

(Via: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/security-tech/technology/coming-soon-an-app-to-map-citys-shrinking-green-cover/articleshow/58819568.cms)

Technology can be your friend or foe depending on how you use it. The problem with people nowadays is that we use technology to make our lives easier at the expense of the environment. It is a breath of fresh air to finally hear about it being put to good use in helping protect the environment because every effort counts when it comes to environment conservation because the odds are great.

However, there are instances when trees can be dangerous too especially the big ones that fall on houses, other properties and even on people and animals. When trees fall, it is better to get the stump removed too, so you can plant a new one in its wake. The fallen tree can be used in various projects such as furniture making or even used in cooking or making fire. For professional trump removal services, http://www.allcleartree.com/stump-removal got everything covered for you at a reasonable price.

The following blog post Technology Comes To The Aid Of Trees is available on ACTS



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Sunday 2 July 2017

Trees Know How To Socialize Too

We all know that humans are social animals but do you know that trees are social in nature too? Over the course of time, trees have also evolved in response to stressors or triggers in their environment. We just don’t often hear about it but trees live a pretty interesting life as well. They do look after each other. For instance, let’s take a closer look at acacia trees. They release chemicals once giraffes start munching on their leaves to inform other nearby acacia trees, so they can produce a toxic chemical to protect them even before the giraffe reaches them.

Experts who specialize in trees have conducted experiments and studies to prove that trees interact with one another, do even the mundane of things like going to the toilet annually, and even have sex like humans do. These studies encourage people to see trees in a different light and don’t just think of them as inanimate beings that we believe them to be for deep down, they have feelings too.

Trees are social creatures that mother their young, talk to each other, experience pain, remember things and have sex with each other, a bestselling author has said.

If that persuades you to go and hug the nearest tree, then great, said Peter Wohlleben. Just avoid a birch: “It is not very sociable. Try a beech.”

It’s not surprising to find out that trees are sociable since they are also living things like us humans. The only difference is that we don’t hear them speak or act out how they feel but maybe they do, we’re just oblivious to it or care too little to notice.

Wohlleben wants society to be more aware of trees’ “feelings”. Trees that are close to street lights, which burn all night, will die earlier, he said.

Pollarding trees – removing the upper branches to promote a dense head of foliage – is also a bad thing. “It is like cutting your fingers, it hurts and it damages the tree very heavily. A wound more than 3cm deep can cause a fungal infection and perhaps 10 or 20 years later the tree will rot.”

He said people pruning trees were often not particularly educated about what they were doing, and that they were in effect killing trees.

(Via: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/31/trees-talk-have-sex-look-after-young-peter-wohlleben-hay-festival)

Think that you’re so tech-savvy yourself since you are well-versed on the World Wide Web. The trees also have this extensive network known as the “Wood Wide Web”, a fungal network where trees send electric signals to each other in the face of danger. Indeed, there are so much more to a tree’s life that we’ll ever get to know of.

Streetlights are causing the urban trees of the towns and cities of the planet to stay up past their bedtimes, as the natural world falls victim to the modern world's need to have an electric light illuminating everything all the time.

This is coming from tree expert Peter Wohlleben, who says there's lots of research pointing out that city trees growing near streetlights die sooner than their rural equivalents. This is because trees need to sort of sleep a bit at night too, with the artificial lights also affecting their leaf and blossom-producing schedules, further impacting upon their health.

(Via: http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2017/06/trees-are-staying-up-too-late-as-well/)

If the premise is true, then trees have been suffering for a while now in the hands of man. Jungles and rainforests disappear at such a quick pace leaving thousands of wildlife and insect species devoid of a home in a world that is increasingly becoming inhospitable. On the other hand, plants planted in crowded cities also suffer from the loneliness of their isolation and likewise subjected to various types of pollution that aren't doing them any favor at all.

Whether you believe that trees are social beings or not are purely subjective. Big trees in big cities can pose a danger to people and properties too. Since we don’t want to endanger human life but want to refrain from cutting down more trees, the answer is simple: http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming. No to minimal problems will arise if we learn to coexist with all the living things on the planet. And because trees can’t speak for themselves, let us take the initiative to do the right thing on their behalf so everyone lives harmoniously for all eternity.

Trees Know How To Socialize Too is republished from All Clear Tree Service's Blog



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Saturday 24 June 2017

Trees Get Sick Too

Can you remember the last time you were ill? It’s not exactly the best feeling in the world, right? Not only do you look and feel sick but you also miss out on a lot of things at school or at work because we are too sick to even get out of bed. While we dread the onslaught of sickness, they are at times necessary for our body to rest and recuperate. We usually get sick because our immunity went down. When that happens, it takes some time for our body to be back in fighting form with the help of enough sleep, rest, liquids, fruits, and medicines.

We generally think of illness as something that only affects human and animals, it actually comes as a surprise to some that other living things like plants and trees get sick too. And like humans that look sick when they are, you can easily spot a diseased tree too with a trained eye.

Another Torbay woodland is to lose hundreds of its mature trees as a tree disease spreads across the bay's beauty spots. Just a few weeks after more than 1,500 trees were cut down at the Grove on the outskirts of Brixham, hundreds more will go at Occombe Woods in Paignton.

The Forestry Commission have served Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust with notice to fell up to 400 diseased larch trees in an area between Preston Down Road and Occombe Valley Road known as the East Down Plantation.

A similar felling operation carried out at the Grove (below) has left the landscape devastated. Tree felling work has seen wooded areas disappear across Torbay in recent years.The most high profile being the controversial 'natural regeneration' at Churston Woods which saw 1,500 trees come down over the last few months.

(Via: http://www.devonlive.com/hundreds-more-trees-to-be-felled-in-torbay-as-larch-disease-strikes-again/story-30268583-detail/story.html)

We feel for trees that can’t speak and tell us how bad they feel when they succumb to illness. Experts consider a tree sick if it isn’t deemed to survive the next five years or so by measuring the size of the living crown in relation to the bole’s size. A tree will gradually die if only a few leaves are left on a tree with a large bole because it won’t be able to nourish all the tree tissues for nourishment and maintenance. Yellowing of the leaves is also another common symptom along with visible dead tree branches.

Trees are an asset to any community and the people of Vermillion are lucky enough to have trees lining streets and scattered throughout public parks.

Unfortunately, the trees in Vermillion are beginning to show their age and reaching the end of their lifespan. Many are being cut down or destroyed by natural circumstances and are not being replaced.

“We are losing a lot of trees in this town and if you look at little farther, you don’t see anything new being planted,” said Clarence Pederson, a Vermillion resident and member of the Vermillion Tree Board. “I see that Vermillion is a neat looking place. We have a lot of old trees and one of the things that makes it a nice looking place is the fact that we have big old trees, but the fact is they are old.”

Saying that none of the trees are being replaced may be a bit of an exaggeration, Pederson admits, noting that some are being replaced by the city in the public parks. Not enough are being replanted, however, to make up for lost inventory.

A typical lifespan for a tree in Vermillion is 60 years with the potential to survive longer, but most are threatened with the possibility of storm damage and disease. Currently, the biggest threat to the trees in Vermillion is emerald ash borer disease threating the ash trees. Ash trees were planted in response to Dutch elm disease which destroyed the elm trees.

(Via: http://www.plaintalk.net/local_news/article_28cd3e6c-29e3-11e7-a301-27e846c4f9f4.html)

There are trees that have been around for ages and it pains us to see them succumb to illness after providing us shelter and shade for years. However, that’s how life goes. They adapt and their leaves change color with the passing of the season and we witness first hand how resilience they are but a tree disease can easily take the life out of them just like that. So, once it becomes too sick and can no longer be saved, tree removal is the next logical choice especially if there are nearby trees that you don’t want to get infected too. Check this out http://www.allcleartree.com/removal and seek the help of a professional tree removal service company to ensure all dead parts of the diseased tree are removed and the other plants and trees in the area stay healthy and strong for years.

Trees Get Sick Too is courtesy of http://www.allcleartree.com/



source http://www.allcleartree.com/removal/trees-get-sick

Saturday 17 June 2017

Are Trees The Answer To Climate Change?

Major changes are happening to the planet at a rapid level. Rainforests are receding, the sea level is rising, the planet is warming, and so much more. Unfortunately, most of these changes are not good ones and especially not good to us and every other living being on earth. Natural calamities have gotten stronger and more disastrous than ever. Add to that the growing threat of human conflicts that make life on earth a living hell.

Amidst all these changes, most people feel helpless and vulnerable. The truth is, we can make a difference in this world in our own little ways. Simple lifestyle changes can have a big impact to how fast climate change is progressing, which is the biggest natural threat we are experiencing nowadays. Trees can also help reduce global warming by removing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the air for the people to breathe. Without trees, we would be stuck as a planet.

Can we use trees and other plants as a weapon in the fight against climate change? Earth's greenery comes with natural carbon-capturing abilities, but now several studies are investigating how to tweak those tendencies to have a maximum impact on carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.In 2014, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced that plants would have to be a major part of the world’s efforts to capture CO2. The idea would be to have trees and grasses suck up CO2as they grow, then burn or process them into fuels to generate power while capturing any CO2 produced along the way. This process is known as “bioenergy plus carbon capture and storage,” or BECCS.

We’re starting to see increasingly large tests of the technology roll out. The Washington Post, for instance, recently reported that a new large-scale trial in Decatur, Illinois, will process huge quantities of corn into ethanol, then grab the 1.1 million tons of CO2 created from fermentation each year and lock it away underground.

(Via: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/604260/can-we-fight-climate-change-with-trees-and-grass/)

Experts are testing how trees can help in trapping and storing carbon in the trees and soil to lower the atmospheric CO₂ levels, so that we can benefit from it more than just the cool shade it provides us against the scorching heat of the sun.

Trees are good for us. Carbon dioxide is one of the major contributors to global warming and climate change. Trees trap carbon dioxide and “exhale” oxygen in return. A mature tree can absorb roughly 48 pounds of carbon dioxide a year, and in turn release enough oxygen to sustain two people.

Trees reduce runoff by storing water from rain. That makes a big difference in our rainy Northwest (45 inches of rain already since Oct. 1). Trees also absorb sound and reduce noise pollution. So if you live near a freeway, plant a couple of trees! If you want to cool off in the summer (whenever that comes), you will appreciate trees reducing the heat from streets and sidewalks.

(Via: https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/burbank-just-planting-a-tree-can-do-a-world-of-good/)

Trees do the world a lot of good. It’s funny that man needs trees to live for various reasons while trees don’t need anything from us at all yet they are among the first to suffer the most from all the progress we aspire to achieve.

Typically, a tree absorbs as much as 48 pounds (21 kg) of carbon dioxide per year and can sequester 1 ton of carbon dioxide by the time it reaches 40 years old. The average North American generates about 20 tons of CO2-eq each year, which means every year you’d need to plant about 500 trees to offset your carbon footprint, that’s not taking into account the time it takes for a tree to mature and reach the optimal carbon-sinking age. If you’re a New Yorker and need to fly to Berlin, your seat is responsible for generating 10,285 pounds (4,675 kg) of CO2. Essentially, your 8.5-hour-long flight just offset roughly 223 trees. Kudos! If you think this isn’t fair, that’s just life for ‘ya because neither is digging up and burning billions of dead trees accumulated over millions of years which until not too long ago safely stayed miles beneath the ground. It’s no surprise that U.S. forests only capture 10 to 20 percent of the nation’s greenhouse emissions each year.

I somewhat digress because trees are definitely a go-to solution for tackling climate change, which is why scientists are trying to find out not only which are the best species that can handle rising temperatures and dwindling water, but what an idle forest might look like.

(Via: http://www.zmescience.com/ecology/climate/thinning-forest-climate-change432/)

While experts are doing their best to come up with measures to reduce the effects of climate change or look for ways to slow down its progress, all of us still have a responsibility to pitch in and do our part. Even if we close down all factories or stop using anything that produces CO₂ from now on, it still won’t change anything in the atmosphere since its molecule is a very resilient one and can stay suspended in the air for up to two centuries.

With the help of trees, though, we can reduce CO₂ concentration around us and therefore halt the progression of climate change. It may be a very simple solution that has been staring us straight in the face for so long now but why is it that we continue cutting down trees and not plant enough in return?

There are only a handful of reasons why you’d possibly need a tree cut down and we’re not talking about doing it in a bigger scale. Just one or two that blocks your access or is proving to be a hazard in your community especially in urban cities. http://www.allcleartree.com/removal may be of help because they offer professional tree removal services when you need it the most.

The following post Are Trees The Answer To Climate Change? is republished from The All Clear Tree Service Blog



source http://www.allcleartree.com/removal/trees-answer-climate-change

Saturday 10 June 2017

Insects And Trees: Not Always A Good Match

We live in a world that is home to a wide variety of species that inhabits the land, air, and water. And because we share the same space most of the time, we must learn to coexist, albeit not always peacefully. Survival of the fittest and struggle for existence had always been the mantra in the wild.

Most insects live on and around trees. You can see it everywhere when you go out and commune with nature. However, there are also relationships that aren’t as talked about but are plenty in nature. Some may be symbiotic while most are parasitic in nature. For instance, insects living in trees and feeding on it can mean death for the latter. Fungi also can be dangerous.

A sparse forest is a common sight for this time of year. But in Mendon, the woods are looking more skeletal than usual.

"This tree died two years ago," Rutland City Forester Dave Schneider noted.

The tree is a red pine. And despite its name, it's a little more rustic red than usual. Schneider says the color and lack of limbs are a sign of a devastating disease.

"The branches turn orange, the needles turn orange and then die," Schneider said.

The trees are being attacked by an invasive insect called a red pine scale.

"The insect doesn't actually harm the tree that badly but it carries a fungus very similar to the Dutch elm disease," said Jeffrey Wennberg, commissioner of Rutland City Public Works.

About 100,000 trees are expected to be removed but the disease doesn't make them unprofitable. Schneider says almost all the trees will be sold.

"These trees aren't the most valuable in the forest but they do have certain markets for, particularly with the utility pole market," Schneider said.

(Via: http://www.wcax.com/story/35322430/hundreds-of-vermont-trees-lost-to-insect-infestation)

It is disheartening to see big trees like pines go down because of a mere insect infestation especially when you have to cut them in their prime. However, when the infestation has been too much and several trees have been affected, cutting it down must be done to prevent the infestation from spreading, albeit with a heavy heart. These trees should also be treated to kill the insects before they get the chance to move to the next nearby tree.

A deadly insect that has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees across the East, a scourge that makes the cankerworm look pleasant, is edging toward Charlotte.

The emerald ash borer is an Asian beetle that was first spotted in North Carolina in 2013, in three counties near the Virginia line. The bug has invaded most eastern states, including Virginia and Tennessee, since it was first detected in the U.S. in 2002.

Experts compare the beetle’s lethal potential to the blight that wiped out chestnut trees a century ago and to the insect that is now steadily killing hemlocks across the Southern Appalachian mountains.

(Via: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article144984434.html)

All over the world, trees are always threatened by insect infestation. While we don’t usually hear it over the news, countless trees succumb to these little critters day in and day out. Some trees actually have some sort of defense system in place against insects like sap or releases toxins that are hard for the insects to digest. But despite the tree’s best effort, insects are still out to get them.

If you’re an ash tree, here’s some friendly advice.

Get out of town. Fast.

An Asian beetle is munching its way across the Northeast and it’s only a matter of time before it stops in Morristown for a bite, town Forester Richard Wolowicz told the town council on Tuesday.

The Emerald Ash Borer spells certain doom for ash trees: Nearly all of America’s estimated 7.5 billion ash trees will die as this pest advances, according to Wolowicz. Already, an estimated 50 million of these trees have been killed in the Northeast.

By comparison, Dutch Elm Disease took an estimated 75- to 100 million elm trees in the U.S.

Humans can be harmed, too — by branches falling from ash trees that become brittle after the Emerald Ash Borer kills them, the forester said.

(Via: https://morristowngreen.com/2017/04/26/morristown-braces-for-bark-boring-bugs-ash-trees-should-run-for-cover/comment-page-1/)

Trees are an essential part of our natural ecosystem, so are insects. And the majority of insects happen to be herbivores. Unfortunately, insect infestations can not only damage trees but eventually kill them despite their innate natural defenses. We need trees for fresh air but insects also do play a part in life. Whenever possible, always be on the watch out for the presence of insects in your area especially if you have trees at home. A sudden growth in the insect population can mean the end for certain tree species.

For diseased trees that have been overpowered by insects, the only recourse for them is to have them cut down by professional tree removal services. http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming can help you spruce up these trees and be assured that it will be done professionally. While some homeowners would rather tackle this task themselves to save money, you’d realize it would have been easier, safer and more practical to hire a pro to do this than do it yourself because of the risks involved, especially in the presence of infesting insects that can spread to other plants and trees if not taken cared of properly.

The blog post Insects And Trees: Not Always A Good Match was initially seen on ACTS Blog



source http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming/insects-trees-not-always-good-match