Welsh Tree of the Year

[Gob]

A 500-year-old oak that a planned bypass road will be built around to prevent it being destroyed has been named as Wales' Tree of the Year.



The Brimmon Oak in Newtown, Powys, won the title following a public vote.

Judges also picked it as the overall champion of the four UK winners.

Beccy Speight, Woodland Trust chief executive, said: "Trees are inspirational in so many ways and our four winners clearly demonstrate how we cherish these natural landmarks."

Each winning tree will get a care grant of £1,000 and will represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year competition in February.

The Brimmon Oak, which has a girth of more than 6m (19.6ft), faced being destroyed by plans for the new £56m Newtown bypass as campaigners feared the close proximity would damage the roots.

Thousands of people signed a petition and the Welsh Government agreed to adjust the route to accommodate the oak with "minimal work" within a 15m (49ft) protected zone around the roots.

Ms Speight said trees "punctuate our lives and landscapes and tie us to our past, the equivalent of our best buildings but yet are far less protected".

[dales]

Only 500 years old?

In CALIFORNIA.............

Bristlecone pines are known for attaining great ages. A specimen of Pinus longaeva located in the White Mountains of California is 5,066 years old according to measurements by Tom Harlan.[1] This is the oldest known individual tree in the world.

[Lord Jim]

That's a gorgeous tree...

If it could talk, I'll bet it would have some stories to tell...

[Econoline]

Jeez, how could anyone even THINK of destroying a tree like that...for a bypass road???

[Burning Petard]

How could anybody THINK about this thread without a reference to 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy"

snailgate

[Guinevere]

Yes, but will 15 meters protect it from the emissions that will surely kill it almost as quickly as mangling its root system will?

[Sue U]

Yes, but will 15 meters protect it from the emissions that will surely kill it almost as quickly as mangling its root system will?

I should think that problem will be obviated by the Vogon Constructor Fleet.














(Happy now, BP/SG?)

[Econoline]

In other tree news...

IMAGINE: It’s Christmastime and the barely elected fascist savior of America is a-comin’ to Alabammy to let Alabammy idiots mash their furry paws together and raise their idiot voices in praise of the autocratic thug with the bad hair and face, so what do you do? Well, a rally like that calls for a Christmas tree, of course! So do you go to Big Lots and buy a cheap piece of crap tree, because screw Donald Trump? No way! Do you go to Saks and get a gold-plated luxurious artificial tree, and instead of an angel or a star on top, you put a big figurine of Trump elegantly grabbing everybody by the pussy? That could work, but nah. Do you go buy a real Christmas tree from a real Christmas tree farm, to present to Dear Leader? NO WAY, BUBBA, that’s not a meaningful gift from your heart!

No, instead you go to a public park and you murder a tree, a special tree, A CHOSEN TREE, a FIFTY GOLDANG FOOT TALL TREE, to bestow upon the thin-skinned despot, for your rally. That is what you do. It is the only appropriate thing:

• The chief of staff to Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson issued a public apology Sunday for his responsibility in having a cedar tree cut down at Public Safety Memorial Park Friday and transported to Ladd-Peebles Stadium as a prop during President-elect Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday.
  
  Colby Cooper, who has been Stimpson’s chief of staff since 2013, said he became “overzealous” in making sure “every detail was covered and the expectations” of Trump’s team were exceeded ahead of Saturday’s televised rally.
  
  “I now know that there are citizens who are upset and offended that a tree from a city park was used as part of the decorations for the event,” Cooper said in a statement sent out to the local media. “I accept full responsibility for having this done. For this, I sincerely apologize. Going forward, I will be more sensitive to the spectrum of concerns regarding trees.”

Colby Cooper will be “more sensitive” about whacking trees to death for no reason in the future, as he has learned his lesson, and is definitely not sneering sarcastically. He will not take chainsaws to them, and then decorate them in honor of our beloved leader, and also use them to cover up the scoreboard at the venue where the rally was held. Now, it may be that Trump does not trust scoreboards, as some funny hijinks-doer might be tempted to display the running popular vote total for the US American election on them, which would severely distract Trump from Making America Great Again. And he is so easily distracted anyway!

(source: Wonkette)




ETA: Yeah, you'd think the fate of Saruman would've larned him a lesson...

[BoSoxGal]

I saw that story tonight and was just sickened. WTF?!

[Burning Petard]

OK. So each thanksgiving the Prexy pardons a turkey. How about pardoning the whitehouse christmas tree and not cutting it down?

One could easily ask WTF about the whole Xmas tree ritual.

snailgate

[Bicycle Bill]

OK. So each thanksgiving the Prexy pardons a turkey. How about pardoning the whitehouse christmas tree and not cutting it down?

One could easily ask WTF about the whole Xmas tree ritual.

snailgate

Frankly I think the whole 'pardoning of the turkey' shtick is for the birds.

Seriously, though, while the POTUS pardons *A* specific bird (or two), I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that there was breast meat, drumsticks, and giblet gravy on Obama's Thanksgiving table anyway.  And why not?  Some other bird fulfilled the purpose for which it was raised.

In the case of a Christmas tree, they are renewable resources, specifically planted on farms and raised for use as Christmas trees in much the same manner as farmers plant corn or wheat or soybeans or potatoes only to harvest them at the end of the season.  My only gripe with their using this specific tree is that someone took it out of a park rather than from a Christmas tree plantation.

-"BB"-

[BoSoxGal]

Farmed Christmas trees repurposed after the holidays are far better for the environment than toxic fake trees which are a source of pollution both in the making and afterward.

[Big RR]

However, depending where you live, shipment of cut Christmas trees can use a lot of gas/create a lot of pollution, as can hauling them to a disposal site. Indeed, because artificial trees can be more efficiently stacked and are only shipped once in heir useful "lifetime" (probably 5-7 years or more), this is a significant source of toxic pollution from the cut tree market that may not be ascribed to artificial trees. Not sure how many years and artificial tree would need to be used to balance the pollution factor, but I'm sure it could be calculated (of course it would depend on a lot of variables such as where each is shipped from/to).

[Crackpot]

As well as the materials used.

[Crackpot]

Contrary to popular opinion plastic does not necessarily mean environmentally bad most can be recycled and/or are stable (don't break down into toxic substances).

[dales]

That's a gorgeous tree...

I think some beautiful oak furniture could be made from that mighty oak.

[BoSoxGal]

Big RR, there's actually a great deal of research out there on this issue and the many sources I've read argue for real trees being the better environmental choice. Don't forget that they have a net positive impact while growing; most are sold relatively locally while artificial trees are shipped great distances, aren't usually recycled upon being discarded, don't break down in landfills, etc.

I don't really have a dog in the fight since I have no children and believe that the global climate upheaval is coming now no matter how we act as individuals. I personally prefer a real tree but recognize that many folks are lazy about the care/watering required to responsibly prevent fire, so I 'get' why fake trees - also often cheaper overall - are so popular. My understanding however is that it's generally the position of environmentalists that real trees are better for the planet than plastic/metal ones.

[Crackpot]

How old is your information?

[Bicycle Bill]

Every holiday season, there are debates about which is the more environmentally conscious choice: a real or an artificial Christmas tree.  An artificial tree can last for years while real trees must be replaced each year.  But is that artificial tree really such an economical and environmentally friendly solution?

Let’s attempt to dispel some common myths about real trees.

Myth 1: Real trees are cut down from forests.  Yes, the U.S. Forest Service issues a small number of permits to cut wild trees, but most of the Christmas trees you purchase are grown on farms just like any other agricultural crop.

Myth 2: You save forests by using an artificial tree.  Because real Christmas trees are usually grown as a crop — they even call them ‘tree farms’ — you are buying a harvested product grown for this purpose.

Myth 3: Real trees aggravate allergies.  Pine tree allergy is relatively uncommon, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Myth 4: Artificial trees are better because you can re-use them.  At some point, an artificial tree wears out and ends up in a landfill where it is not biodegradable.

Myth 5: Real trees are a fire safety hazard.  Not if you keep your tree freshly watered every day, use new lower-heat LED lights if you can, and keep open flames away.

Myth 6: Real trees cost too much.  In Washington state (source of this article), most locally grown trees cost between $25 and $65 while a plastic tree costs from $100 to $300 depending on height and quality.  You’d have to use an artificial tree well beyond its average length of ownership to break even.

Myth 7: Artificial trees are fire proof.  Artificial trees advertised as “flame retardant” can resist flames for a period of time, but when they do burn, they will emit significant heat and toxic smoke containing hydrogen chloride gas and dioxin.

Myth 8: Real trees have pesticides and chemicals on them.  Tree farmers use chemicals only when needed and follow instructions by the Environmental Protection Agency, the US Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration.  Plastic trees can produce lead dust that can be harmful, especially to children.

Myth 9: Real trees end up in landfills.  Natural trees are 100 percent biodegradable.  Each year, municipalities recycle millions of Christmas trees into mulch, wood chips, etc.  Artificial trees made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a petroleum-derived plastic, do not biodegrade.

Myth 10: Real trees are a hassle and a mess.  Yes, when you move the tree in and out of the house, you will need to vacuum — but hey, you probably needed to do it anyway.  Yes, they do need to be watered each day, but what's a half a minute between friends?

One thing you should know, is that it IS illegal to cut your real tree from state trust lands.  These trees need to grow to build future public schools in our state, as well as provide wildlife habitat and clean water and air.  Instead, most real Christmas trees are grown on family-owned tree farms.  When visiting a lot or a tree farm, your purchase makes an economic contribution to rural communities in Washington.  Plus, picking out a fragrant, live tree with friends or family can become a great holiday tradition.
....from "Ear to the Ground", a blog by the State of Washington DNR

You might also want to take the time to read this article:
Your Christmas Tree’s Carbon Footprint — An artificial vs. natural showdown.

-"BB"-

[BoSoxGal]

Current; here are a few articles I just found by Googling which support the premise I'd found to be true when researching this a year or so ago.

FYI, I did the research because I was mulling whether it was okay to buy my first fake tree. The only reason I was mulling a fake tree was because in my rural Montana town the only real trees were harvested (legally) from USFS land by the local Boy Scout troop, and all of them were gangly trees requiring extensive shaping to even begin to look like a decent Xmas tree - there were no farmed/pruned trees available within a short drive of my home.

http://m.motherjones.com/environment/20 ... -real-fake

http://www.zmescience.com/other/feature ... ence-says/

https://www.google.com/amp/www.rodaleso ... fake%3Famp