Tree planting wasted efforts......

[GarethM]

My experience has been the opposite, when grass grows and dies off the roots don't search far for nutrition around 5".

 

When it's flailed off or grazed in a low intensity the nutrition is distributed and the roots go deeper and benefit the soil structure by getting into the clay and searching for nutrition upto several feet.

[Lowestoft Firewood]

On 27/10/2022 at 22:14, Dan Maynard said:

They finished a massive A14 road building project a couple of years ago and planted thousands and thousands of trees, almost all dead now.

 

I can imagine them saying in Yes, Minister "Well we promised to plant a million trees, we didn't promise they would grow."

I actually saw a few live trees when I went down it on Friday. Endless rows of tree protection just empty. Huge waste of money. 

[Dan Maynard]

6 hours ago, Lowestoft Firewood said:

I actually saw a few live trees when I went down it on Friday. Endless rows of tree protection just empty. Huge waste of money. 

That's it. There have been some half hearted attempts at strimming the grass back, and watering this summer but it's too little too late. I think they were planted too late in the year in the first place, so didn't stand a chance really.

[Sutton]

9 hours ago, coppice cutter said:

Yes, along with other things.

 

I've had several attempts made to rope me in to carbon credit schemes, but on account of the woodland on the farm rather than the grassland.

 

I've refused them all and will continue to do so as I think it's a mockery.

 

Firstly, the environmental damage being done to our planet goes way beyond that which may or may not be related to the climate alone. And secondly, even if there is a climatic aspect to it, and even if is is being unduly influence by carbon, there's no way I'm going to contribute in any way to a system which is solely designed to deflect the blame away from the largest culprits.

Interesting. I've just started looking into it for the first time due to the affect it'll have on grazing. I agree with you on the monitisation. And yes, the environmental and climate change narratives do rather depend on a global government initiative - COP 2022 minus Rishi. I suppose they're seeing if the "market" can sway us mere commoners and other land users. I'll have to read up some more to get my head round it. Thanks

[coppice cutter]

Might add that even though my ground is arable I also farm with permanent pasture and no chemical fertilisers.

 

Actually putting out FYM today which is going on ground for next years hay crop. Once the last load is on today the gate will be shut and that will be it until sometime next June when the mower goes in.

 

I do this in rotation which keeps down the worm burden for the sheep and helps reduce the amount of dosing stuff required. Also means we get away with using more basic dosing products when we do have to do it which in turn is a big benefit regarding anthelmintic resistance. 

Edited October 31, 2022 by coppice cutter

[patrickgalloway3]

On 28/10/2022 at 08:59, GarethM said:

Around the world you can argue planting trees can be beneficial to the environment of those countries, think reversing desertification that sort of thing, the UK and most northern counties not so much as we have large amounts of forest and managed and productive farmland.

 

What is the point of planting trees on valuable arable land ?. What is your goal, carbon dioxide reduction at the expense of growing it in the 3rd world?.

I don't think we do have a large %of forest. According to a quick Google search around 13%. 138th out of 191 countries.

[GarethM]

And a tiny 1.03% or less of global co2 emmisons.

 

Sacrificing usable grazing & arable land on the premise of climate change for trees,  just forces you to buy in food from elsewhere, unless you're prepared to forgo you meals and eat the bugs ?.

 

Letting land go fallow when it could be turned into high welfare, sustainably grown meat, should be a crime in itself to waste it.

[Stere]

Horticulture would make UK alot more self sufficient and probably if done right less co2 emissions but the economics don't add up, as global transport is  still alot cheaper than labour costs.

 

Quote

 

There has been a big decline in the area given to UK horticultural production. From 1985 to 2014, there has been a decline of 27% for fruit and vegetables combined. The area growing vegetables has declined by 26% and the area growing fruit by 35%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GarethM]

Think the year round glass house type growing was always limited by the cost of heating. Which skews the cost viability, the Dutch seem to have made it profitable tho.

 

But at the same time they fly green beans in from Africa and still make money.

[Stere]

Isn't much of the  basic outdoor field veg stuff imported also i dunno...?

 

Suppose that tastes have changed  aswell  people like exotic stuff like avacados rather than say turnips & cabbage nowadays?

 

Less of the traditional staple outdoor UK veg that suited to UK climate is eaten  now maybe?

 

Don't see broad beans in lidl or runner beans but always have green beans.

 

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by Stere