I of late had the good luck to pick up a virtual presentation by Dr. Deborah Lawrence , a professor of environmental science at the University of Virginia , where she is serving as theatre director of the Environmental Thought and Practice Program . Much of her research is focused on the links between tropic deforestation and climate change . One of her destination is to build up community around clime action , and Dr. Lawrence believes gardeners can give mightily in the endeavor to combat climate change . Her recommendations are outlined below .
Protect and Expand Forests
Trees are made of carbon , and they take in quite a bit of carbon dioxide , too.Stanford.edu . Deforestation lead 12 % of the entire world-wide greenhouse gas emissions . We gardeners can surely shoot for to append more tree to our own properties , and we can encourage our neighbour to do the same . In addition , we can protect any forests near our dwelling . We lean to be keen observers , so let ’s put those tendency to puzzle out by monitoring our trees for preindication of trouble , like pests , diseases , or stifle incursive vines . Oriental bittersweet can withdraw trees whole and kill them , so be open-eyed and remove it early . For photo guidance in identifying tree disease , checkForestry Images.org/Diseases . If you would like to enhance your noesis of diseases affecting oak tree trees , be sure to arrest out a recentGarden Shedarticle , What ’s vote out our Oak Trees .
Planting Modern trees is a sinewy way to assist mitigate climate change . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , Oct. 2020 . You ’ll definitely desire to plant aboriginal tree , since they ’ll do double duty — not only sequestering carbon , but also providing food for aboriginal bees , good insects , and other wildlife intemperately collide with by climate change . If you ’re prepare a decision about which tree diagram to found , an first-class place to start isPiedmont Native Plants : a Guide for Landscapes and Gardens , formerly available only in book form , but now available online . This Guide is helpfully divided into two chapters on trees — short and improbable . Another source isCommon Native Trees of Virginia .
Remember that you’re able to easy research anterior issues ofThe Garden Shedfor clause on tree diagram of involvement to you . You ’ll see the “ Search this site ” function on the front page of each issue ofThe Garden Shed . Here are links to late article on native trees : For elaborated selective information about maple , seeRed Maple Earns its Popularity , The Garden Shed , and for our native white oak , seeWhite Oak — A Majestic Native Species , The Garden Shed , for aboriginal hornbeam , seeConsider a Hornbeam , The Garden Shed .
Dr. Lawrence also urge that weavoid cutting large tree diagram — which sequester large measure of atomic number 6 — to the extent potential . This recommendation might be easier say than done ; however , it has me rethinking some of my garden design . For example , I ’ve been planning to hit a native tree that is in the manner of a hedge I ’d wish to create , but now I ’m looking for ways to achieve my goal without chop down a large tulip poplar tree .
Manage Yard Waste and Food Scraps to fend off Methane Emissions
Dr. Lawrence urged us to manage our yard waste thoughtfully , or it could end up bring forth methane . I knew that methane was one of the “ nursery accelerator pedal ” that ensnare estrus near the Earth ’s surface , but I learn that there ’s enough more to have intercourse about methane . Perhaps the most significant thing to get laid is that “ according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC),methane is more than 20 times as effective as CO2 at trapping heat in the atm . ”Carbon , Methane Emissions and the Dairy Cow(Penn . St. Ext . 2016 ) . alas , scientist are report major increases in methane in late years .
Methane gas has both natural and man - made sources , and oil and gas operations are major emitters . But natural sources of methane ? Well , we ’ve all hear about the methane produce by cow , which scientist courteously bear on to as “ enteric ferment . ” But , unfortunately , methane is often produced by the decomposition of biodegradable material — like tree limbs and trim from railyard — in landfill . That ’s because the decomposition appendage in landfill often go on in the absence seizure of oxygen — anaerobically — and that results in methane gas emissions . Happily , some landfills now have some method acting for pull off the methane , but until that ’s the case universally , we can all help out by diverting our K waste from the landfill .
What ’s the final resting office of our local yard wastefulness ? The City of Charlottesville does not extend curbside yard waste product collection , nor does it accept yard waste in its composting drop - off programs . Albemarle County does not have a landfill , so scrap haulers send out trash to a transfer station , perhaps the Ivy Materials Utilization Center ( MUC ) or to another transferee place where trash is consolidated into larger truck and then hauled to theShoosmith Landfillin Chesterfield County or to another Virginia landfill . Albemarle County.org/Solid Waste & Recycling .
The good news is that if thou waste material is delivered to the Ivy MUC , it is ground into mulch , which is then sold to the public . Ivy MUC Services and Fees / Disposal Charges / Rivanna.org . But what happens to the yard barren that is collected by the many individual rubbish hauler in our sphere ? That ’s an important question , but it ’s not easy answer . seem at a exceptional hauler ’s site has not been illuminating , at least in my research . The Albemarle County web site has the undermentioned assertion :
Some hauler use the County Waste Material Recovery Facility ( MRF ) co - located at the Shoosmith Landfill to sort their recyclables . The County does not oversee these services so encourages resident to need their hauler about what recyclables they collect and what encounter to them .
We nurseryman can make inquiries of our private haulers , and we can make it clean that we do NOT need our yard trimmings and brush to end up in a landfill . Who knows what might happen if they are inundated with telephone set telephone call ?
Avoiding the landfill is perfectly do - able when you ’re dealing with grass clippings and smaller trimmings . But does this mean I should be going in on a chipper / shredder with my neighbors ? It might make mother wit on large property that produce piles of yard waste material , but that chipper / shredder is fail to produce greenhouse gases , too . If your one thousand has an out - of - the - way orbit or touch a Natalie Wood , what about making a stilt of tree branch and brush there as cover song or home ground for birds , bees and other wildlife ? Those tree limbs will break up lento and course , andthis outgrowth does produce some carbon copy dioxide as part of the natural carbon cycle : i.e. , plants remove atomic number 6 from the atmosphere for photosynthesis , the carbon move among organisms through the foodweb , and is then released by vector decomposition . Still , from the stand of thin out glasshouse gas emissions , a copse raft in your yard is preferable to mail it to a landfill . And whatever you do , keep off burn your thicket , since combustion farm carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases .
Use Best Composting pattern
We gardeners know that compost is good , right ? Well , it ’s not that simple . Composting food scraps and clippings really produce some nursery gases as part of that natural decomposition unconscious process refer above . This was tidings to me . And I was shocked to learn that methane is sometimes found at the bottom of compost lot because that ’s where anaerobiotic condition can occur . It turns out that mygarden fork is an important weapon in bring down greenhouse gas emissionsbecauseaerating your pile helps prevent methane . commingle this with other good composting pattern — balancing the carbon - to - atomic number 7 proportion and furnish adequate moisture — and you will understate nursery accelerator pedal emissions .
Are you composting your paper towel ? I have to accommodate that I had not been doing this until the pandemic undulate over my life . Then on the spur of the moment my family and I were doing way more handwashing , and in our efforts to be really clean , we were avoiding the cloth towels by the sink . I was n’t comfortable with throw all that newspaper into the garbage , so I did some enquiry . The good news program is that theme towels and napkins — even those that are food - begrime — should definitely go into your compost bin , unless they were used with harsh chemicals or have a lot of lubricating oil or oil attached . Backyard Composting , Va. Coop . Ext . It ’s a near idea to tear up or tear paper towels first . In fact , do the same with newspapers , paper bags and the like ; most newspaper is safely compostable . Composting at rest home / Indiana Environmental Resilience Institute .
Make your 1000 and Garden Part of the solvent
Another surprising matter I learned from Dr. Lawrence is that our plant option can make a difference in mitigating clime change . When we choose ornamentals , the factors we usually count are repose of culture , size , native condition , flower color , pests , and the comparable . Dr. Lawrence would have us total another factor : how long can carbon be seize in this plant?The resolution to this questionfavors perennials over annuals , and gives amajor endorsement to shrubs and trees . This approaching can be call in a “ clime victory garden . ” Part of that garden should be for growing as much of our own food as possible , thus reducing the fogy fuel emissions entail in the production and transportation of intellectual nourishment grown in large agri - stage business military operation .
forefend combustion engine . Did you have it away that petrol - powered yard dick cause 4 % of carbon copy emissions ? Rake your leaves ; do n’t shove off them . Mow your railyard with a push or electric mower . These manoeuvre might strike some as burdensome — with relatively petty benefit — but they can make a major encroachment if enough of us are willing to deepen .
Advocate for Climate Action
People who garden tend to be lovers of the earth ; they are also agile to remark changes in whatever spot of earth they crop . These traits make nurseryman well - befit to advocacy for mood action . Dr. Lawrence suggested involving ourselves with Climate Action Together , a program unify Charlottesville , Albemarle County , and the University of Virginia in planning for and taking stairs to achieve discharge reducing . Find out more about this project and how you might assist atClimate Action Together / Advancing Climate Action in Charlottesville - Albemarle - UVA .
Become a Citizen - Scientist
If bud on dogwoods open earlier than common , we gardeners are often the first to take notification . We can put our observational tendencies to work by supervise and recording our observations , building data point for investigator to mine for new penetration into our changing climate . Here are a couple of citizen - science projects you might like to be part of :
Audubon Climate Watch : By observing birds in your orbit , using a specific protocol , you could assist scientists studying how climate change is feign wench . To see an article that used citizen - cumulate information , hold back here : Audubon.org . The next sight will take placeJanuary 15 – February 15 , 2021,and is open to the public . feel out more here : How to get together Climate Watch .
Monarch Model Validation Project / Univ . of Maine Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit : note and report monarch butterfly stroke migration layover habitat .
Monarch Watch : Volunteers cross the number of monarchs seen in their yards during spring and declivity breeding stop . The data point will be used by scientists seeking “ to identify critical factors that explain the inter - yearly variation ” in sovereign numbers . The observation periods for 2021 set about in March for those in the South , and in April for resident of the North . Find out more about this project and how to file here : Monarch Watch / calendar , registration and recording .
For those of us who love and care for industrial plant , it ’s easy to sink into hopelessness as we watch how mood change is bring forward . But there are things we can do , and gardeners are nothing if not actor . As we plan for spring horticulture , let ’s plan also to reach as many of Dr. Lawrence ’s recommendations as potential .
SOURCES :
“ Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree planting has the potential to increase carbon sequestration capacity of forests in the United States,”PNAS.org / Brief Report / Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(2020 )
“ How much longer will trees ingest carbon dioxide?”Stanford Univ.edu
“ National Emissions from Lawn and Garden Equipment,”www.epa.gov(2019 )
“ Your Yard Is a Stealthy Fossil Fuel Guzzler — Give It a mood Makeover : misplace the fertilizers , force dick , and water supply - hogging plants , and you ’ll have a much unripe garden . Here ’s how,”www.audubon.org
“ Investigation on glasshouse gas discharge and compost dynamics during in - vessel Colorado - composting of septage and interracial constituent wastes , ” Int . Journal of Environmental Science & Technology , 17 , 1675 ( Thomas , A.R. , Arulraj , P.R. , Kranert , M. et al . 2020),link.springer.com
Methane : The other important greenhouse gas / Environmental Defense Fund
Connections : Compost and Methane Avoidance,”Biocycle.net(Sally Brown , research prof , College of the Environment , University of Washington )
“ Methane Avoidance From Composting ” Issue Paper / Washington.edu,(SAIC , Climate Action Reserve , 2009 )
“ Greenhouse gas expelling gist of suspending solidus pile combustion in Ontario ’s managed forests,”The Forestry Chronicle , Vol . 92 , No . 3 ( 2016 ) https://pubs.cif-ifc.org/doi/pdf/10.5558/tfc2016-061
Small Scale or Backyard Composting / Cornell Waste Management Institute(includes extensive list of resource )
The Virginia Yard - Waste Management Manual , ( 2d erectile dysfunction . Va. Tech )
Regenerative horticulture : maturate Food Successfully & Sustainably in a change Climate(video , July 2020 , Dr. Sarah Via , Professor & Climate Extension Specialist , Univ . of Maryland )
