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Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

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Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#211

Post by poulsbohemian »

taeric wrote: post #66
bmitc wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm still not totally certain how to "manage" the trees in our yard. We are in a quite woody area with huge trees. I contacted an arborist place last year and plan on paying them to come out and teach me about the trees on my property. The previous owners cutdown some huge trees, but luckily mainly concentrated on the trees that were super close to the house. It's possible remaining trees could hit the house, and the…

What was the reasoning to cut down 50+ trees? That feels excessive in any world.

FWIW: In my area it is not uncommon for "off-grid" properties to cut down a number of trees around structures, as fire prevention. While 50 does sound like a lot, depending on the density and proximity to a house and the potential path of a fire, it may be reasonable. On the other hand, if a house had sat empty for a while, say in an estate sale type situation, it could be the estate trying to make a buck off some lumber while wood prices have been high.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#212

Post by klondike_klive »

troyvit wrote: post #210
klondike_klive wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting! I've been drinking dandelion root coffee for a few years alongside regular decaf and it's great (although a bit subtle). What part and in what form did you eat it, leaves, root, flower?

Oh cool I tried dandelion root as a tea and didn't like it much but I think I need to try it again. We dried it, ground it, and ran it through a french press. Is that similar to what you did? We pick the leaves early in the season (March/April in Colorado) and they're not too bitter and work great sauteed, or raw in a wrap. We also put extra in freezer bags, freeze them, then blend them up in a shake and that's prett…

Yes - actually I use store bought rather than homemade, the brand is Cotswold (here in the UK) and I suspect it's pretty expensive for what you get, probably because of the processing involved. Interesting to hear of the uses, I'm going to try it this year - there will be no shortage of dandelions in our yard. Culturally here there's a bias against eating dandelion, as a child I had it drummed into me that touching one will make you wet the bed!

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#213

Post by ender341341 »

poulsbohemian wrote: post #211
taeric wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What was the reasoning to cut down 50+ trees? That feels excessive in any world.

FWIW: In my area it is not uncommon for "off-grid" properties to cut down a number of trees around structures, as fire prevention. While 50 does sound like a lot, depending on the density and proximity to a house and the potential path of a fire, it may be reasonable. On the other hand, if a house had sat empty for a while, say in an estate sale type situation, it could be the estate trying to make a buck off some lu…

I know someone who's property was clearcut by a previous owner that knew they were gonna be foreclosed on as a "fuck you" at the bank. Which is a shame as the trees on the other side of the property line are beautiful and old.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#214

Post by SCUSKU »

hackernewds wrote: post #195
SCUSKU wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I spent part of my childhood in rural Japan and during the summers would fall asleep to the sound of hundreds of frogs croaking in the rice paddies. It was a great lullaby for me, it sounds like a great thing to have in your backyard!

Tell that to folks in the Big Island of Hawaii that understand "coqui" frogs (given the sound) as pests that have overwhelmed the whole ecosystem. They are REALLY loud and cankerous, especially every night

Wow I had never heard of coqui frogs, but they have quite a loud chirp! I can see how that could get annoying pretty quickly. For reference, here's audio for what frogs in Japan sound like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dBRqQ4ta18 versus coqui frogs in Hawaii or Puerto Rico https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-DeFADQZFA
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