A "faggeta", a forest of beech trees in Abbadia San Salvadore, central Italy.
By Mark Haubner
A Discussion with Louise, the Natural Biologist
Way back in 2021, my Drawdown East End teammates and I got together and, based on the
science of Drawdown, decided to embark on a program to plant trees in the five towns of our
Peconic Bioregion. Our imaginations took hold of us, and we decided that we would encourage
planting one tree for every man, woman, and child on our two forks—170,000 all told.
Gathering information and lining up our list of benefits brought me to asking a professional
environmental person for some input, so I met with Louise at a local coffee shop in Riverhead.
The conversation went something like this:
Louise, we’re very excited—we’re starting a program to plant 170,000 trees.
Where? she asked.
All over the entire region, some 2-3 trees on every home’s property, I replied.
That’s nice, she said.
But, I asked, isn’t this a great way to increase our trees and forests?
Not really, she said.
Why not? I asked.
They’re not all in the same place, came the answer.
What if we planted 100 trees together?
You’d have a stand.
What about 1000?
You’d have a grove.
What about 10,000.
You’d have a wood.
And 170,000 in one place?
Well, she admitted, that would be a forest. But you’d have to get back to me in 300 years to see
how you did.
how you did.
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Note: this post originated from a discussion on the Republican plan of planting a trillion trees (!!) to fight global warming (see NBC news). A desperate plan that would do nothing except damage.
About Mark Haubner
Drawdown East End, Steering Committee
North Fork Environmental Council, President
North Fork Civics, Moderator
Riverhead Neighborhood Preservation Council, Member
Town of Riverhead Environmental Advisory Committee, Chair
Town of Riverhead Comp Plan Steering Committee, Member
Suffolk County Council on Environmental Quality, Member
Taking A Lead on Zero Waste, Co-convener
UCAL San Diego, Sustainability & Behavior Change Certificate
MIT En-ROADS, Ambassador
Inspiring Transition, Catalyst
Creating the Future, Integrity Board, Member
Capra’s Systems View of Life, Alumni
CBSM Programs, Designer
North Fork Environmental Council, President
North Fork Civics, Moderator
Riverhead Neighborhood Preservation Council, Member
Town of Riverhead Environmental Advisory Committee, Chair
Town of Riverhead Comp Plan Steering Committee, Member
Suffolk County Council on Environmental Quality, Member
Taking A Lead on Zero Waste, Co-convener
UCAL San Diego, Sustainability & Behavior Change Certificate
MIT En-ROADS, Ambassador
Inspiring Transition, Catalyst
Creating the Future, Integrity Board, Member
Capra’s Systems View of Life, Alumni
CBSM Programs, Designer
