January 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Robert]

Hello Robert.
There really is no need to be bothered to speak "only" English. Personally, I speak only French and a little Dutch. I understand a little English reading.
This is the magic of this forum. One writes thanks to an automatic translator in English.on copy-paste the message on the forum for those who do not speak English. We choose the language in which we want to read. Everything is translated into the desired language.
As for our woods ... As said Hannelore, these are a lot of mono cultures. This causes many problems for biodiversity. In fact, the plants are placed in rows of onions in order to allow better management of maintenance, cutting, etc. This also makes it possible to have trunks of trees which grow homogeneously and are therefore calibrated for The wood industry.
We return a little, however, because we have found that these forests are poor and poorly resistant to disease and bad weather. During big storms, it is not uncommon to see the trees fall like dominoes.
Now, they have a tendency, in our country, to cut wood by plots leaving some standing specimens to reseed. This allows for a dominance of the desired species. This also makes it possible, thanks to the birds in particular, to have other species that add up and produce more beautiful forests.

Fred,

This is all very fascinating. Thank you for taking the time to explain.

Computer programs for language translation have clearly made large advances. It seems that it was not that long ago such programs were not very satisfactory.

Here in the western U.S.A. there is both private and public forest land. Much of the private forest land is owned by large timber corporations. Too often the land is used to produce mono-cultures of pine or fir. From a perspective of biodiversity the mono-cultures can be somewhat lifeless. From my observations, the "crop", trees to produce lumber or pulp, is often very unhealthy. Routinely I have seen all the undergrowth sprayed with herbicides leaving nothing but bare earth. Often the "crop" is harvested by clear cutting.

Our western public land is generally managed by the U.S. Forest Service or other government agencies. They have the difficult task of trying to balance the wants and needs of a wide diversity of interests that are too often in conflict with each other. In general, the forest under the management of the Forest Service are much more diverse and healthier that those managed by private interests. I certainly hope that it remains this way or the situation even improves. I keep hearing repeatedly, from various sources, that there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done to understand the many facets of our botanical heritage here in the western U.S.A. Some facets of field work are grossly under funded and neglected. Relatively recently, new plant species have been discovered here in California. The range of known species continues to expand. From my perspective, the field study of plants in California is just as interesting and exciting as it is in China or the "Stans".

Is my understand correct that there is little or no public forest land in Europe? I just do not know! The U.S.A. has large national parks, a relatively recent development in the history of humans on this planet. Many other countries around the world have created, or at least have attempted to create, national parks. There are also organizations such as the Nature Conservancy. What is it like in Europe?

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, there is probably nowhere in England or Scotland that is really untouched by humans. There are plenty of wild landscapes but they have been altered by interference. Even in remote areas the woodland that appeared following the warm period after the last ice age has been cleared.

[Hannelore]

In Germany about 43% of the woods are in private possession, but every owner of a forest has to follow the forest law. It is not allowed to close forests for wanderers except while harvesting trees or chasing.
The owners of  forests (private, villages, towns, states, organizations) are obliged to follow the rules of environmentally sustainable forms of foresting. Herbicides are not allowed.

Usually someone who goes on a walk in the woods isn't aware if this is private or not.

There are clubs who care for the trail blazes which are marked everywhere. If some private forest owner would do something against the rules of environment they'd cry havoc at once.

Hannelore

[Hoy]

......
Is my understand correct that there is little or no public forest land in Europe? I just do not know! The U.S.A. has large national parks, a relatively recent development in the history of humans on this planet. Many other countries around the world have created, or at least have attempted to create, national parks. There are also organizations such as the Nature Conservancy. What is it like in Europe?

In Norway 77% (the highest percent in any European country as far as I know) of the productive forests are privately owned. This is usually not big companies but farmers and other private individuals. 7.5% are owned by companies, 7% by one big public enterprise (which is the biggest landowner if you count all kind of land) and 8.5% by municipalities and private individuals in common.

But it doesn't matter who owns the land, the same rules apply everywhere. In short I, and everybody else, can walk wherever we want without asking anybody. We can also pick berries and fruit, make campfire (except in summer), put up a tent for 2 days (if it is not too close to buildings) and do a lot more. Of course, we have to behave and not damage anything and we can't dig plants etc without asking the owner. This is called "allemannsrett" ("the right of all men", public right).

Only 2.9% of the productive forests are protected. Although large areas of the forests look like wilderness it has been exploited for thousands of years. Only 44% are covered by forests and this include montane birch woods and other marginal forests as well as productive coniferous forests. Plantations are also included. Clear-cuttings are the major method but small patches have to be left here and there to break up the monotony or to protect rivers, lakes etc.

[Robert]

Hannelore,

Ah! Europe has such a noble and progressive way of managing open forest land that is owned by private parties.       

Sadly, in the U.S.A. it is very, very different (at least in California). Most owners of private forest land enforce the boundaries of their property as though it was their own sovereign country! One sees "Private Property - No Trespassing" signs everywhere. In the worst cases the signs read "Lead Flies Past this Point" or other threatening phases. The sign are not to be disregarded! I have been harassed by land owners even when I have been on a public easement near their property. I some ways I can understand their position. There is too much abuse, criminal activity, and disregard for most property (public and private) in California. Graffiti, trash, marijuana growers, and thieves of all sort disrespect private property. At our farm we get trespassers far too frequently. There is an Indian Casino down the road from our farm and the gamblers and other riff-raff come around all too often. A few times I have had to threaten trespassers by calling the Sheriff to remove them! I do not own a gun, but I think, sadly, this is the only thing these people seem to understand. Many of my farmer friends are constantly dealing with thieves stealing there produce, tractors, and any other thing they can get their hands on. I wish I could be optimistic like Mr. Obama!    Yes, there are many wonderful people on this planet, but as Mr. Obama said today there is evil too.

[Robert]

Trond,

I very much appreciate how private property is handled in Europe.    It says much, in a very positive way, about the character of the people and the progressive attitude of the governments.

In the case of "The Cedars" in Sonoma County, California, it is a blessing that this area is surrounded by private property. Arctostaphylos baker ssp. sublaevis, Calochortus raichei, Epipactis gigantea f. rubrifolia, Erigeron serpentinus, and Eriogonum cedrorum are just some of the species endemic to this site. I am not sure that these plants would survive on public lands.

It is also interesting how Native Americans managed the lands in California for thousands of years. Some native grasses were harvested for grain - Glyceria sp. - Manna Grass for one, but not the only one. Many other native plants were used and "farmed" for food. Other plants were used as medicines, building materials, tool and weapon making, as well as sacred plants for Ceremony. I am getting a first hand education on this from our house guest. More on this later.

[Steve Garvie]

Eranthis pinnatifida -pot-grown as unfortunately it is slug-fodder in the open garden here and I still only have a few tubers/corms (what do you call Eranthis "bulbs"?).

[Maggi Young]

One of our most favourite plants , Steve. It's diminutive size is so charming - but can you imagine the  excitement that would be engendered if the flowers were the actual size of your photos  rather than the  1.5 cms across that they are? Widespread fainting and hysteria, I bet!

[Cfred72]

I love them too.
I was hoping to find it on the seed exchange list this year. Unfortunately, there were none. 

[Maggi Young]

I have heard very good reports about  plants sent by the Japanese nursery,  Yuzawa Engei  which is one of the nurseries in the SRGC List of suggested specialist nurseries which you can find  here  http://files.srgc.net/journals/NurseryListSRGC.pdf   

[David Nicholson]

I have heard very good reports about  plants sent by the Japanese nursery,  Yuzawa Engei  which is one of the nurseries in the SRGC List of suggested specialist nurseries which you can find  here  http://files.srgc.net/journals/NurseryListSRGC.pdf

.... and a regular advertiser in The Rock Garden

[Cfred72]

Thank you for information. 

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, with regard to land in the UK, there are very different laws in England compared to Scotland. In Scotland the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 was introduced. This gives public access to most land in Scotland providing that the public act responsibly. In England most land is private and the Medieval Feudal system still prevents public access to private land. There are a wide network of public rights of way across private land but these must be strictly adhered to. Some forestry is owned by the Forestry Commission, a public government agency, and access to this woodland is usually open. England is fairly backwards when it comes to accessing our countryside.

[Robert]

Ian,

Thank you for the information. In some respects it appears that the U.S.A. still operates under some aspects of the Medieval Feudal system. Solving our private land issues would be very difficult and perplexing. At this time these issues are low on the priority list of problems that need to be solved in the U.S.A. We are fortunate to have a great deal of public land in the U.S.A. especially in the west. Clearly in the case of "The Cedars" private ownership has help save an irreplaceable site with many locally endemic species. In other cases public ownership has provided excellent protection of rare plants and/or habitats. An then there is the Nature Conservancy, an organization dedicated to preserving threatened habitats and species.

[Steve Garvie]

The right to roam is taken very seriously in Scotland being backed by land access legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament. Scotland now has some of the best access rights in the world -as befits the birthplace of John Muir.