Comments on: Hope Comes in Yellow and Green http://asymptotia.com/2007/12/09/hope-comes-in-yellow-and-green/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:43:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: spyder http://asymptotia.com/2007/12/09/hope-comes-in-yellow-and-green/#comment-97305 spyder Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:55:05 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/12/09/hope-comes-in-yellow-and-green/#comment-97305 <i>I thought hydromulch just stopped topsoil from eroding? How does it affect native/non-native plant competition?</i> Because it introduces a variety of materials and non-native seeds to these specific mediterranean-chapparal ecosystem. Among these materials are fibers from flax, sugar cane, recycled paper (keep in mind most inks are in fact toxic pollutants), oat hay, grasses from Africa and South America, and so forth. Prior to the massive development of Southern California landscapes, the seasonal fires (natural occurring ones due to lightning, etc.) burned off layers of grasses and smaller shrubs. The tremendous variety of species in the region were merely inconvenienced (moving to another canyon or on the other side of the ridges temporarily) during the fires. As the next rainy season returned verdant diverse growth returned. The issue of erosion wasn't relevant (and indeed necessary to supply materials and nutrients to the various riparian and shoreline ecosystems and bio-habitats), nor did the indigenous human populations suffer either. Today that is all different. The Santa Monica Mountains are filled with human habitation, dependent upon fire suppression as the only means necessary to maintain their expensive properties. Species diversity is rendered meaningless in the face of property values, even the efforts that momentarily returned some spawning steelhead into a couple of coastal creeks have been dropped as the toxins and residues from flood control and sewers makes it way downstream into the ocean. Sadly, it is a losing cause, much like the Gorillas in Africa, the Polar Bears on Hudson Bay, and the Orangutans in Borneo; all to disappear within what is left of my lifetime so that some humans can maintain their lifestyles to which they have grown accustomed. I thought hydromulch just stopped topsoil from eroding? How does it affect native/non-native plant competition?

Because it introduces a variety of materials and non-native seeds to these specific mediterranean-chapparal ecosystem. Among these materials are fibers from flax, sugar cane, recycled paper (keep in mind most inks are in fact toxic pollutants), oat hay, grasses from Africa and South America, and so forth.

Prior to the massive development of Southern California landscapes, the seasonal fires (natural occurring ones due to lightning, etc.) burned off layers of grasses and smaller shrubs. The tremendous variety of species in the region were merely inconvenienced (moving to another canyon or on the other side of the ridges temporarily) during the fires. As the next rainy season returned verdant diverse growth returned. The issue of erosion wasn’t relevant (and indeed necessary to supply materials and nutrients to the various riparian and shoreline ecosystems and bio-habitats), nor did the indigenous human populations suffer either.

Today that is all different. The Santa Monica Mountains are filled with human habitation, dependent upon fire suppression as the only means necessary to maintain their expensive properties. Species diversity is rendered meaningless in the face of property values, even the efforts that momentarily returned some spawning steelhead into a couple of coastal creeks have been dropped as the toxins and residues from flood control and sewers makes it way downstream into the ocean. Sadly, it is a losing cause, much like the Gorillas in Africa, the Polar Bears on Hudson Bay, and the Orangutans in Borneo; all to disappear within what is left of my lifetime so that some humans can maintain their lifestyles to which they have grown accustomed.

]]> By: IrrationalPoint http://asymptotia.com/2007/12/09/hope-comes-in-yellow-and-green/#comment-97081 IrrationalPoint Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:19:16 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/12/09/hope-comes-in-yellow-and-green/#comment-97081 I thought hydromulch just stopped topsoil from eroding? How does it affect native/non-native plant competition? --IP I thought hydromulch just stopped topsoil from eroding? How does it affect native/non-native plant competition?

–IP

]]> By: Clifford http://asymptotia.com/2007/12/09/hope-comes-in-yellow-and-green/#comment-96930 Clifford Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:48:22 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/12/09/hope-comes-in-yellow-and-green/#comment-96930 You may be right, Spyder, but without some means of stopping the erosion in the short term, I think nothing benefits. Native, or non-native, if the topsoil is running down into the streets and drains, the plants lose. After the intense rain of the rainy season (if we get any), I imagine that there'll be a fighting chance for things to grow.... presumably a lot of natives as well, as the hydromulch cover will not remain perfect. Who knows, maybe there are also plans afoot to do some specific planting of various species.... I've not attended any of the meetings to find out. Best, -cvj You may be right, Spyder, but without some means of stopping the erosion in the short term, I think nothing benefits. Native, or non-native, if the topsoil is running down into the streets and drains, the plants lose. After the intense rain of the rainy season (if we get any), I imagine that there’ll be a fighting chance for things to grow…. presumably a lot of natives as well, as the hydromulch cover will not remain perfect. Who knows, maybe there are also plans afoot to do some specific planting of various species…. I’ve not attended any of the meetings to find out.

Best,

-cvj

]]> By: IrrationalPoint http://asymptotia.com/2007/12/09/hope-comes-in-yellow-and-green/#comment-96894 IrrationalPoint Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:38:58 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/12/09/hope-comes-in-yellow-and-green/#comment-96894 Great photos, considering the camera. Spyder: what is the story with hydromulch? --IP Great photos, considering the camera.

Spyder: what is the story with hydromulch?

–IP

]]> By: spyder http://asymptotia.com/2007/12/09/hope-comes-in-yellow-and-green/#comment-96890 spyder Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:33:53 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/12/09/hope-comes-in-yellow-and-green/#comment-96890 <i>It’ll recover, I’m sure.</i> Albeit minus half or more of the diversity of species. Hydromulch is great for humans (all that silt runoff really ruins those property values, though it used to be great for building beaches), not so for the indigenous native ecosystem (at least not yet, maybe that will change?). It’ll recover, I’m sure. Albeit minus half or more of the diversity of species. Hydromulch is great for humans (all that silt runoff really ruins those property values, though it used to be great for building beaches), not so for the indigenous native ecosystem (at least not yet, maybe that will change?).

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