Interesting audio from New Hampshire Public Radio about a new library in Michigan that is being built from ash wood. To remind library patrons of the forest that once stood there, they wanted to use wood from the very same property to build parts of the library. Turns out they'll be sending an even stronger message about the damage caused by invasive species, since the ash trees on site have all been felled due to infestation by the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis). Sadly, it is likely that in a decade or so, that library will be the only place people in the Ann Arbor area can see any ash at all.
The Ann Arbor News has more information about the project, and you can get more ash borer posts from the ISW by clicking here.
2 comments:
There was just a blurb in last week's Sports Illustrated about how the spread of emerald ash borer will likely impact baseball, because most bats are made from ash (apparently a lot of hocky sticks, too). Never thought I'd see an invasive species mentioned in SI. When will invasives be in the popular press enough for people to demand trade restrictions to prevent another one of these? I'm guessing never.
It reminds me of something I just learned of last weekend: The Katrina Furniture Project.
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