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HOME	CLASSIFIEDS	OBITUARIES	SPORTS	OPINION

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Let's Plant Tomorrow's Trees

By Morrow Hall
NEIGHBORS
    Dutch elm disease was first reported in the United States in 1928. Within a few years, it had destroyed most of the elms in New Haven, Conn. (which had until then called itself the "Elm City") and continued to progress west, denuding the skylines of once lush cities. It hit Detroit in about 1950, Chicago in about 1960, and Minneapolis by 1970.
    This disease is a fungus that is carried by various species of elm bark beetles. It is very toxic to several species of elm.
    Luckily for New Mexico, the Siberian elm (sometimes incorrectly called the Chinese elm) is resistant to the fungus, although in recent years it has been hit hard by elm bark beetles themselves.
    Siberian elms are not native here, but they are the most common deciduous trees in the state. For that we can thank Clyde Tingley, a Depression-era New Mexico governor and Albuquerque mayor. He oversaw the distribution of many thousands of baby trees, and just about every town and homestead in the state took advantage of the program. The trees grow quickly and provide abundant shade, and they soon changed the face of the Land of Enchantment.
    These elms also have extremely aggressive root systems that clog sewer lines, and they produce bushels of seed cases that look like little paper coins (and which were quickly dubbed "Tingley lice"). Damaged limbs produce foul-smelling sap. The seeds sprout in droves, and suckers come up from the roots. Moreover, these trees drink a lot more water than many other trees.
    The original plantings are also approaching 80 years old, and they don't live forever.
    I'm not suggesting that we cut them all down, but we do need to start replacing them, and not with more Siberian elms.
    Imagine what would happen if some new fungus or insect, against which our elms had no resistance, were to find its way to New Mexico. It would be devastating to the entire state. We saw thousands of piñon pines die just a few years back; a die-out of elms would make that seem relatively inconsequential.
    What we need for our "urban forest" is variety. There are many kinds of trees that will grow here, and expanding our "palette" of trees will have many beneficial results.
    Every tree has advantages and drawbacks, just like our elms. Some, like cottonwoods and willows, need to be planted where the groundwater is shallow, while others will thrive on rocky hills. Some are very slow-growing, but may eventually become giants. Some don't live that long, but provide lots of bird and animal habitat. They come in all sizes and colors, and if thoughtfully planted they can greatly enhance property values.
    Trees all take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen— a simple and long-lasting way to combat global warming. And, while we're thinking "green," in this climate a well-insulated house with strategically placed shade trees doesn't need an air conditioner.
    Trees produce pollen, and pollen produces allergies. Many people are allergic to the various kinds of juniper pollen we have here, and since junipers (including what many people call "cedars") are all over the place, they suffer greatly. But where the variety of trees is wide, the different kinds of pollen don't reach critical levels for most people.
    It's easier to get most trees started if there's some shade. Thanks to Clyde Tingley, we have quite a bit of it. Let's use it to plant the next generation of trees. They may not amount to much in our lifetimes, but 80 years from now people will be thanking us.