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CONTEXT
Launceston City Council has embarked upon a project to GREENlaunceston and consequent that TOWNhall's Urban Forester has launched a survey reportedly to glean citizen's understandings and aspirations. As is all too often the case such administrative iniatives come with a mindset that suggests that what is being sought is an endorsement for a plan in hand.
Now in one sense this OK but we do have to wonder about THEforms that 'must' be filled out. So what is the utility knowing the FORMfiller's gender, age, religion, sexual preferences and political alliances in order to work out where a FORMfiller's sits on the MYSTERIOUSspectrum at HEADoffice where the form came from.
However, asking the inhabitants of a CULTURALlandscape to share their views and aspirations in say 1,000 and saying to theFORMfiller's that that they may share any personal information THEY think is relevant. Then HEADoffice may well be much better informed about the CULTURALrealities they are aiming to work WITH & IN.
When confronted with a HEADoffice looking for an endorsement for what'THEY' already have a plan that will be, no has been, deemed to be the MOSTappropriate, almost always it will not require challenging change – long live the stuts quo.
HOWEVER, one might consider making a SUBMISSION and one MAY divulge their SEXUALpreferences, who knows, but it, and other 'data' will be illuminating if one does.
Against this backdrop I WILL make a case for BAMBOO being a usefull STREETplanting and I will say which of the 14000 species might well fit the circumstance in Launceston. Sadly it seems that the URBANforesters in TOWNhalls can only see 'trees' and Bamboo is a grass. It's a BLACKandWHITE thing, a kind of apartheid.
When we – personally and governments too – think about reforestation, bamboo may not be the first thing that comes to mind. And it’s true that bamboo isn’t technically a tree — but when planted in areas where it is native, it can be very beneficial. As the fastest growing plant on Earth, bamboo has incredible potential as a sustainable resource. Its woody stem makes it very tree-like, yet it also has unique properties. We need to learn more about this special plant! Indeed we need to start to think about what bamboo has to offer in urban cultural landscaping!
When done in the right way, cutting bamboo actually stimulates growth. Many species of bamboo mature in four to eight years. Once plants reach maturity, they can be sustainably harvested as a perennial crop for 40+ years.
Because only the aboveground parts are harvested, there is less soil disturbance, which helps maintain stability. Also bamboo in more likely to bend than break. What it all comes down to is strong, healthy rhizome that encourages vigorous growth of new shoots. In an urban situation, bamboo plantings alongside trees in an URBANforest, bamboo offers utility along with significant amenity. More about bamboo link 1 - link 2
[About bamboo link1 - link 2]
