Draft to Sylvia...to complete next round of work important. Massive progress today, Tuesday, October 25, 2011. Worked on two major blogs and in and out worked on this draft. I am also pleased with a draft I did to launch Andrew Blume. I would like to do a flyer to distribute to the neighbors. I also mad a major breakthrough today-- launch of the ENchanted Garden Pantry. This letter here placed for safetkeeping is about 90% done. Their are powerful links regarding Arundo donax.

Date:   10/25/2011 7:59:56 PM ( 13 y ago)

OTHER LINKS TODAYS MOSTLY DONE

ENCHANTED GARDEN PANTRY
http://plantyourdream.net/?p=5347


MAKEOVER UIPDATE
Needs more work
http://plantyourdream.net/?author=1


THERE IS A REAL ROUTETTE GAME WITH RENTALS FOR NOVEMBER

Hooray! one room secured, yes! yes! yes! besert!
Andrew.

one room could be filled with a besert.
but will not know until Monday.

ONE POSSIBLE

Tomorrow is Wed.

Confirm...
EG Mobile. now.

Flectcher.

Bronner complete
Bragg if possible

1 pm with Morea.

thanks,
godo work go outside please.

BANNER?

timeing...

eg mobile timing?



To Sylvia,

Sylvia, I am moving forward with Brush management on our property this weekend and appreciated very much your doing a walk around with us on October 20. Your generosity of spirit and support for the overall vision and plan I have for the property here was heartwarming and inspiring. I am just back from the Bright Green Future Conference and received more powerful information leading me to want to pursue and research the positive uses of Arundo Donax and assist in educating the FIre Prevention Bureau, City of San DIego Fire Department, MIramar Greenery, landfill, and Parks departments everywhere about the progress you are helping us make.

My latest success was getting a go ahead from Dave Cammall, the owner of our Arundo Stands for us to be responsible for managing these stands of Arundo. This makes most sense since they adjoin our property. I am already setting in motion beginning action to cut down the Arundo Donax this weekend, and awaiting a return call from Dave regarding how much financial support we can have to use Fletcher Morgan and others I will hire for this part of the project.

I scheduled to rent the big shredder chipper again for this weekend.

OTHER REMARKABLE PROGRESS

I am working to build up the team who will help with our property Brush clearing.

PALM TREE

Other remarkable events regarding the Brush Management project in recent weeks involve not only having Fletcher trim our enormous palm tree, but then having the local Jewish community send over a two-man team to further take away an immense amount of palm fronds for use on the holiday of Sukkot, an eight day holiday where the Jewish people are asked to eat in huts outdoors. Some of our palm fronds went to neighboring Jewish families and we were paid by the synagogue for our palm fronds!!!!
This will be a nearly management event. We will cut down our palm fronds every year around this time and send them over to the Jewish Synagogue and neighbors. How perfect!

COMMUNITY BUILDING GOAL

The quality of community building that can come out of this project are immense at a time when we all need to learn to be in direct communication among neighbors and work side by side in every way possible, including giving financial support to make sure we get this Brush Management Project done as fast as possible.


EXTENSION OF TIME ALLOWANCE--THANK YOU

I appreciate your recognition that you saw how immense the job is on our property and in the canyon. I want to help in every way possible to make sure that this project is done in a most respectful manner honoring the wishes and needs of our neighbors as well as the profound potential of our Arosa Canyon Preserve that is already a wildlife sanctuary and home to many native species.

RECOGNITION TO YOU AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT

The Fire Prevention Bureau, you personally, and the CIty of San Diego Fire department are to be thanked for looking out for all of us and pointing us in the right direction. You are a gifted employee of the City of San DIego and deserve great acknowledgement for your care and outstanding support of residents. I will be submitting your name for an award for the Very Important Planet Reception next year held at the Environment Services Center.

Before long, I will bring the work we are doing together here before the local group that gives info to the City Council and I will be bringing the positive work we are doing together here to the attention of Marty Emerald, our council person as well as the press when it is time. Marty favors good growing in our district.


Let's continue to step forward with grace and resourcefulness on this project.


VIDEOS ON LINE ABOUT THE CLEANUP

I have already been blogging on the Overgrowth cleanup and put up the little video where you honored me with your words of praise.


CONCERNS OF NEIGHBORS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED

It is imperative that all the concerns of neighbors concerning the Canyon Brush Managment be addressed including any concerns about possible risk that Arundo Donax could possible sprout if the mulch was returned at ground level.

On the side of risk management, I agree with you that we should not return the mulched Arundo Donax to the canyon.

However, please note that it is the opinion of Brian Everette, co-owner of my property, and a skilled arborist, that the addition of Arundo at ground level over roots, would
slow down the regrowth process. His experience and science background tells me that the chipped Arundo will not sprout; however, this is a very important research question that needs to be taken to the nearby science and ag departments such as Cuyamaka College where they have an ag training program.

KILLING THE ARUNDO NATURALLY

I am already doing experiments in pots that will aim to demonstrate how the Arundo can be killed with various natural solutions.


MULCHING ARUNDO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS


I believe there is a considerable difference between mulching the dead reeds of the Arundo and the roots themselves.

I believe research and the expertise of nurserymen will confirm that it is safe to mulch Arundo; however, it is best to exercise restraint until
we have more confirmation that it is safe to mulch the dead reeds that have no life in them.


ROOTS--NO ROOTS THAT ARE REMOVED WILL GO INTO THE GROUND HERE ANYWHERE

Roots we dig up will be disposed of at this time to the landfill.

I do not believe that the roots should be mulched and spread out until more research is done.


GROWTH FACTOR IN ROOTS?

I sense there is a powerful growth factor in the the root system that makes this one of the fastest growing plants in the world.

I will engage in other experiments and record keeping where I will mulch some of the roots and put them in pots to see if this mulch can indeed sprout.


SOME ROOTS CAN REMAIN IN THE GROUND


Some of the roots by my plan of action will remain in the ground and these will be managed with natural means such as using a chain saw periodically to cut them very low to prevent the possibility of fire.


WHY USE NATURAL MEANS TO KILL ARUNDO?

The prevailing approach is to use Round Up and other Glysophate products to kill the roots of Arundo.

Even Parks that are leading toward minimal use of herbides are using Round Up.

http://ovnblog.com/?p=4927


Any research we can add to help pinpoint other ways to manage Arundo is important at this time when the increasing awareness is that Round Up is a carcinogen,
i.e, a hazardous waste.

"Ojai-based physician Robin Bernhoft said studies show that spraying of glyphosates has been linked to leukemia and myeloma."
http://ovnblog.com/?p=4927


THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ROUND UP FOR KILLING ARUNDO IS ALSO QUESTIONED

“They sprayed somewhere between 12 and 15 times and it didn’t kill the arundo,” Bernhoft said, noting that an alternative of cutting the arundo and laying plastic over its roots was more effective at eliminating the hardy tall bamboo-like grass. “The Roundup would knock it down, but then it would grow right back. I’ve got a problem dumping toxic stuff like that, especially when it doesn’t kill the alleged visitor.”

http://ovnblog.com/?p=4927




DAMAGE OF ROUND UP FOR THE HEALTH OF THE SOIL

It kills the microbes.

Leslie speaks to Paul Moska of the Seeds of City Program. He is a former employee of the San Diego Zoo. He now heads up with others the San Diego City College Seeds of City program. He spoke to me about the damaging effects of Arundo on the soil. Joe Rodriguez Jr of JR organics tells me itg takes eight years to building up pest free soil. Is killing our microbial life here with Round Up or other Gylsophate products the way to go in a time when we face extreme soil depletion?

It hurts the health of the soil


IT HAS POTENTIALLY HEALTH DAMAGING EFFECTS TO SOILS
Another Blow to Monsanto: Roundup Pesticide Linked to Serious Soil Damage
"Glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup pesticide, is being linked to damaged soil and roots of treated plants, finds 15 years of study, according to a representative from the USDA."

http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/organic/another-blow-to-monsanto-roundup...



ROUND UP IS IMPLICATED IN CANCER

“Three recent studies show that Roundup, which is used by farmers and home gardeners, is not the safe product we have been led to trust,” stated the article by Chee Yoke Heong. The article cites scientific studies in which Roundup was implicated in mortality in amphibians and cancer and liver damage in animals.

http://ovnblog.com/?p=382



OTHER WAY TO MANAGE ARUNDO

Create a break..

Use black plastic.

Keep it chainsawed down.

Strong vinegar

Others we can kill using natural means.


One of my allies is Bill Tall of the organic City Farmers' Nursery.

I am going to enlist his consultation on this, and call in other experts that know far more than I on this subject.


As far as potential positive uses of Arundo, these lie outside the immediate need which is to do the Brush Management as a high priority.

It is important that we continue to move forward in a way \ that does not stress the neighbors who are already overwhelmed by this daunting task, and potential of extreme financial outlay of funds at a time funds for such a clean up are perhaps limited.

I also want to point out that although Arundo is considered an invasive species, when managed property it could be a remarkable source of income for our city and the Fire Department itself.

In Georgia they are already exploring the use of Arundo as a Biofuel crop.


LOOK FORWARD TO THIS AMAZING RESEARCH ON ARUNDO DONAX AS A POTENTIAL BIOFUEL AS WELL AS A JOB OPPORTUNITY


REPORT FROM AUSTRALIA
http://www.irrigation.org.au/Day1/Stream3_S24.pdf


Please note that where Round Up is notes as one possible way to exterminate the root system, other means are noted through. Also, note how a mechanical break kept the crop from expanding to other areas.

REPORT FROM GEORGIA

Amazing info about the values of Arundo as a Biofuel source and its non invasive nature if managed properly.
http://www.biggreenenergy.com/default.aspx?tabid=4269



INITIAL RESPONSE TO YOUR EMAIL
OF OCTOBER 25, 2011

This is fine, Sylvia. I agree that we not return the arundo Donax to the canyon area or near it to make sure that it does not sprout. You have my cooperation and understanding.

I realize that this is a learning process, and that is a very good research question to ask; Can chips of Arundo Donax that are mulched, sprout?
It was initially the understanding of the Miramar Greenery that Arundo Donax could not go through a shredder and was waste. We have shown that it can go through a large shredder, saving land fill space. If it continues to prove itself a good source of mulch this could provide very valuable information to the parks department in our city and other cities.


THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH THE ARUNDO HERE

We will keep the chips of Arundo Donax separate from the other mulched materials, and experiment with using it in our front yard and specifically in places where we can monitor the results. We will not put it near the canyon area as you are requesting.

Our experience over five years of breaking down Arundo on our property is that it composted and turned to soil when we broke it into pieces. We never saw it sprout.

I did spread some Arundo Donax mixed in with other chipped materials around our orange trees at the front of our property. and will use more on our other trees where it will be carefully monitored. It will be good to see after six months or so if any sprouting is possible. I personally do not believe it is possible for these chips to sprout, however, it is important that we exercise caution and work together on this.

I have other questions about the roots themselves, and would want to do further research on these.

I have put some of these roots into containers and will let them grow under supervision. I will then kill some of the roots with natural procedures.

We will also concentrate on completing the Brush Management project as a priority.

Thank you very much for visiting our property and doing a walk around. It was very helpful and a joy to meet you. It is a wonderful opportunity to work
with you and the FIre Prevention Bureau.

That you for helping us all prevent fire.

Since, you visited we completed more of our trimming, and will do more shedding this weekend. We have made considerable progress since August, and look forward to the completion of this work.


SYLVIA, PLEASE CLARIFY

What exactly do you mean by this sentence?

and be disposed of.

Are you O.K. with my plant of Action as stated above?



Best Wishes and thanks,
all rights reserved.

Leslie




On Oct 24, 2011, at 7:00 PM, Sowadski, Sylvia wrote:

Hi Leslie,

I wanted to confirm with you that the neighboring property owners would prefer that under the circumstances of preserving the wildlife and the natural vegetated habitat that any machine chipped or mulched Arundo not be placed back onto the open space canyon area.

Considering that the native is on the neighboring property owner’s parcel up to your property that this request be respectfully honored for fear that it may sprout and be difficult to maintain and interfere with the natural vegetation in the future.

In reference to the Brush Management from the Fire Department I will enforce that you not spread the chipped or mulched Arundo in the open space canyon preserve area nor near it and be disposed of. We must concentrate on completing the Brush Management project as a priority.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

On Oct 24, 2011, at 7:00 PM, Sowadski, Sylvia wrote:

Hi Leslie,

I wanted to confirm with you that the neighboring property owners would prefer that under the circumstances of preserving the wildlife and the natural vegetated habitat that any machine chipped or mulched Arundo not be placed back onto the open space canyon area.

Considering that the native is on the neighboring property owner’s parcel up to your property that this request be respectfully honored for fear that it may sprout and be difficult to maintain and interfere with the natural vegetation in the future.

In reference to the Brush Management from the Fire Department I will enforce that you not spread the chipped or mulched Arundo in the open space canyon preserve area nor near it and be disposed of. We must concentrate on completing the Brush Management project as a priority.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.


 

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