While it may sound like a good idea to lobby the city to stop mowing medians
and plant more wildflowers, I have to argue that it is not a worthwhile use of
our time. Yes, I would love to see wildflowers spread across the roadsides,
I'm not against that. But I have addressed this issue with the city already
and I can tell you why it will not happen and why you don't really want it to
happen anyway...
Why it will not happen: City government operates on a "do the least harm" and
"get no complaints" mentality. While a few calls to city hall to say how
beautiful the wildflowers along New Circle are might be nice, the city will
"hear" the call of the one or two local property owners who complain that
"those are weeds" much more than any compliments they might get. The squeaky
wheel gets the grease. One local property owner complaining "not in my
backyard" is all it takes -- then the city mows again. They don't like
complaints.
Why you don't want it to happen: While a field of wildflowers along New Circle
might attract a wide variety of biodiversity, this sort of biodiversity
establishing itself within ten feet of vehicles traveling at 60+ mph is not a
good thing. Attracting a bunch of monarchs to our new New Circle wildflower
patch will generate a lot of monarchs smashed on windshields and automobile
grills. When you think this through to its logical conclusion, there are a lot
of disadvantages.
What we could (and maybe should) concentrate our efforts on: At one of the
recent "Pollinator Pow-wows" that Tammy Horn puts on in Frankfort, a suggestion
came up to plant native wildflowers along unused spaces -- but not unused
highway spaces -- along the neatly mowed areas beneath power lines. These are
areas where no-one tends to go, there are no 60+ mph vehicles, and yet they
represent a very extensive network of wild spaces that are currently underused.
There is talk of trying to get state funds or federal funds to push such a
project. These throughways are usually not in anyone's backyard who might
complain and they would provide natural habitat corridors which could
crisscross the state. If we are serious about "lobbying" and "getting our
hands dirty and planting something," we need to throw our collective weight
behind this effort. It's not as high-profile as roadside wildflowers (who ever
sees these throughways?) but is achievable and potentially a boon for
biodiversity.
Tony Brusate
President, CKAS
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2015 23:41:48 +0000
From: dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: justin@xxxxxxxxxxxx; sauersal1890@xxxxxxx; canonrose@xxxxxxx
CC: ask@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; sfp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ask] Re: Depressing article
I would be willing to work with a group of those who would like to lobby the
mayor or council (or whoever else may be the appropriate contact).Suzanne Bhatt
From: Justin Johnston <justin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "sauersal1890@xxxxxxx" <sauersal1890@xxxxxxx>; "canonrose@xxxxxxx"
<canonrose@xxxxxxx>
Cc: "ask@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <ask@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "sfp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
<sfp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2015 4:21 PM
Subject: [ask] Re: Depressing article
In glancing at the 2014 Lexington-Fayette Budget, it looks like there is about
$614,000 budgeted annually for mowing and an additional $622,000 for
replacement/repair on mowers and tractors, totaling $1,236,000. This does not
include the cost of fuel, trucks, or trailers used in mowing. This is for a
population of 310,797, approximately 129,190 households, so about $3.98 per
year per person, or $9.57 per household. Doesn't seem like much but quite a bit
when compared to some other programs. If anyone or any group is serious about
lobbying for this I would be happy to help with the financial side to get some
supportable solid numbers.Source:
http://www.lexingtonky.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=20806-----Original
Message-----From: ask-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ask-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] ;
On Behalf Of sally wasielewskiSent: Tuesday, October 27, 2015 3:34 PMTo:
canonrose@twc.comCc: ask@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; sfp@sydneypenner.caSubject: [ask] Re:
Depressing articleThis is a great discussion. Instead of worrying about what
private landowners do, how about focusing on what the Urban County Govt and the
Public Schools do in terms of spraying? mowing etc? voters/taxpayers might have
a chance of influencing those bodies rather than for profit private horse
operations. Just a thought.On Oct 27, 2015, at 11:00 AM, <canonrose@xxxxxxx>
wrote:> They are not barren. You just can't see the life that is there as you
drive by on a road. A desert isn't barren. You just have to look harder to
see the life. I've lived in 5 states. I=v been so to Newfoundland, where the
soil is so thin that many plants will not grow there, but a carnivorous plant
does because it feeds on insects. I don't suppose she'd like Newfoundland much
either. > > And here's another thing about the land. The Bluegrass was never
forested. It was a savannah. They can explain that to you at the Division of
Forestry while they encourage people to plant bur oaks and other native trees.
The absence of forests was one reason the Bluegrass made such good farm land
and why the early settlers (mostly farmers) prospered.> > I feel like I'm
inventing the wheel here. I'm not a native (moved here in 1966) and I don't
usually go in for cheerleading for anything. I was an organic gardener before I
knew the word, I use no chemicals on my gardens, and not a leaf from my trees
has ever been picked up. It all goes into mulch/compost. And I have great
soil, because, they say, it was once a horse farm. My church on Parker's Mill
Road next to a small horse farm is about to begin work on a large butterfly
garden which will be, we hope, a Monarch Waystation.> > Somebody go plant a bur
oak. You'll feel better.> > Rose> > > Rose Canon> > ---- Sydney Penner
<sfp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: >> To be fair to the author, she did say that
there were places that >> have birds. She's not ignorant of that fact. I took
her point to be >> that surrounding those places there are all too many vast
swaths of >> space that appears to be green yet is biologically barren.>> >>
Given all the research showing the dangers of merely fragmentary >> nature
preserves, these barren spaces should concern us. And, having >> lived in four
different states and three other countries, I have to >> say that the inner
bluegrass region has far more such barrenness than >> any other place I've
lived.>> >> Are there exceptions, places where one can find birds and other >>
wildlife? Absolutely, and we should be grateful for them. But I think >> there
is also plenty of room for improvement. The more of us do with >> our yards
what David did with his property, the better.>> >> Sydney>> >> >> >> >> On
10/27/2015 10:10 AM, Rose wrote:>>> Exactly, Dave. The author should have
talked to you or looked at our website, or she could have gone to Shaker
Village to see how farmland is being restored. As to the horse farms, my CBC
team birds on Ramsay Farm with very good results. It's where we saw the Ross's
goose a few yrs. ago.>>> >>> Moreover, and perhaps more important, the horse
farms and the will to preserve them are the main roadblock to rampant urban
sprawl and shopping centers that have paved over so much land. She might have
learned this if she had done a little research. Instead she drove down one road
and leaped to conclusions. She could have stopped at Buckley Sanctuary on her
way to Frankfort if it were still there.>>> >>> Rose>>> >>> Sent from my
iPhone>>> >>>> On Oct 27, 2015, at 9:52 AM, David Lang <de_lang@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:>>>> >>>> I also found this to be true with my neighbors out here in
Scott County. When they subdivided the farm behind my original lot, the new
neighbors immediately cleared all the brushy areas in favor of big expanses of
lawn. They even offered to help me clear out my brush. However, that was not my
plan. Instead I have left my additional acreage to grow unmolested with the
exception of walking paths that I maintain. It has been wonderful to see the
open pastureland starting to succeed back into woodland over the past 15 years.
I look forward to the next 15+ years to watch the further progression. The
truly amazing thing to me is that I have not gotten any direct criticism for
departing from the norm and most of the neighbors seam to enjoy the wild area
with the walking paths.>>>> >>>> I have been rewarded in my effort in having a
good diversity of birds on the property. My yard list now runs to 142 species.
I usually get a nice mix of migrants stopping in the spring and fall as well as
resident birds in the summer and winter.>>>> >>>> Landscaping for wildlife is
something everyone with a yard can do. I have had the advantage of not really
having had to do much, other than not mow. However, for those in the city with
smaller yards can still do a lot to move away from big expanses of lawn by
converting some of it to native plants and shrubs and adding some brushy areas
that provide food and cover for wildlife. Just look at Lexington Cemetery to
see what birds can be found in downtown Lexington.>>>> >>>> David>>>> >>>>
From: Mark Tower <markdt7@xxxxxxxxxxx>>>>> To: ASK <ask@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>>>>>
Sent: Monday, October 26, 2015 12:20 PM>>>> Subject: [ask] Re: Depressing
article>>>> >>>> I wanted you all to see Sydney's comment/question and my
response to them.>>>> >>>> If anyone has other thoughts (or corrections to
mine) about this I'd be interested to hear them.>>>> >>>> Mark>>>> >>>>
________________________________________>>>> From: Mark Tower
<markdt7@xxxxxxxxxxx>>>>> Sent: Monday, October 26, 2015 12:17 PM>>>> To:
Sydney Penner>>>> Subject: Re: [ask] Re: Depressing article>>>> >>>> I
certainly think this is an American thing in general. Folks that live in the
desert southwest try to have grass lawns. It's perplexing for sure. I'd love to
know the underpinnings of this theme. I've heard a couple things.>>>> >>>>
First, the primary original (and continuing) gardening influence in this
country is English. And England has plenty of manicured landscapes (with or
without other things other than grass). This remains the overriding sense of
what is "beautiful" in this country when it comes to human-influenced
landscapes. As a side note, I find it odd that most anyone can look at a truly
natural landscape and appreciate beauty, even powerful beauty. But they think
(maybe subconsciously) that's ok for a state/national park, but when it comes
to their own property (large or small) they revert to the standard
landscaping.>>>> >>>> Second, and I just heard this recently, the human
attraction for the English estate-look may be something of an evolutionary
thing. Someone suggested that the large overstory trees, well spaced, with good
line of sight underneath was the perfect combination of providing shelter,
seeing prey, detecting danger.>>>> >>>> Now the bluegrass region is a whole
different animal. Somewhere along the way the typical horse farm got to look
the way it does. At this point, enough people find the horse farm appealing
that it has become the bluegrass "brand." It's what's unique for Lexington, and
is it's primary marketable feature. Unfortunately, I don't think there's any
(not even a little) political will to do anything to change the landscape
features of the area. In fact, I've heard there's plenty of farms that are no
longer financially viable, but are kept up with outside money (?taxes) to
maintain the "brand.">>>> >>>> Mark>>>> >>>>
________________________________________>>>> From: Sydney Penner
<sfp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>>>> Sent: Monday, October 26, 2015 11:28 AM>>>> To:
markdt7@xxxxxxxxxxx>>>> Subject: Re: [ask] Re: Depressing article>>>> >>>> I
was able to read the whole article as a free preview, but it's >>>> entirely
possible that what it is possible to view for free varies >>>> from user to
user.>>>> >>>> And, yes, the vast green deserts around Lexington are one of the
first thing I noticed from the air already when I first flew intomost striking -- and depressing -- features of the area. That was >>>> the
estate may have some manicured grass, but it will also have >>>> hedgerows andof manicured grass. In England, for example, a properly maintained >>>>
Americans seem to like their lawns, but it's carried to a further >>>> extremeI'm still perplexed by the local fondness for manicured grass. Most >>>>
________________________________>>>>> From: Rose <canonrose@xxxxxxx>>>>>> Sent:Is everyone else having this problem as well?>>>>> >>>>>
article<http://www.birdwatchersdigest-digital.com/birdwatchersdigest/november_december_2015/?pg=91&pm=2&u1=friend>I read this
I'd say "enjoy," but it's really more like "read and
weep.">>>>> >>>>> Mark>>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >> > >
