Sacrificing Principles for Protection

     Ever since we were evacuated because of a forest fire a couple of years ago, I have spent hours cutting down and pruning back bushes in my yard to help lessen fire danger to our house.  Most people, liking bare, mono-cultured lawns, would have never allowed those native bushes to grow in their yards in the first place, but I have always felt strongly about preserving natural habitat for our wildlife, so I was very tolerant about preserving them when I could.  

    This was especially true of Red Osier Dogwoods, a bush that produced white berries.  I had several of those that grew close to our house.  I was always happy to watch the birds and even bears eating those berries in the Fall.

    But having all those bushes close to the house and shop created possible fuel for falling ash, if a wildfire came, so with much sadness, I have cut them down and tried to clear them away from my buildings.   Of course, bushes want to live, so in the spring, the bushes I have cut down, send out new shoots, and even though I feel torn about doing it, I have to cut them off.  The photo above shows the new shoots one bush sent out this year.

    I also have been having mixed feelings about mowing.  In Canada there is a movement called “No Mow May”.  that encourages people not to mow their lawns in May, especially if you have things like dandelions and other small flowering plants among the grass, because many insects and bees depend upon those flowers in the early spring.  At the same time, letting the “grass” grow tall can create fast fuel for fires if it is very dry.  So what to do, what to do?

    Fortunately for me, our property includes fields and forests that also provide habitat for wildlife and birds, so I guess, what I do in my yard won’t effect them too much.

    Yesterday I also put up five water sprayers on the roof of my house and shop to help prevent forest fires from destroying them.  I used to look forward to the arrival of summer, but now its arrival also triggers fear of forest fires.

    The old photo below shows a black bear on the edge of our yard, checking things out in our yard.

View my paintings at:  davidmarchant2.ca