Creating an Old-Growth Forest
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Earth Sanctuary is the only private property that we know of on the planet consciously and proctively creating an old-growth forest. We have a nine-year plan to plant the entire 72 acres of Earth Sanctuary with the optimal mix of trees so that in 500 years Earth Sanctuary will covered with 4-5 foot diameter conifers with a multi-layer canopy of many native plants. Our goal is maximum diversity of plants, birds, animals and fungi.
This is a video I did last Fall 2005. If you come to Earth Sanctuary today, you will see hundreds of new and growing conifers, all carefully planted, maintainedand also protected against deer (they like to eat the leaders – tops – of young conifers and also rub their antlers against them). We have over 95% tree survival rate now that we have learned through trial and error the best practices of conifer tree planting and maintenance.
Come to Earth Sanctuary and watch the trees grow, year by year. -Chuck Pettis
