CECAA850 Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 the root system will extend outward the same distance as the height of the tree. The foundation people say the roots normally go out as far as the canopy does. It's probably close to the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twk123 Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) the root system will extend outward the same distance as the height of the tree. The foundation people say the roots normally go out as far as the canopy does. It's probably close to the same. ...but not until after those little buggers find that underground treasure chest of water you call your septic tank. Edited July 21, 2016 by twk123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I wonder if anybody has done cost/benefit analysis on vertical farms as compared to traditional farming. Wouldn't it be great if forests could be planted where corn currently is? Imagine canopy's of trees in the great planes in 100 years. Photosynthesis consumes CO2 and spits out O2. If vertical farms could be pre-engineered, hauled and erected efficiently, we could be using that land for wood production, oxygen production, and more importantly leaving a cleaner cooler Earth for our descendants for the next millennia. I am hopeful that vertical farming becomes this efficient some day. It would solve world hunger problems, create a new industry, provide parks and with selective timber management it would provide wood. If we could lead the way on this, it could be stamped out in other countries and in other lands. It would require less of our precious water, it would mean less fertilizer and insecticide pollution, it may mean less cancer, and in general I cannot think of a negative which would not be offset by a much greater positive in any region where they would do this. What are your thoughts? Would the great planes just look silly with trees instead of wheat? They are too busy growing corn to burn as fuel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 That black humus soil goes down about 5 feet out that away and that's too good for trees. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 Not sure it's been mentioned, but the "Great Plains" were just that before cultivation. Grasslands. It was the untold millions of buffalo that made it the richest farmland on earth. If we can replace those croplands my dream would be to restore the great heards. Yes, we'd need a lot of infrastructure to allow them to pass over or under roads and such but the return would be huge in terms of oxygenation and shear beauty. Doesn't seem possible now, but maybe in the time of cheap unlimited power, new materials, and such it will be. Dave 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted July 21, 2016 Author Share Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) Grass fed beef is much better than that feed lot steroid crap. There have been ranchers who have raised buffalo. I think that would be cool to let a few million acres revert to grasslands and let the buffalo roam where the deer and the antelope play. Edited July 21, 2016 by mustang guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 That's the kind of thing the Nature Conservancy does. It's one of the smartest non=profits around. They buy up land to promote the return to a natural state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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