The Massive Oaks of Costa Rica

Wow.

Just, wow.  I am ambivalent about Eco-tourism.  I get the idea of creating economic value for ecosystems as ecosystems and not as natural resources/commodities.  It might, in the end, be the only way to conserve them within the economic realities of the world.  But I have a problem with consuming fossil fuels to go see natural wonders which are threatened/damaged by the consumption of fossil fuels.

But man, I'd love to go to Costa Rica and see these trees.

Scroll down.  Either that's a REALLY big acorn or the dude has a really small hand.

Thanks Lucas!

Have a great weekend everyone.

South Dakota State University planting hybrid oak on Arbor Day

SDSU is planting a hybrid oak in a Brookings, SD park to commemorate Arbor Day this weekend.  It's great to see an oak being chosen for the planting, instead of the Siberian elms, green ash or blue spruce that were likely the choices.  I don't have anything against those species (although the same can't be said for the panoply of insect and fungal pests that are effectively wiping them out), but oaks have been criminally under planted for decades, and it's great to see an increased emphasis on planting oaks.

But of I course I wouldn't be me without injected a mild quibble with the article.  If you're planting a hybrid oak are you really planted a "certain species" of tree?  (Then again as longtime readers - note the optimistic/delusional use of the plural - know, I defy anyone to plant an oak that isn't, to one degree or another, a hybrid.)

Some friends and I once ran a marathon relay in Brookings, SD.  The only hills on the course were the man-made ramps to create freeway overpasses.