this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2023
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Please, please, please, make sure you're using local native species. Further, you're going to want early seral stage plants, like fireweed that can handle shitty conditions. Alders are a good one, since they can improve soil organic matter and fix nitrogen. However, while seed bombing might make you feel good, but it's unlikely to make a lasting or meaningful impact. Eventually I would imagine the seeded area would get overgrown at some point and veg management would be mandated
Thanks for the info. I don't think people generally seed bomb in areas that are already abundant in growth and would risk overgrowth but in areas that are depleted or desolate. Maybe a bit of an inaccuracy in the video.
You could use pollinator species, which might help. They are generally short-lived and lower growing.
my point is that assume it works as intended in urban area (assume a vacant lot), and we have included spp geared towards revgetation. Now you have a recovering ecosystem on whatever trajectory (great!). Things slowly recover. Assuming you've included some woody spp. Biomass takes off, and structural stages (plant height across the spp. Present) get taller. Some dickhead complains things are getting out of hand or it creates a visual hazard (cars) and is mowed or sprayed.
Thanks for your feedback. Try to keep it positive. I don't think this project is a big cause for concern. This isn't aiming for perfection, nor is any other aspect of Solarpunk. There could always be things that go wrong or people that become upset but there might not as well. Change upsets people sometimes. Doing nothing makes me more anxious than those things, personally as we're in a climate emergency.
Btw, native species were mentioned in the video where it mentions kudzu. That makes me feel the person who made the video has thought these things through.
I don't feel hopeless. I never said that. Your tone was a bit anxious is all. You are assuming that I'm in despair which is not the truth at all and not fitting with Solarpunk so that's a little confusing. You are fine but to be frank I think you're over thinking this video and it doesn't require this much extra thought and discussion. I also don't believe just voting is the answer and that's another topic, I'm personally an Anarchist, and that's not the point of Solarpunk so I think we may philosophically differ quite a bit. Seed bombing falls under direct action. Voting certainly doesn't. You keep mentioning land management. Seed bombing is related to the punk aspect of Solarpunk and while it can bring in a diverse array of ideas the people in this video don't seem as concerned about a land management group as you might want them to be. I also feel NGOs are less direct and often lead to inaction by utilizing the very structures this movement rebels against but that's just a personal opinion and this is not the thread to unpack it. Another topic. The people in this video, I assume you watched it if you responded, are doing a DIY project. a bit different than volunteering for an organization and equally valid. This is one video and seed bombing is one that can be done. There are many different ways to create change and dual power structures are crucial
At any rate everything is fine and we may need to agree to disagree on some points and move on as I feel is best at this point. You brought up several issues that feel a bit off topic on my end. Try not to assume or project and voting discourse / preaching could easily lead to conflict at other times. Thanks again for your passionate response to the video and sorry if it upset you.
I'd echo this sentiment. Also please keep in mind that what is native can change over very small distances. If you were to look up what is native only based on state/country, that is almost certainly way too large a net to be casting. Florists often use 5km-wide grids to map biodiversity, in my location (Netherlands) this even goes down to 1km.
If you want to have a feel for what is native in your local area go to observation.org (or your local version of it, e.g. NL has waarneming.nl), then go to Explore -> Surroundings. Or contact a local floristic organization in you area.
Appreciate the detailed info. Did you watch the video? They did address native plant species.
I did. It just offloads people to Google, which IMHO has a tendency of returning just a random blog filled with falsehoods that just happens to be good at SEO.
Not a fan of Google, the video is on YouTube which they own, but I’m not sure what falsehoods you’re referring to at this point. Thanks, though
If you live in the United States I recommend Prairie Moon for your native seeds. You can narrow it by state and they typically have a country level map. You can get seed info about what is ready easy to grow. Also note that some natives need to be seeded in the fall or be cold stratified
Good point on the cold stratified. I forgot about that for a second. The stratification could happen the winter of the year you yeet your seed bomb, so don't let those species deter you
Thanks for the constructive comments and info