Tree syrup production + geography
Hypothetically, if someone in the Pacific Northwest wanted to start producing delicious tree syrup in... a few decades, what would be the best syrup tree to go all-in with? If the answer is "The Sugar Maple", would the syrup theoretically be as good as the stuff that comes out of famous maple syrup production areas like New England and Canada, or is there something special about that climate that makes it extra good?
Tree Music?
Hey y'all, experimental classical composer here. A lot of my music is designed with mathematics or principles from nature (systems for generating sequences of data, sorting systems, growth patterns, fractal branching) and I was wondering if you know of any cool tree patterns which could be implemented systematically. My music is usually quite noisy, so orderliness is not necessarily a required feature I'm after. I recently read "The Nature of Oaks" by Douglas Tallamy and was so amazed by how so many elements of the ecosystem interact with the trees that I was inspired to start working on a piece about Oaks. I just thought it would be cool if I could include some data or other principle of calculation in the piece.
Livestreams?
Hi Alex and Casey. I just switched over from patreon. I was new to patreon and hadn't caught up on all the episodes. I was looking through the episodes and noticed that your past livestreams are not on here. Will they be put up soon or should I binge them on patreon before canceling? Thank you for the great podcast.
Treemium Changes
It looks like all the podcasts show up under Treemium now. If I am correct, they used to be separated for Cone peeps and regular peeps. Is this the case. Just looking for confirmation. I really like listening to you both. I will reach out again soon, I'd like to share about a small volunteer initiative I started to plant trees. Thanks, Corey Alleman
How do I change my subscription amount?
I emailed Supercast with this question twice and they never got back to me. When I was “migrating” over, at one point it asked me how much I wanted to pay per month, and I entered my amount, but it still shows my monthly fee as the set fee. Not sure how I can make sure I give you the same amount I was paying at Patreon.
NPS sued for planting Giant Sequoias?
Hi fellas, love the podcast you guys are great. My question is in regards to the lawsuit seeking to prevent the National Park Service from planting giant sequoia seedlings to replace those lost to recent fires. I’m all about letting nature handle itself, but I can’t help but feel part of the reason the fires were so intense had something to do with human activities. If we contributed to the harm, shouldn’t we assist with the recovery? I’m not sure I agree with the NPS doing the clearing and controlled burns in that area, but what harm could come from planting some seedlings? #sequoiadendrongiganteumforever
invasive
I spend my summers in Juneau, AK, and occasionally lead hikes through the temperate rain forest near Mendenhall Glacier. I love talking about the trees and other flora (and thanks to this pod I sound even more knowledgeable!), but I've had a question a few times that I'm not sure how to answer. Since you also live in a temperate rain forest, I'm wondering if you know whether they suffer from less invasive species than other types of forests and if so, why? I haven't heard of many up by Juneau, at least, but I'm sure you know more. Thanks and love the show!
Favorite tree-related songs?
Alex & Casey! What are some of your favorite tree-related songs? Bonus points for kid-friendly songs! My 5-month-old daughter and I have really been into the Okie Dokie Brothers’ tree-themed songs*, and we’d love to add others to our rotation! Thanks! *Some examples -- "Great Grandmother Tree" (https://open.spotify.com/track/0y9zWHD6eM7uo76wXSIf5U) -- "Evergreen" (https://open.spotify.com/track/71VeXObS5qxZmEHn2KnFCq) -- "Mycelium Underground News" (https://open.spotify.com/track/2d4mY9DrytOEFwjYDF9VOR)
Tree whisperer in a Christmas movie?
I don't know if anyone has told you about this, but there is a ridiculous (and queer!) Christmas movie called Under the Christmas Tree that came out in the past couple of years. It has a character who is a "tree whisperer." Pretty please watch it and let us know your thoughts on the silliness?!??
Cone collection
Hi Alex, I have heard your cone collection mentioned in episodes and I am interested in starting one as well. I am a teacher and they would serve as great decorations and instructional tools for my classroom. Do you have any tips or resources you can link out to that would help someone like me who is starting with no knowledge? Thanks!
A couple of succession questions
Hey, Casey and Alex! I had a couple of questions about ecological succession that I've been mulling over ever since you did your series of episodes about it. First, if a forest is wiped off the map and starts over with early succession trees and other plants, how do those early succession trees physically...get there? Are their seeds blown in from existing trees elsewhere, or pooped out by animals that pass through? Or, have the seeds been dormant underground that whole time, biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike? Is it a little bit of all of those depending on the species of tree and the specific situation? Second, does every habitat and forest type have a more or less "formalized" succession process, where it's fairly predictable which plants will grow first, which ones will grow later, and which ones will grow last, or is that only a feature for forests that experience somewhat regular disruptions, like our forests that frequently burn down in the western united states? If an ecosystem that wasn't "used" to disruptions like this were suddenly struck by disaster, would the succession process be total chaos, as none of the plants knew who should grow back first? Followup question, do any such habitats that rarely or never get disrupted even exist? Thanks! Excited for a new year of Completely Arbitrary. Also, be sure to let Alex know that if he ever finds his way down to San Diego, there's an entire cafe devoted entirely to mango-based Japanese desserts!
Big 'ol Cultivars
Hello! After all your Treeyazaki stuff, it's got me thinking about getting some Japanese trees to make a small Japanese garden. However, consumerism is ruining my plans by only showing me the tiniest of cultivars for this majestic trees. Do you know of any good resources or nurseries that try to cultivate larger varieties of things like the sugi or hinoke? Thanks!
Cutting Board Care?
Howdy Casey and Alex! Occasionally I scroll onto a social media post of someone recommending people to disinfect their wooden cutting boards. Then, I inevitably see arguments in the comments with many people insisting that wooden cutting boards (and utensils) are naturally antibacterial, unlike plastic cutting boards, when cared for correctly. They say this is due to the anaerobic environment inside of the woodgrain that would not support aerobic bacteria. But, there are many species of anaerobic bacteria, so I find that explanation uncompelling... Is there something integral to wood that does makes it antibacterial? Would the same thing apply to bamboo cutting boards? And lastly, how should wooden cutting boards and utensils be cared for? I'm just curious on what Casey and Alex's Completely Arbortrary opinion and experience is on this! Thank you guys and love the show! :)
Lily vs Water Lily
Hi Casey and Alex, my coworkers and I have gone down a Wikipedia wormhole and we are now stuck... What exactly is the difference between lilies and water lilies? Why are they both called "lily" when it doesn't look like they are closely related? They are in different orders, so I thought maybe it had to do with the structure of the flower, but they look completely different. Thanks!
Naming Thuja
We’ve established that common names are dumb, arbitrary concoctions that can be created by even the most botanically uneducated members of society. You however, are world-renowned experts on trees and other related topics, as well as the hosts of the prestigious treemy awards. My question is, who better to rename the false cedar family? Let’s stop calling this lovely genus by what it is not. Think of the Thuja plicata, pride of the Pacific Northwest! I call upon you, Casey and Alex, to give these nameless wonders their own identity!