suburban wasteland
by John at 5/08/2006 11:24:00 AM
I read an article yesterday in the Toronto Star that said that modern (e.g. post 60s? The article wasn't entirely clear) suburban housing developments may never, ever* grow large trees. How sad is that? Those artist conceptions given to prospective buyers with beautiful, tall trees enhancing the value and aesthetics of your plywood McMansion (not to mention screening off the obnoxious neighbors whose bedroom window is a mere thirty feet from yours) are bullshit. The article gives the details of why trees just won't grow, but it suffices to say here that it is the factory style construction of tract housing, necessary to maximize profits, that takes most of the blame. I once heard, on television, Bob Vila describe the new housing developments in the exurbs as future ghettos. He did this in the context of encouraging renovation of city properties and neighborhoods, but I bet even he didn't know about the part with no trees.
I've had the opportunity to count tree rings on two large trees on my property in the last four years. One tree was more than 50 years old, and the other was more than 40. Both exceed the age of the house by at least a little bit. They were both second growth trees (tulip poplars, each easily more than 100 feet tall), which fits with the history of the small development (9 houses) which, like so many other things, was built on former farm land.
So to sum up: Modern suburbs - unrealistic, unsustainable, and unattractive. Forever*.
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* For sloppy definitions of never, ever, and forever - a hundred years and more, long after the houses themselves have been torn down.
I've had the opportunity to count tree rings on two large trees on my property in the last four years. One tree was more than 50 years old, and the other was more than 40. Both exceed the age of the house by at least a little bit. They were both second growth trees (tulip poplars, each easily more than 100 feet tall), which fits with the history of the small development (9 houses) which, like so many other things, was built on former farm land.
So to sum up: Modern suburbs - unrealistic, unsustainable, and unattractive. Forever*.
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* For sloppy definitions of never, ever, and forever - a hundred years and more, long after the houses themselves have been torn down.
