The Starving Scientist

Student talks science from abroad

By Krystnell Storr

There are some who take Dr. Seuss’s story, ”The Lorax” quite literally. Brent Smith, John Iverson and Jay Roberts are three men who did more than listen when the Once-ler said, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” They may not be interested in planting “truffula seeds,” but they certainly do plan to plant a whole lot of other ones.

On an 18 acre piece of land at the back of campus, Smith, Iverson and Roberts hope to cultivate a massive forest that, among other things, will make Earlham College carbon positive. At a rate of 1000 different oak trees per acre, their aim is to create a dense carbon sink that will soak up all the carbon dioxide created daily by members of the Earlham community. Plants, or rather trees, have proven themselves to be the far superior organism when it comes to removing more carbon dioxide from the air than they respire into it. This makes the logic behind their project quite simple actually. If you plant more trees you can remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Although the rationale might be simple, the process is not. The site of the tree plantation has first to be prepared by getting rid of the bedrock and killing all the grass. Then the soil, which is badly damaged due to overgrazing and erosion, has to be built up by reusing leaves. Trees such as Black Cherry, Red and White Oaks and Tulip Poplar, that are fast-growing as well as shade intolerant, will be the first ones planted, followed by the slower growing Sugar Maple and Beech Trees. Until the trees have grown enough to sustain themselves, the grass between them has to be mowed regularly to ensure that each tree has a chance to survive.

Using state subsidized trees and a keen will to get the job done, this undertaking is geared toward building community and a sense of awareness that everyone shares responsibility in protecting the environment.

Of the eighteen acres that will be planted, two of these acres will be reserved to allow students to pay their own ‘carbon tax’. Smith, a biology professor, is especially optimistic that students at Earlham will revel in the thought of being able to reduce their carbon footprint by planting a tree. It is possible that the activity could even become a part of orientation for those students traveling abroad as a way to compensate for the amount of carbon emissions that come from air travel.

The increase in biodiversity and prevalence of native bird species are just a couple of benefits that add to the educational value that the success of this venture promises. Making this project sustainable was also factored into the planning, and although it would take a few years for it to be completely self-sufficient, the idea remains feasible. As the trees grow and die, wood could be harvested and sold; this would not only boost the local economy, but also reduce the amount of carbon emitted from having wood imported to Richmond.

When it comes to the environment, nature or any issue, it is usually best to stop, stand back and look at the big picture. In a few years, forty to be exact, Earlham College will hopefully be able to proudly display that we understood this best.