Shaping of trees in predetermined designs

Did you know that trees can be grown in predermined designs, such as chairs, tables and sculpture?

The people who got the inspiration for this idea call it: Pooktre Tree Shapers.

See http://www.pooktre.com/index.html for more pictures, videos and explanation.

Grown by Pooktre This is Pook sitting in his grown chair. This chair is to remain alive. Planted in 1998.

Image via Wikipedia

Read also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_shaping

Unusual-tree pictures

Here are some unusual-tree pictures that i collected from the internet. They are not my own photos.

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Redwood Grove. Large rounded burl growths from which future generation of this same tree will sprout. Can be sawn off and planted for growth. Image via Wikipedia

Joshua trees in winter - Image by tomsaint11 via Flickr

Image by Tina Carlson via Flickr

Image by markhillary via Flickr

Image by vortistic via Flickr


Image by alistairhamilton via Flickr


Image by joiseyshowaa via Flickr

Uganda forests rapidly disappearing

Image via Wikipedia

Forests in Uganda are disappearing in fast rate. The African country could have lost all its forest by 2050 if deforestation continues like this. The Ugandan Stove project is trying to do something against deforestation by installing 20,000 efficient stoves yearly.

Daintree Rainforest

Image via Wikipedia

Quotes from the news article on physorg.com

"Uganda has lost nearly a third of its forest cover since 1990 due to expanding farmlands, a rapidly growing human population and increased urbanisation, a government report said on Friday."

"In 1990, the east African nation had more than five million hectares of forest cover but by 2005 only 3.5 million hectares (8.6 million acres) remained, the report, published by Ugandan's National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), said.

If deforestation continues at the present rate Uganda will have lost all its forested land by 2050, it warned."

http://www.physorg.com/news164687888.html

Watch this video about the Uganda Stove Project

The Ugandan Stoves project aims to install 20,000 new, more efficient stoves per year in and around Kampala. This in turn reduces deforestation and air pollution, and contributes to improving quality of life.

Other news articles

Uganda forests rapidly disappearing: study AFP

Uganda could be a dessert in 40 years afrol News

Uganda People News: Uganda warned on environmental degradation UGPulse.com

Uganda's Forests Being Depleted RedOrbit

Study: Economic Boost of Deforestation Is Short-Lived (time.com)

Sacred Ceiba tree researched on Maya art

Ceiba Tree

Image by wrsi via Flickr

Two US scientists, natural historian and archaeologist Charles Zidar of Missouri Botanical Garden in St Louis, US, and botanist Wayne Elisens of the University of Oklahoma, Norman, US,  are researching Maya artwork with accurate depictions of giant trees and beautiful flowers. They are hoping to discover plants known to the Maya but forgotten since then. Some of the art shows the Ceiba tree which is considered sacred by the Maya. The scientists also hope to discover plants with unknown medical uses.
Cosmic Eagles


Read the BBC article about this, with pictures showing the resemblance between plants and depictions in Mayan art:

Sacred Plants of the Maya Forest
"The Maya have lived and used rainforest plants to heal themselves for thousands of years. We are just beginning to understand some of their secrets" -  Archaeologist Charles Zadir

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8083000/8083812.stm

Read also

Ancient Mayans' plants - Zee News - ‎Jun 13, 2009‎

Videos

Maya Forest, Guatemala - The Nature Conservancy

Mayan Art

Sacred Maya Ceiba tree
Image by Gare and Kitty via Flickr