A small piece of the at-risk U.S. National Arboretum’s Azalea Collection.
Some things just don’t make sense
The National Arboretum intends to eliminate a large portion of the colorful azalea collection and to break-up and transplant the nationally renowned boxwood collection. This article from the Washington Post sums it up pretty well.
Nothing says springtime in Washington like the cherry blossoms. Except perhaps azaleas in bloom at the U.S. National Arboretum.
Which explains why last week’s surprise announcement by the arboretum that it plans to destroy the most frequently visited section of the historic Azalea Collection and dismantle the entire National Boxwood Collection hit a horticultural nerve throughout the region. Countless fans, including members of the nonprofit Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) and National Bonsai Foundation (NBF), have expressed opposition to the decision to eliminate one of nature’s most magnificent and scientifically important spring displays…. continue reading
A couple of thoughts.
The removal of all those plants would be a huge undertaking. That much destruction would be very expensive. If funding is a problem, now would not be a good time to spend( nor would any other time)on destroying OUR plants.
Since they are our plants, there should be a Law or Laws protecting them. If the are none, we need our elected Representatives to pass some.
Who ever is proposing this destruction needs to be removed from his position immediately by his direct supervisor. He can not be trusted to protect our National treasures and does not value them.
Many who provide funding might want to contact the Arboretum reminding them of that and also suggest that they abandon this idea and quickly.
Marc
Thanks for your comments Marc. Yes, it would cost money to remove the azaleas and move the boxwoods, but I guess someone thinks the long term savings on maintenance justify those costs. Short sighted long term vision.
I’m not sure about laws. I imagine the bucks stops at the head of the Dept of Agriculture, though I have no idea if the decision rose to that level.
Obviously, I am not going to write to any of your Congressmen, Senators etc. but, from Spain, I promise to not visiting Washington again if the removal goes on.
But you fellow Americans can write them, right?
http://www.savetheazaleas.org/#anchorHOW
Yes. Congress people can be written.
So can the Dept of Agriculture: http://www.ars.usda.gov/contactus/contactus.htm
Or one could call the Arboretum: 202-245-2726
Yes, it would be a shame to lose these assets. However, the Nat Arboretum has been under financial pressure for years. They have held off doing this for a while. Our country is 14 Trillion in debt. Support has to come from private sources and finding those are tough, too. The issue is not azalea and boxwood collections, but the bigger question of will the entire Arboretum fundng collapse and what can be done to stabilize it?
Are they nuts!! we already have global warming due to a reduction in the tropical rain forests around the world.We have a serious bee problem a sickness and lack of .Without flowers to pollinate where to next for the bees.Just the tip of the iceberg.And how long does it take for an azalea to grow like these.The climate is changing .How can something that beautiful need to be cut down.Is all man good for, is destroying nature?They must find an alternative
i can’t believe someone would want to destroy the fanastic spring show that azeleas put on. Their importance for bees cannot be underestimated in a time the bee population is struggling. The arboretum is supposed to be a place where plants are revered and respected. in a world of high rises and blacktop parks and the plants they contain are a pleasant refuge from everyday life.
If they must be removed, they should be removed rather than destroyed. Could they not be transplanted to some area of a local arboretum or park? I’ve seen large oak trees, hundreds of years old, get transplanted in California.
But best leave them where they are and find new funding. I bet Bernie Madoff had something to do with this.
Has any reason for the idea been forwarded by anyone at the Arboretum? It sounds like someone might have thought this would stir up enough folk that pressure would be applied for more funding to avoid the disaster. A scam? Under any circumstance, one of the worst proposals imaginable — this IS a National Treasure.
Thanks Peter,
Maybe someone has a political axe to grind or some cost cutting zealot is getting carried away (or both). It’s definitely not a scam. I’ve corresponded with Felix and Johann at NBF, though I haven’t heard anything for a couple weeks. As soon as we hear anything more, we’ll post it.
This is reprehensible!! No wonder the soul of our nation appears to be slowly dying if this is the tempo of thought coming from our capitol. The thought of this type of destruction makes me physically ill and I will contact my representatives. Unfortunately I live in Texas at this time and the political climate down here is just too “republican” for paying much attention to the environment.