A Heart of Fire essays

A Heart of Fire essays Slowly he walked down the hallways. His head ducked down, and his eyes slightly closed. His head was slightly turned towards the wall; he was trying to hide his tears. The slow movement of his tears felt like wet drips of sand, gently carving paths of heartbreak across his face. His heart felt as if it was on fire, and his mind was a jumble of thoughts. Why did kids have to be so mean to him? Was he really so different then them? Was he really the freak they accused him of being? A door jutted open in front of him, and turning quickly out of the way, he ran to the bathroom. He had to be alone. As he entered the bathroom he caught site of his reflection. Turning his face slightly toward the mirrors, he took a good long hard look at himself. He starred into his own deep dark brown eyes. His tears streamed down his chubby cheeks. His glasses seemed to fog from his misting eyes. "I hate VT," his words echoed around the old cement room. " I want to go home" John had moved to VT a few months earlier. He had hated the idea from the beginning. He was happy in NY. Why should he have to uproot from the only home he has ever known? " I grew up in that house," he thought. " Why can't my dad just keep working at the same place." A truth a, realization, something I found. When I was at the age of eight years old, I discovered a truth about mankind. We are cruel. Now to some, this seems like nothing short of common sense. But to a child, a child of a pure and gentle heart. This comes as a shock. I remember this day very clearly and the pain I felt. I remember the years after, and the torturous teasing, beatings, and stabbing that I endured. My case of Harassment wasn't just any normal sticks and stones. My peers horribly ridiculed me. And would you like to know the reasons why? " Oh Paul you are just one of those kids who always gets made fun of, its just who you are." I also made a realization. One of my stature could fight back. A ...

The Best and Worst Trees for an Urban Forest

The Best and Worst Trees for an Urban Forest It has been determined by the United States Forest Service that nearly 80 percent of the U.S. population lives in urban areas that have developed a dependent  relationship with  the social, economic, and ecological  systems  near cities and suburbs.  Although quite  different from wildland forests, these urban forests have many challenges associated with healthy growth just as rural forests do. A large part of urban forest management includes planting the right tree for the appropriate site. The distribution of urban tree cover and the benefits of urban forests will  vary across the United States and requires addressing the challenges of sustaining this important resource with the best trees for every sites potential.   Top Trees to Plant in the Urban Landscape Overcup Oak or Quercus lyrata: Actually, most  oaks are great in urban settings, but many are very slow growers, Overcup oak is also slow but quickly reaches 40.  It is recommended to plant in all but the Northcentral states.  Red Maple or Acer rubrum: This maple is a ubiquitous, wide-ranging, native tree. It adapts well to most soils and sites and thrives under urban conditions. It also is an early harbinger  of fall as it turns color well in advance of most eastern deciduous tree species.  White Oak or Quercus alba: This is the other oak recommended and can be planted in nearly every state in the US. It is similar to lyrata and easy to find in most nurseries.  Green Ash or  Fraxinus pennsylvanica: This tree is native to eastern North America and common west to Wyoming and Colorado but will grow in every state in the U.S. The tree is fast growing on moist sites and hardy once established. It is best grown as a single tree with adequate room to grow but to be avoided wh ere the emerald ash borer is endemic. Crapemyrtle or Lagerstroemia: This small tree is the most common southern street and yard tree planted in a wide range that encircles the US from New Jersey through the deep South, Texas, Southern California and to the Pacific Northwest. There are cold hardy  varies like Northern Crapemyrtle,  Lagerstroemia  indica  that can be planted through zone 5.Dogwood or Cornus florida: This small showy all-season tree is possibly the favorite of yards and parks in all of the United States (with the exception of the middle upper western states).Japanese Maple or Acer palmatum: These trees have extraordinary shapes and are very popular in yards and open landscapes. As with dogwood, they are not hardy  in the middle upper western states.Baldcypress or Taxodium distichum: This tree is becoming the most popular tree in urban landscapes. It is hardy in all but the driest of states.  Others include the red oaks, a return of disease-resistant  American elm varieties and American linden (American basswood.) Urban and city forests are an essential component of America’s â€Å"green infrastructure† which makes the care and management of these city trees extremely important. Having the wrong trees (many of which are invasive), when added to natural (insects, diseases, wildfire, floods, ice and wind storms) and social problems (over development, air pollution, and inadequate management) makes for challenges as urban expansion continues. Top Trees NOT to Plant in the Urban Landscape Mimosa or Albizia julibrissin:  short-lived and very messy in any landscape.Silver maple or Acer sacharinum:  very messy, ornamentally dull, aggressive rootsLeyland Cypress or Cupressocyparis leylandii:   quickly outgrows space, short-lived.Lombardy Poplar or Populus nigra: canker-prone, with litter and short life.Popcorn tree or Sapium sibiferum: invasive tree species.Chinaberry or Melia azedarach: Invades disturbed areas to become thickets.Royal Paulownia or Paulownia tomentosa:  Invades disturbed areas to become thickets.Bradford Pear or Pyrus calleryana  Bradford:  Invades disturbed areas to become thickets.Siberian Elm or Ulmus pumila:  Invades pastures, roadsides, and prairiesTree of Heaven or Ailanthus  altissima:  Forms dense, clonal thickets, highly invasive.