Seedling Liberation Front

There is an abandoned lot in my neighbourhood (owned and 'maintained by the city) that gets a bad haircut with a weedwacker twice a year. The lot has 2 black locust trees (that I assume are wild seedlings from trees planted across the street) that have sent out seedlings of their own. These resilient bastards keep going after every weedwacker trim, I guess for them it's like a haphazard pollarding? Anyways, I waited until this time of year to take my hori hori down there and grab a handful to transplant on our land. I've always loved the trees (their flowers were one of the first things I foraged) and have some areas needing a deer-proof nitrogen fixer.

Imagine my surprise when I looked down and saw some sweet chestnut seedlings popping up right next to the sidewalk. There is a huge pair of Chestnuts in a back yard across the street, and my best guess is some enterprising squirrels planted them. I was thinking of leaving a couple in hopes they grow on in that spot but I know the weedwacker won't allow this.  I'll come back once they've dropped their leaves and give them a good home. The consolation is that there is a walnut growing right inside the fence (I only grab what's accessible from the sidewalk) that appears to be at least 3 years old.

On my way back I grabbed some sea buckthorn runners coming off a dying plant in a public food forest (they were planted as early succession and are now shaded out). I know not everyone will agree with light trespass and plant theft but I feel vindicated knowing there will be about 10 plants out there feeding people instead of meeting the weedwacker until they die.

I think its great, because those won't survive the weedwhacker anyways, and you'll grow them and they'll be happy at your house!  I think its totally okay to take things no one is using or even trying to take care of, good on you.

I'll hold my hand up (and keep my head down) and admit to doing something similar. In the forestry plantations (which make extra exciting dog walks, but safe because no livestock) there are always seedling pine and spruce coming up by the trackways. Like the OP I know that they will have a short life there before the plantation managers come and clear them as a fire hazard. Trying to get as much root as possible I can collect a few dozen in a carrier bag and set them free in my tree field as windbreak trees where I hope they can live a happy life.

liberated trees on left

I find the pine (I'm not sure what variety) seem particularly suited to growing here so that makes me happy, as some of the other pine are slow or look tatty. A few of the spruce will get thinned out as christmas trees as time goes on.

Riona Abhainn wrote:I think its great, because those won't survive the weedwhacker anyways, and you'll grow them and they'll be happy at your house!  I think its totally okay to take things no one is using or even trying to take care of, good on you.

Thank you, that is my thinking as well.

Nancy Reading wrote:I'll hold my hand up (and keep my head down) and admit to doing something similar. In the forestry plantations (which make extra exciting dog walks, but safe because no livestock) there are always seedling pine and spruce coming up by the trackways. Like the OP I know that they will have a short life there before the plantation managers come and clear them as a fire hazard. Trying to get as much root as possible I can collect a few dozen in a carrier bag and set them free in my tree field as windbreak trees where I hope they can live a happy life.

liberated trees on left

I find the pine (I'm not sure what variety) seem particularly suited to growing here so that makes me happy, as some of the other pine are slow or look tatty. A few of the spruce will get thinned out as christmas trees as time goes on.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one! Your windbreak is really coming along. We are lucky to have some remnants of second growth timber plantations flanking our property to do that for us.

Not sure where you are, but here in BC I have friends who work 'brushing', which is exactly as you described, clearing 'weed' trees from logging stock. It's interesting how in that situation the trees are a waste product, whereas you could spend a good few bucks on them at the garden center. Taking a few home is a win win.