Synergy Slam Poets: MUSE #1 - Ways To Come back - The Horse Chesnut.
Written by Zena Edwards
In a previous blog, I wrote about the how Horse Chesnut trees across the UK have struggled with rust-like disease caused by the Line Moth. You can read this blog HERE.
I had written, hopefully, that it seemed as if these magnificent trees were in recovery from this annual infestation that causes this rusty blotching and poorly looking leaves.
It was mid Spring, and Summer is when we start to see the mottled symptoms appear.
Are they Coming Back?
The tree itself does have means of recovery, and with human support, we can see an improvement in its health.
Here are some of its self recovery traits:
Replacing leaves is a natural response to maintain its ability to photosynthesize, i.e turning light in to energy, and to sustain itself.
By channeling nutrients and photosynthesized energy to areas that are less damaged or to new growth, enables them to recover from the stress caused by the moth larvae.
By building resilience through perseverance through the annual infestation of this line moth larvae
Human Intervention:
Humans can also encourage the recovery of the Horse Chesnut by litter picking of the cuttings of the surrounding foliage and fallen leaves over Autumn and during winter months. This will reduce the number of overwintering Leaf Miner pupae, decreasing the population for the next season.
Creative Pathways
Does the Horse Chesnut wait in anticipation or trepidation for the Line Miner moth to attack it in the Summer months, causing it to grow with more ardour in Spring?
With all this in mind, reflect on the question at the beginning of this blog post, and see how evolutionary life of one of the giants of the city of London mirrors human resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges.
Image Credit: Zena Edwards