Who
are we?
Black Locust Initiative is a non-profit organization
teaching sustainable forestry through hands-on workshops open to the
public. Forestry is an industry that can expand locally while improving
the environment, if undertaken with an ecologically sound ethic.
Black Initiative is funded by a generous grant from:
With a grant from America-On-Line for equipment, we
are developing an on-line curriculum to use in the schools. Area schools
regularly participate in workshops covering forest conservation, soil
analysis, conservation of watersheds, and ecological means to protect
birds. Students are part of selecting trees for sawing and then building
projects from the wood. Teachers will have Internet access in the
classroom to prepare a responsible environmental lesson with their
students. They will be provided with curricula, resources, and lists
for materials and tools.
Additional funding provided by:
History
Dave Gell is a long-time forester and master woodworker
who has spent many years researching and working with the black locust
tree. He teaches sustainable forestry management to school groups
and adults and has initiated experiments in vegetative propagation
methods with black locust.
Mission
The overall mission of Black Locust Initiative is to provide
educational opportunities, promote community awareness and foster
a comprehensive respect for nature through workshops that advocate
sustainable forestry.
Black Initiative supports ecological work in the community,
focuses on propagation, management, sawing, harvesting, and building
with black locust trees as an alternative to pressure treated lumber
for green building practices. Currently the choice of durable wood
is either chemically pressure-treated
or old growth fir, redwood, cedar, or cypress. There
is a need for a quality alternative source of lumber. Our organization
is working to save the genetics of superior trees and start making
them available in industrial quantities. We are making strides with
Shipmast Locust and more recently, Catalpa.
The Goals of Black Locust Initiative:
