Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Michigan
Related: About this forumHantz Woodlands to plant 5,000 more trees on once-blighted lots in Detroit
http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2015/04/hantz_woodlands_to_plant_5000.html
More than 1,400 volunteers last May planted 15,000 saplings in a desolate section of Detroit once consumed with blight. This year, the future inner-city forest will expand to include 5,000 more...The land, nearly 180 acres, is a collection of abandoned lots last owned by the city of Detroit following years of foreclosure. Hantz Woodlands, with the blessing of Gov. Rick Snyder, purchased the land, about 1,300 parcels, for just over $500,000 in 2013. Hantz Woodlands cleared the lots, removed debris, overgrowth, trash, tires, more than 50 rotting homes and is now planting trees...
"Join us on May 9 as we continue to transform blight to beauty on Detroit's lower east side with the planting of 5,000 tulip poplar trees," the Facebook page says. "In addition to tree planting, there will be live music, equipment demonstrations, face painting, educational tours and complimentary food."
Volunteers planted about 20 acres in 2014 and will plant another five this year, says Hantz Farms President Mike Score. Hantz Woodlands is the brainchild of business mogul John Hantz, a Detroit resident and the CEO of Hantz Financial in Southfield who said he was sick of looking all of the blight driving to and from his home in Indian Village. The project faced some adversity early on from opponents who saw it as a speculative land grab, but seems to have won over many, including Mayor Mike Duggan and, perhaps most importantly, numerous residents who have told MLive over the last two years their neighborhoods look better than they have in a long time. Score said the for-profit company plans to sell the lumber produced in a couple decades to offset maintenance costs. It will also likely benefit in the long term from increasing land values.
The company mows 180 acres bi-weekly and has about 80 acres left to totally clear in preparation for planting, Score said Friday. He said the plan is to grow the trees for about 10 years in tight rows,causing them to grow taller and straighter, and then "thin" them by transplanting some to other open lots. Score believes community support will continue with the second annual planting event.
"We don't have any goals, we just want people to come out and have a good time," he said. "I think we'll have more than we had last year.
"It wouldn't surprise me if we had about 2,000."
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN BE TOO CYNICAL ABOUT THIS...THE VOLUNTEERS ARE DOING STOOP LABOR FOR A FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION ON LAND THEY WILL NEVER OWN, WHOSE PROFITS THEY WILL NEVER SEE....
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 1952 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (3)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Hantz Woodlands to plant 5,000 more trees on once-blighted lots in Detroit (Original Post)
Demeter
Apr 2015
OP
I would imagine the residents are happy that somebody is cleaning up their neighborhood.
Travis_0004
Apr 2015
#1
Travis_0004
(5,417 posts)1. I would imagine the residents are happy that somebody is cleaning up their neighborhood.
Even if it is a for profit comapny, I would be happy to see the trash picked up and old houses torn down.
Demeter
(85,373 posts)2. Why yes! Let's exploit the poor in the name of "neighborhood"
After all, hiring them would cost....$7.25/hour...and all that paperwork!
Travis_0004
(5,417 posts)3. Or lets do nothing and leave Detroit a shithole.
That works too.