Mulch Madness

It's more than a shame that Louisiana is clearcutting swaths of its state tree--the cypress--to make...mulch. The trees, and the swamps that serve as their ecosystem, provide valuable protection when hurricanes roll in, and are home to many a species, including this bald eagle photographed by Jeffrey Dubinsky.

Cypress mulch was always a by-product of lumber mills that were producing flooring and such. But now entire forests are being cut down, and a study by the Governor's Science Working Group and Advisory Committee concludes that up to 80 percent of the areas being logged will be unable to regenerate. The Louisiana Forestry Association says no unsustainable harvests are taking place.

Environmental groups working as Save Our Cypress are attacking the issue from the retail end by urging Home Depot, Lowe's, and Wal-Mart to stop purchasing and selling all cypress garden mulch until a verifiable, third-party certification program is operating to ensure no cypress is being sourced from non-renewable coastal wetland forests. They're asking the public to help apply some pressure.

Interestingly, the three retailers have all adopted corporate policies to protect the environment. Save Our Cypress points out:

Home Depot has some of the most progressive corporate policies on wood purchasing and use. Home Depot pledged to eliminate wood purchases from endangered forests by 2003, and have commited to purchasing only wood from certified sources, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Home Depot has carried out "product shifts" for a number of items to ensure certification and sustainability for a large number of items such as boards, cabinets, and fencing.

Lowe's has adopted a long-term goal that all wood products sold in their stores come from well-managed, non-endangered forests, with preference for products certified by the FSC.

Wal-Mart has undertaken an ambitious company-wide initiative to reduce their corporate ecological footprint and to sell products that sustain the environment. This includes their wood products, though it is unclear whether a specific wood policy has been developed yet.

There are plenty of alternatives to cypress mulch. In fact, some folks in Mississippi are hoping a decrease in cypress mulch production in Louisiana will give a boost their pine straw mulch.