[NatureNS] elephant grass

From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>
To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <8C1727C5EFB2415FB13BBCC6E90A5241@DESKTOP>
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2012 18:54:05 -0300
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Hi Andy & All,                        June 29, 2012
    Elephant grass is a vague term sometimes meaning 'true' African =
Elephant Grass, Miscanthus, Phragmites or another grass. So the Florida =
experience likely refers to some other grass.=20
     Miscanthus gigentaeus is reputed to not set viable seeds and =
accordingly can not spread rapidly. It apparently has been used to =
generate electricity in the UK for many years. Fields typically remain =
productive for 20 years, so the carbon cost of digging and planting =
rhizomes is relatively low per year, and apart from carbon associated =
with harvesting and transportation, it is a carbon-neutral source of =
energy. It is harvested in spring, well after mineral nutrients have =
leached from the culms, so it requires no fertilization and rhizome/root =
activity improves soil.=20
    Based on experience with two small patches of Phragmites, I would =
expect the perimeters of Miscanthus plantings that are adjacent to =
woodland to quickly become thickets of 'invasive' native tree species. =
But annual mowing should keep these shrubs in mowable condition.=20
    The project sounds like a very good idea except for the suggestion =
that the proponent will have a monopoly and effectively have control of =
the land for the term of an agreement. There must be some key player so =
the power plant has an assured sufficient supply but I would prefer to =
see production open to anyone and perhaps it will be.
    Several years ago some company in Pictou County was preparing to use =
a perennial grass for fuel and I wrote to them asking if they had =
considered Phragmites but received no reply and don't know if their =
proposal became a going concern or not. I now see that Miscanthus is far =
more productive than Phragmites.
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
   =20
   =20
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Andy Moir/Christine Callaghan=20
  To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  Sent: Friday, June 29, 2012 12:01 PM
  Subject: [NatureNS] elephant grass


  There have been a couple of articles in the paper lately about a =
proposal to grow and burn elephant grass, Miscanthus giganteus, to =
generate electricity.    The proponent says there is lots of abandon =
agricultural land in Nova Scotia that would be suitable for this crop.  =
They say elephant grass is not an invasive species.  However, I read =
something about it being very invasive in Florida, taking over =
waterways.  Maybe it's another grass called elephant grass.
  Does anyone know about this plant as a crop for harvesting in Nova =
Scotia?  I'd be curious to see some reputable sources on whether this is =
a good plan, or not.
  Thanks
  Andy in Freeport
  No virus found in this message.
  Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
  Version: 2012.0.2180 / Virus Database: 2437/5092 - Release Date: =
06/25/12

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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dwindows-1252" =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META name=3DGENERATOR content=3D"MSHTML 8.00.6001.19258">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Hi Andy &amp; All,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; June=20
29, 2012</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Elephant grass is a vague term =
sometimes=20
meaning 'true' African Elephant Grass, Miscanthus, Phragmites or another =
grass.=20
So the Florida experience likely refers to some other =
grass.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Miscanthus gigentaeus is =
reputed to=20
not set viable seeds and accordingly can not spread rapidly. It =
apparently has=20
been used to generate electricity in the UK for many years. Fields =
typically=20
remain productive for 20 years, so the carbon cost of digging and =
planting=20
rhizomes is relatively low per year, and apart from carbon associated =
with=20
harvesting and transportation, it is a carbon-neutral source of energy. =
It is=20
harvested in spring, well after mineral nutrients have leached from the =
culms,=20
so it&nbsp;requires no fertilization and rhizome/root activity improves =
soil.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Based on experience with two =
small patches=20
of Phragmites, I would expect the perimeters of Miscanthus plantings =
that are=20
adjacent to woodland to quickly become thickets of 'invasive' native =
tree=20
species. But annual mowing should keep these shrubs in mowable =
condition.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The project sounds like a very =
good idea=20
except for the suggestion that the proponent will have a monopoly and=20
effectively have control of the land for the term of an agreement. There =
must be=20
some key player so the power plant has an assured sufficient supply but =
I would=20
prefer to see production open to anyone and perhaps it will =
be.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Several years ago some company in =
Pictou=20
County was preparing to use a perennial grass for fuel and I wrote to =
them=20
asking if they had considered Phragmites but received no reply and don't =
know if=20
their proposal&nbsp;became a going concern or not. I now see that =
Miscanthus is=20
far more productive than Phragmites.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; =
PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"=20
dir=3Dltr>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Dslickdog1@gmail.com =
href=3D"mailto:slickdog1@gmail.com">Andy=20
  Moir/Christine Callaghan</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  href=3D"mailto:NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca">NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, June 29, 2012 =
12:01=20
PM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Nat