| Let's
help the Environment while Fundraising
When I heard that the association
had joined with a fundraising company
that provided both a positive environmental
impact as well as a good fundraising
solution I checked it out and wanted
to share my findings.
World
Tree Technology provides the Empress
Jewel Trees which are high growth
rate, genetically advanced, regenerating
hardwood trees. Prized by royalty
for centuries, they are perfectly
suited for numerous aesthetic, environmental
and commercial applications...
Environmental
- Bioremediation, Reduction of water
table and soil salinity, effective
carbon sink, re-oxygenates atmosphere,
increases soil fertility and more.
Commercial - Air dries, low shrinkage,
light weight, insect repellant, fire
retardant, natural leaf fodder and
fertilizer, produces high quality
wood quickly.
Uses - Lumber production (#1), land
reclamation and beautification, pollution
and contaminant uptake, landscaping
and aesthetic improvement, Intercropping,
furniture, marine applications.
Here
are some Legends I found out about
the Empress Tree:
Earliest Record
There are many legends about the magnificent
Paulownia Tree, the first one was
written over three thousand years
ago! The Erh-ya, a Chinese encyclopedia
of natural and cultural objects contains
the earliest written record of the
Paulownia Tree. Around 1000 B.C.,
the Erh-ya praises the Paulownia with
reference to its beauty and the "glorious
Paulownia wood." It is the only
known record of the prehistoric Chinese
lore of natural history and is greatly
attributed to Chou Kung, duke of Chou
and the son of the first ruler of
the Chou Dynasty.
Although the Paulownia is a native
of China it quickly became an important
part of another ancient culture when
it was introduced to Japan. The Japanese
people embraced this sacred tree and
set about discovering the many uses
of Paulownia. The Paulownia wood survived
repeated drying and soaking, and was
even reported in a manuscript dating
as far back as 1049 A.D. that the
wood of the Paulownia lasts longer
than pine, fir, or oak! The unique
qualities of this wood made it suitable
for a vast array of objects in their
culture. Besides furniture, beams
and pillars in houses, ornamental
carvings, wooden bowls and spoons,
the Paulownia wood also found itself
being used for musical instruments
because of it¹s incredible resonant
qualities . Nomenclature Westerners
first learned about the Paulownia
when Swedish botanist Karl P. Thunberg
documented it on a visit to Japan
in the 1770s. It was named in honor
of Anna Paulownia, the granddaughter
of Catherine the Great and wife of
Willem II, king of the Netherlands
from 1840 to 1849. From its association
with her, the Paulownia also gets
its popular name, the princess, or
empress, tree.
Birth
and Betrothal
Perhaps the best example of respect
for the Paulownia, however, is the
tree's link to the ritual of marriage.
On the occasion of the birth of a
daughter, the father would plant a
Paulownia. The tree grows quickly-as
much as 16 feet a year-and by the
end of a decade can reach a height
of 40 feet. When the daughter was
betrothed, the Paulownia was felled
and the lumber used to make a tansu,
or dowry chest. The other parts of
the tree were also used to make furniture,
ornaments, musical instruments and
decorator items for the extended family.
Finally, the toppings of the tree
were used for firewood and ground
cover.
With every part of the tree put to
use, it was thought to bring "Good
Fortune" to the house and all
who entered. The tradition thrived
until the 1970s, when blight wiped
out the Japanese Paulownia.
Good
Fortune
Since the end of World War II, the
Chinese have credited the "economic
recovery' of the lumber industry in
their country to the "Good Fortune"
of the Paulownia tree. They have continued
to plant the Paulownia tree and in
the past five years alone, have planted
over 1. 2 billion trees for agro forestry
and lumber production.
The
Phoenix
According to Chinese legend, the tree
was an omen of good fortune because
of its association with the phoenix,
a mythical bird that regenerated itself
in fire. The phoenix must have been
as picky as a pampered cat of today,
because it would alight in only the
very choicest of Paulownia trees and
appear only when a benevolent ruler
was in power. The Paulownia thus was
cultivated extensively to encourage
the appearance of the phoenix.
Today, the tree's bark, wood, flowers,
fruits, and leaves still are used
in traditional Chinese medicine to
promote growth of hair, darken graying
hair, reduce swelling in the feet,
heal bruises, and treat patients suffering
from hallucinations and delirium.
I
would like to recommend this fundraiser
as a tremendous opportunity to combine
it with the upcoming Arbor Day. Your
club will not only make some excellent
money, but will have a very positive
contribution to our environment.
Sincerely,
Reed
Porter, CFO.
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