Oct
23
Get Thee to a Liquor Store: Southeast U.S. Drought & The Neem Tree
October 23, 2007 |
As drought in the Southeast U.S. worsens, organisms who live in or rely heavily upon the water continue to suffer greatly. I am put in mind of a frequent sight in Antigua, the neem tree, or Azadirachta indica, a recently introduced hardy evergreen well adapted to the island’s arid soil conditions. Introduced from India, it has a strong root network and can brown or shed its leaves in bad times to maximize its water efficiency, surviving dry seasons that last up to 8 months. The tree has a rich, documented history of medicinal use and can serve a number of purposes when travelling through the bush: twig as toothbrush, leaves as antibacterial, flowers (seen above) as food, seed oil as insect repellant.
Unfortunately, the ecosystems of the Southeast, unlike the neem tree, are not set up to withstand extended droughts. Many online reports herald this as the worst drought in a century; for North Carolina it is the second in less than ten years. As waterfowl impoundments run low, the forecasts make no promise of heavy rains in the coming months.The News and Observer reports that Duke Energy has reduced hydroelectric power for the state by 63%, a pretty significant amount. When Hurricane Fran tore through the Piedmont in ‘96 Governor Hunt declared a state of emergency; perhaps we are looking down a barrel of the same bluing. So, my advice to my fellow North Carolinians and Southerners is this: get thee to the liquor store, as they are not allowed to sell once the state of emergency is declared!
