[Cz-L]Re: Concerns about Chemical use at the Cemetery

Dear Paula and all Czernowitzers,

I know that many of you are concerned about the use of Herbicides at the
Jewish cemetery in Czernowitz and it is therefore very important to me, to
tell you what I know about the situation and hopefully alley your fears.

The Chernivtsi cemetery administration uses herbicides to keep both the
Jewish cemetery and the Christian cemetery, partially cleared of weeds.
The size of the Jewish cemetery is 11.6 hectares, the Christian cemetery is
far larger, probably around 20 hectares. In both cemeteries the tombstones
are erect, not like in the US, were they are mostly level with the ground.
In both cemeteries it is not possible to mow over the graves and mowing
between the graves is also not possible because the gravestones are too
close to one another.
Given the size of the two cemeteries it is clearly not possible to keep them
weed free by manually pulling out the weeds.

Until we started clearing the cemetery in 2008, it was so thickly overgrown
with weeds, that most graves could not be approached and many were being
damaged by the roots of trees lifting the graves and the gravestones, the
tendrils of vines were eroding the tombstones, the leaves of bushes and
trees decayed on top of the stones and caused damage, similar to acid rain.
The branches of old trees broke, fell on the graves and broke tombstones.

When I talk about clearing the cemetery of weeds, I do not mean grasses or
annual weeds, not even stinging nettles. These would not harm the graves or
the tombstones. What I mean by weeds when talking about the cemetery, are
large perennial invasive plants, such as Norway Maples (Acer Platanoides),
Black Alder (Alnus glutinosa). Vines like English ivy and Periwinkle and
Purple winter creeper. These plants reseed abundantly, providing a new
generations of weeds each year. They urgently need to be removed right away.
For each of these plants which is not removed this year there probably will
be 100 new plants next year and so on.
 
The herbicides used at the cemetery are meant to ELIMINATE these invasive
plants. If the trees and bushes are just cut once, they are likely to grow
back from the stumps of the cut plant. Vines will grow again if their roots
are not COMPLETELY REMOVED.
I believe that it is absolutely necessary to use herbicides to prevent the
cemetery from returning to its jungle state. The only other alternative is
clearing (cutting down ) all invasive bushes, trees and vines, every few
years and putting up with a cemetery so full of stumps that only a long
legged bird could walk in it.

The herbicide used by the cemetery administration workers is approved by the
Ukrainian equivalent of the American EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
for use in urban areas and consists of a mixture of herbicides approved for
use in the USA. Last year I asked Julia Myasyshcheva of SVIT Ukraine to read
and transcribe the names of the herbicides being used by the cemetery
administration:
The main and active ingredient in this herbicide mixture is Glyphosate
(N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine), which is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide
particularly intended to eliminate perennials. Other chemicals in this
herbicide mix are: Atlantis, Diplodok and Solitair. It also contains a
surfactant which makes the leaves of the sprayed plants take up the
Glyphosate and conduct it to the roots, killing the plant, rather than just
eliminating it temporarily.

I very much doubt that the herbicide used at the cemetery contains Napalm.
Possibly one of the surfactants used, was also used in Napalm.
Anzhela, the cemetery administrator is not a chemist and she does not speak
either German or English, therefore I am very dubious as to what Georg
understood her to say.

As to cutting the trees currently growing in the cemetery:
I do not have a complete list of these trees, but am convinced that all the
Norway maples need to be cut. Also any trees which are very old and in bad
shape and likely to break and damage the gravestones in their vicinity.

When the cemetery is cleared of the rampant invasive vegetation, possibly
next early spring, we should plant some suitable trees in suitable
locations. These trees should satisfy the following conditions:
1. Be non invasive
2. Be columnar or have at least high branches so as to allow people to walk
    under their branches.
3. Be suitable for the climate and not require a great deal of care.
4. Not have roots which rise to the surface
5. Not shed leaves which when decaying become acid producing.
6. Be long living
7. Not drop fruit.

So far I am considering English and Japanese Yews, but I will get advice
from professionals.

The trees should be planted at some distance from the graves, so as not to
disturb them and they should not be planted densely, because deep shade.
allows fungi and moss to grow on the gravestones, thereby eroding them.

I am leaving in 4 days to go to Czernowitz and am very busy right now,
therefore I would appreciate it, if anyone who wants to write me on this
subject, would wait until my return on Aug. 20th or later.
I will not be able to answer before Aug. 25th, because from Czernowitz I am
going to Chicago.

Shabat Shalom u-menucha,

Mimi

On 8/6/10 1:14 PM, "Paula Gris" <savtapaula_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> Mimi, I just received an e-mail which expresses the concerns of those
> of us who were
> working at the Cemetery: "Angela gave me the list of Chemicals they are
> working with. Georg (who has a background in environmentat science)
> is checking now, what it is, but it does not sound good:
> One of the list was napalm. If you could pass on our
> concern and the chemicals before Miriam Taylor goes to Czernowitz it
> would be great.
> Georg could send her also a list of Chemicals, which are not dangerous for
> the enviroment. Angela also looked at the trees we left to grow for shade.
> We only left those which would not damage the stones and those which would
> grow
> even more if you cut them down. Angela said, she has to cut all the trees
> because Miriam told her to do that. If you could talk to Miriam about the
> trees or get Georg and Miriam together it would be great."
> Mimi, the e-mail speaks for itself. Georg Goosmann has not had the time yet
> to do the research and I don't have his contact info with me right now,
> but I will put you in touch with him when you get back from Cz.
> Warm regards
> Paula Gris

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Received on 2010-08-06 17:46:13