the INDRAlogic house: saving moss and marking trees

Michael and I share many loves.  One of them happens to be the love of moss and fern.  Though our house will be as low impact as we can possibly make it, we are still making an impact on the land.  Where the house goes, moss and fern will not.  So we spent all day one Sunday transplanting moss, fern and some raspberries to areas outside the L.O.D.  I’ve heard that moss does not transplant, but I’m hoping that because we were adding moss to where moss already existed it will survive.  We also ended up roping off a few patches of old stumps, moss and patches of local ecology in hopes that they will make it through the construction.  Our tree trimming and pruning guy said he can’t control to that degree where a tree falls.  We will keep our fingers crossed.  In addition to the moss and fern, there are many, many trees that need to come down for the house, the septic field, safety and solar exposure.  Though we love trees as well, I’m not as heartbroken about taking them down. We had to hire an emergency tree removal in Atlanta, to remove some trees that were close to falling on our house.  They are all poplars, which are abundant in Maryland and sprouting all over the place on our site.  Also, we are totally thrilled that the majority of wood will be used on and within the house. (more on that later!)