Saving palms and parrots

[struggle4progress]

BOGOTA, Colombia More than 300 (m) million palm fronds are harvested each year for U-S consumption alone _ most of them for Palm Sunday. <snip>

A species known as the "wax palm" only grows on the misty flanks of the Andes and is also is the habitat of an endangered yellow parrot.

Efforts are under way to save both using planting alternatives. With a sprinkling of holy water, a priest has blessed thousands of seedlings in Bogota's main park.

In the United States for the first time, 22 churches are using environmentally sustainable palm from Guatemala and Mexico this year.

http://www.kplctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3101394

[Maru Kitteh]

1. What a nice idea! I've seen those palms used in floral arrangements too

How nice for the parrots as well, they are already heavily targeted by the brutal pet trade and really don't need the added stress of additional habitat destruction.