“Within two centuries [after the end of hamnkind] colonizing
trees will have substantially replaced pioneer weeds. Gutters buried under tons
of leaf litter will provide new fertile ground for native oaks and maples from
city parks. Arriving black locust and autumn olive shrubs fix nitrogen,
allowing sunflowers, bluetem,and white snakeroot to move in along with apple
trees, their seeds expelled by proliferating birds . . .”even buildings
anchored into Manhattan schist, like most New York skyscrapers . . .weren’t
intended to have their steel foundations waterlogged.” Plugged sewers, deluged tunnels,
and streets reverting to rivers . . . will conspire to undermine subbasements and
destabilize their huge loads . . .Some will topple, knocking down others …Gradually
the asphalt jungle will give way to a real one.(p. 28)
The World Without Us
Alan Weisman
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