“I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree …”
— Joyce Kilmer
There’s a mystique to trees, as we can clearly see in the Kindle icon of a young lad leaning against a tree trunk while absorbed in a book. That image seemed very romantic to me, too, as a girl until I tried to approximate it.
One day I self-consciously styled myself on a horizontal branch that extended out over a pond. Shortly, however, the bugs ate me up, my backside got sore, and my book fell into the water.
Lately, I’ve been paying more attention to trees (although from the vantage point of terra firma) because they play such a crucial role in our environment. In fact, trees are the stabilizers of the planet’s ecosystem.
As forests return moisture to the air, clouds are formed and weather patterns are regulated. Trees act like scrubbers, removing pollutants from the soil and air, and helping purify water. Tree roots prevent soil erosion and flooding. Tree trunks and branches provide habitat for wildlife.
Finally, their bark and leaves contain the natural medicines that have proven to be of great benefit to mankind.
Alas, as temperatures rise around the globe, invasive diseases, pests and wildfires are taking a devastating toll on forests. Human development and the conversion of forests to grazing lands are also decimating their population.
In a vicious cycle, the destruction of trees contributes to drought and drought in turn harms trees.
The numbers are staggering. Globally, of the 3 trillion trees growing today, we humans cut down 3.5 billion to 7 billion a year, and natural causes claim double that number.
Sadly, California leads the nation in tree loss. The U.S. Forest Service estimates that in the 2021 Dixie Fire in Northern California alone we lost 100 million trees.
Many scientists feel that at this rate of global destruction, in 200 years there will be no more trees and life as we know it will not be sustainable on Earth.
Other than wringing your hands over this frightening prospect, what can you do personally to help? Lots, as it turns out. In your own backyard, you can plant trees and care for them.
In California, you can contribute to such organizations as One Tree Planted for forest fire restoration. Across the United States, you can contribute to the forest service’s Plant-a-Tree program. Globally, you can further the work of the Rain Forest Alliance and other groups to aid conservation of the Amazon basin.
The Amazon supports 10% of the Earth’s biodiversity; it is truly the lungs of the planet. Yet slash-and-burn agriculture has already destroyed 20% of its trees, and the remaining groves are not as resilient as they once were.
In addition to donating money, you can make your voice heard through national organizations such as the Sierra Club, which provides opportunities to attend rallies, sign petitions and lobby lawmakers.
There are many local organizations, too, such as the Community Environmental Council, with which you could become involved.
Finally, instead of giving material gifts (that will probably be returned, anyway), plant a tree to celebrate a friend or loved one.
As Kilmer concluded:
“Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.”
Let’s lend Him a hand, shall we?
— Santa Barbara author Barbara Greenleaf founded ECO Team to help repair the world, one paper bag at a time. For information, please email her at barbara@barbaragreenleaf.com. Click here for previous columns. The opinions expressed are her own.