“They took all the trees put ’em in a tree museum / And they charged the people a dollar an’ a half just to see ’em” – Joni Mitchell, 1970
Allow me a moment of drama here, dear readers, as I have witnessed a murder this week. How can it be, you say … well if you have ever witnessed God’s majestic creations being torn (literally) limb from limb, you get it. I mourn the loss of these amazing wonders of nature which provide us with an important source of health and well-being.
My home resides on a wooded lot with both old-growth and new-growth trees. I see them every day. I breathe in the oxygen they provide. I watch the seasons change with their foliage and the little creatures that abide there. They are wonderful. Sadly, the property next to mine has been purchased and the new owners have employed a company to remove many of the trees there. These are trees I see every day out my windows; many of which I believe are hundreds of years old and healthy. They are being taken apart, destroying not only important animal habitats but the essential environmental factors which affect the health and well-being of those of us on this planet.
Most of us are drawn to trees and the essence of their living and giving back to us. Through photosynthesis, leaves pull in carbon dioxide and water and use the energy of the sun to convert this into chemical compounds which feed the tree. As a by-product of that chemical reaction oxygen is produced and released by the tree. The carbon dioxide in their fibers helps to clean the air and reduce the negative effects that CO2 can have in our environment. Twenty percent of a tree is devoted to its roots, which help provide us with important underground water sources. In one year, a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen in exchange.1 It is proposed that one large tree can provide a day’s supply of oxygen for up to four people.
Artistic motifs use the tree of life to represent harmony, unity, and connections between Heaven and Earth, the past and present, death and rebirth. In the Jewish and Christian traditions, the tree of life is often used to represent the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. The traditional Celtic symbol is often depicted as one big circle connecting all forms of life. When we discard and disdain our trees without regard to the healthy air they provide for us and the homes and shelter they provide for the trees’ inhabitants, we exhibit our reluctance to honor the amazing natural forces that enable us to lead healthier lives.
And, yes, I realize that often land must be cleared for growth, settlement, and livelihoods. Sometimes trees must be culled and even felled if they pose a danger to home and hearth or perhaps diseased and no longer viable. Some of my own trees could use a trim. The doing of it is sometimes necessitated, and should be done in a conservative, respectful, and intelligent manner. At the least, please hire an arborist who is knowledgeable and considerate of the process. Healthy trees can lead to a healthy you and me. Oxygen is, quite literally, life. Trees are life.
It is no coincidence that we use the “family tree” to depict those we love and our family connections. Our trees belong to the family of mankind, of which we are all one. And if I may I would like to suggest a walk in our own Forest Park where you will find many old-growth, beautiful trees giving us that life-giving oxygen. Breathe deeply.
1 usda.gov
Sharon McMahon, CNWC
The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace advice of your personal physician or licensed health professional. Please consult your physician for any issues you may have related to nutrition or fitness activity.
Thank you for your insightful article Sharon. We are losing our precious farm land and forest land to development at an alarming rate. It is sad to see for those of us that have lived in this area for a long time.
Exactly the reason I purchased property with 6 acres of mostly healthy forest.
Some clearing and cutting is necessary but it is minimal and very selective.
I understand what you are saying, but how many trees had to come down in order to build your house?
When clearing land for a house, are you aware that some of HOA’s require you to plant new trees in place of the ones that are taken down?
There is a community that had to plant hundreds of trees for the trees that were taken down for construction of the housing development.
Just because someone choses to be a tree cutter for a profession doesn’t mean they dislike trees.
As growth expands around Westfield, a lot of trees have been taken down for sub-divisions, sadly. Carmel, Fishers and Noblesville have plowed through many beautiful tree stands and I can name the areas that have disappeared. If you have traveled within the state of Virginia, along hwy 95 heading south of DC there are very tall trees along the road towering 80 to 100 feet tall. Virginia takes care of its trees. Indiana needs to start planting trees along our highway systems like Virginia.