Teach your children to love the wonder of trees.
                               Trees of Life

Even when the last remnants of their decaying trunks return to dust, then from within this apparently lifeless debris, energy released from the valuable elements is then funneled into any seed that has fortuously fallen there, thus trees are virtually everlasting. Trees then have rightly been revered as a universal symbol of everlasting life, of hope, of something distinctly eternal, in fact some specimens that I have been privileged to personally visit are estimated to be between 6-10,000 years old. There is a great deal of evidence to prove that our ancestors once had a real affinity with Trees, and still these wonderful organisms feature in many ancient creation accounts, particularly in the record of the Garden of Eden. This the Bible states was a joyous time, the true paradise when both man and woman were vegetarian and ate and drew sustainance from such lifegiving trees, all except one tree that is!.

In the book of revelation, those in later times who conquer ("keeping the faith till death") are said to gain entry to the trees of life, the leaves being for the healing of the nations.

Tree Huggers

In a world that cares little about the environmental consequences that will befall our children and their future generations, trees are of little importance to many, for they stand on land that our species wants to exploit... If humans can emulate the message that these the longest living of species convey, we will surely grasp the key to establishing sustainable global harmony. Go on give a tree a hug and learn from it.

          Paradise Lost 

In our seemingly fallen paradise all is not well  with the custodians of the forest in tropical regions. Some indigenous tribes and rain forest people are now becoming infected with our western materialistic illness, and a growing number are starting to develop an appetite for all the things that money can buy, but pursueing this desire always results in dire ecological consequences for the eden they seek to exploit. One of the greatest losses for such places is when the indegious tribes start to lose the respect they once had for the land, the trees, and associated vegetation that once grew there.  

The governments of such countries are sometimes headed by people who's main motive in life is the making of more and more money to satisfy a growing materialistic lifestyle.  How can governments achieve and maintain the golden materialistic lifestyle of which they have heard, as often they have no coal, no oil, or precious stones, so they can only turn their attention to what is on the land, "which is the trees". 

Image above: Vain calls from the forest inhabitants fall on deaf ears.

Clear felling of the ancestral lands by logging companies soon takes place by people who have no concern for the environment, and who are deaf and blind to the vain calls of the creatures from the forests, creatures who are being robbed of there ancient habitats.  Such formerly pristine forest is then set to become eventually a barren wilderness, with no meaning for the people, yet this is where millions of animals once rightly existed, and where the forest peoples ancestors not only lived, but revered, and worshiped in for millenia, sadly, never again will the land be veiwed with the same sacredness.  

Image right: Tree dwelling frogs look down on the desruction of their habitat.

Once the land is cleared little can then be done with the shallow unstable soil that is left, for it is only fertile for a few years and often soon suffers from erosion.  For this short term, if some soil stability can be maintained the land is often turned over to producing palm oil, or beef breeding stock are brought in to supply the burger chains.  In the end such farming methods just increase the detrimental impact on the environment. 

Why do we still foolishly continue with the clearance of such life-giving rainforest trees and vegetation, when they are not only vital for our human existence, but also for a multitude of other species that depend on them.

It is in the interest of the planet, for those goverments who can, to pay the indigenous tribal people who dwell in these rain forests, to guard and preserve their incredible and irreplaceable paradise, we now look to you goverments to take appropriate measures to protect our last glimpse of Eden, for all of earths future children to inherit.

Trees in Towns and Cities

Trees in the urban environment are also of great importance, they absorb and fix pollutants, they reduce wind turbulence, they cool and provide welcome shade and beauty, that is to name but a few of their many attributes.

Image left: Street Trees shading people from the suns harmful rays, Athens.

I have come across people who have no regard for trees, such people then have no regard for their own life, for in one way or another our very lives are continually sustained by trees.

Particularly in these environmentally cataclysmic times when global warming is a confirmed reality, trees in conjunction with a reduction of CO2 emissions are sited as of prime importance in the battle to combat climate change. If we desire to have a tree killed for no valid reason, then before we touch it we should sit down as a family and carefully consider the implications on the environment, as helping to combat global warming can start with something as simple as planting or preserving even one tree. 

Occasionally though decisions have to be made regarding the future of dead, dying, or dangerous specimens in proximity to people or buildings. Those in charge of making such serious decisions should not only have a thorough knowledge of evaluating tree safety, but should also possess a deep and sound respect for them, and how these the greatest specimens of vegetation beneficialy affect our lives.

Image left: Very old Lime trees, at dawn, England.

All through their existence trees perform a vital work for all those who breath, some trees specimens can even produce the daily oxygen requirements of ten people. Therefore we should never consider the removal of any tree without being able to demonstrate that there are ecologically sound, and valid safety reasons for doing  so.              
                 Preserving Trees and the Countryside.