A conversation about our forests…
I fell down a rabbit hole learning about forests --- learning about their deep-rooted [literally] connections.
Why did I head down said rabbit hole? Well, I learned that a 100-year-old manna gum tree here on the Peninsula, that is leaning towards the road causing buses to move 1-metre towards the centre of the road when passing it, is due to be cut down. Isn’t that a very human “solution”? Let’s not think of workarounds, instead, let’s take this object and simply move it out of our way. Not stopping to explore other options, or consider the fact that this tree is a koala habitat, and that’s only half the story. That is only what the tree is accomplishing above ground.
Now, this all boils down to being about a lot more than a tree [although it shouldn’t need to be, each and every tree is important to our planet in one way or another]. A healthy forest is a collection of trees that are connected through an underground web of fungus. Why? Well, it allows the trees the communicate with each other, send nutrients to one another when needed, this underground web can even allow different species to send warnings to each other of dangerous pathogens in the area or send antibiotic bacterias to trees that are threatened with disease. Furthermore, there are Mother trees that nurture younger trees, and if the Mother tree is cut down, can wipe out the young trees nearby that she is Mothering. I could go on and on, but right now, let’s recover from these mind-blowing facts…
Suddenly the conversation isn’t about cutting down “one tree”, it’s about the importance of saving that one tree, and possibly many others around it. We need to start to change our priorities and focus on what’s important for the longevity of our planet. It all starts here, right here, with this digital conversation. It all starts with standing up for that “one tree”.
I’d like to leave you with this beautiful quote by Albert Einstein, “look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better”. My, my was he ever on to something…
