I recently started a Tumblr site to post the many tree pictures I take and find. It’s called Some Trees, inspired by Charlotte’s Some Pig. Among the millions of types of living things on this planet, trees are the most amazing. I very much enjoy learning about them, appreciating them, and being around them. Some of the posts on Some Trees are photos I’ve taken, some are pictures I’ve found, and some are identification notes to help me remember how I’ve identified various types of trees.
Identifying trees is a lot of fun. If you take the trees around you for granted – don’t feel bad, most everyone does – I encourage you to pick up a good field guide on trees and learn about the species common in your area (if you can, find a field guide just for trees in your area – there are a TON of tree species in the US). Doing so adds a whole layer of interest to your surroundings. It’s fascinating to learn the subtle but important differences between tree species, to see the variations and similarities of individual trees within a species and to come across an uncommon tree that you’ve never seen before.
This post is about how trees are inspirational and spiritual, to me at least. Perhaps some of my enthusiasm will rub off…
Human Batteries
Trees are literally made of the carbon dioxide we exhale and create the oxygen we breathe. Yes, they get some nutrients from the water taken in from the ground, and their energy comes from the sun. But the primary food source for trees (90% of total nutrient) is carbon dioxide – the very gas we create by simply breathing. In return, they give us oxygen – the gas we cannot live for more than a few minutes without. In short, trees are human batteries. And stepping outside a focus on humanity, you can say they are the mother of most land-dwelling creatures. If you don’t believe me, read on.
Wood and Fire
Trees store immense amounts of energy as wood that, converted to fire, allowed humanity to evolve past cave dwellers. Most of us still, like our ancestors going back thousands of years, live in homes made of wood. We live in trees. And beyond humanity, the energy stored in trees plays a crucial role as food source for countless species.
Shade & Soil
Have you ever wondered what the planet would be like without the shade of trees? During the summer, we take the wonderful shade provided by trees for granted. It would really be miserable without them. Even if other plants managed to replace the role of trees in terms of climate and ecosystems, the planet would be a desert without the role trees play in holding down topsoil and protecting it from harsh weather.
Rain
Trees are largely responsible for rain. Far more than any other plant on earth, they are responsible for bringing water up from the ground and releasing it into the atmosphere, feeding clouds. They also help waterlogged clouds to release rain by cooling the land and the air above it.
Resilient
It always amazes me that trees manage not to freeze during the winter. Up here in the northeast, very few plants are really present during the winter. But trees just stand there, still as can be, and don’t freeze. Tree species have survived countless ice ages.
On top of the harsh conditions they deal with, trees have the longest life (by a very big margin) of any living thing on the planet, as long as 5,000 years. Trees don’t die of old age on their own, always from outside causes.
Size
Walking through a grove of mature trees is like walking through a cathedral of nature. The way they filter and sparkle sunlight, towering majestically above us – it moves the soul. From the ground, it’s hard to grasp just how high trees are until you climb one and look down.
In addition to being the oldest of living things on earth, trees are also (again by a big margin) the largest. Massive individual Giant Sequoia trees defy imagination at 30 stories high, while entire forests of Aspens may be a single genetic tree connected by a vast underground root system.
Quiet
Trees are essential to noise control. There’s nothing like the quiet experienced in a thick forest, punctuated by the little noises made by twigs, seeds and leaves falling, branches swaying in the breeze and the creatures that live among them. When you stand perfectly still in a forest for several minutes and really listen, it’s amazing how quickly it comes to life and the sounds you’ll hear.
Buddha
Even the Buddha chose the foot of a tree as the location of his enlightenment, and his monks traditionally dwelled in forests just outside populated areas for the protection from the elements, quiet and solitude offered therein.
One of the big points Buddhism makes is that we are all connected. We are all one. We are all hopelessly interwoven and interdependent. To me, trees exemplify that in so many ways. They are models of generosity, patience, strength, resilience and adaptation. So, next time you’re outside, look around. Appreciate the amazing plant that has been the mother of humanity and so many other species.
