A Wildlife Communities Tree

Blog, Deep Ecology, Ethics & Whole Community | April 22, 2010

I look out at the tall pine tree we planted at the corner of the office cabin, struck by all the movement around it. It stands by itself but is rarely alone, being visited constantly by birds. This time of year in particular it is like a way station, filled with comings and goings; with excited twitterings and meetings and courtings and arguments.

It wasn’t going to live. The tap root had been broken. That’s what two tree specialists told us when we asked why it had been cast aside. But seeing it lying there still alive was hard to bear. We got a truck and people to help load it; took it home; dug a hole; tucked it in firmly and cozily; watered it well. Then we braced it against the winter winds until it could stand on its own. It is now a handsome 20 foot tree. Warmed and nourished by the morning suns it is tipped with inches of soft green growth each spring.

I wonder why it is so extraordinarily full of birds. There are practical explanations of course, all probably true. But maybe there’s more. Does it call the birds…”Come visit?” Or do the birds decide to visit it, in a neighborly fashion?

Perhaps there is  more poetry in nature and life than the sometimes dreary pragmatic biological explanations. There must be magic because the fact of life itself is magic. Maybe trees enjoy having life come and visit them, they who cannot move. We enjoy the companionship of other life forms – pets, houseplants. Why shouldn’t we accord that possibility to trees? Who says the birds aren’t coming to visits, bringing vitality and friendliness and news? Especially to one that stands alone, without a forest of companions around it.

• No Comments