Trees Do Matter (Gail's right, of course)

(Photos: persimmon canopy, grapefruit canopy, trees shading Alley 1)

As I took Maggie May on our little walk around the block this a.m. I was reflecting on Gail Jonas' recent post entitled Trees Matter. I was contemplating the value of trees for beauty, peace and emotional comfort as well as for the many scientific and ecological reasons. And most of all, I was appreciating the number and range of trees just on my block (and all throughout town) that grow over our sidewalks providing not only a lovely canopy of shade, but a presence, as if to say, "This is my home and I take up space. I deserve the respect of other living creatures because I am a big part of the whole of planet earth."

I like that our trees demand our respect and that our city mainly supports this. Gail gave the example of redwoods in town that have been given precedence over sidewalks. There have been times when community members have fought to keep a beloved neighborhood tree and mourned its loss. We couldn't exist without the oxygen generated from trees. Trees clean the air, the soil and muffle noise pollution. And trees greatly increase property value.

It feels good to walk consciously at times and pay homage to our trees. They, like so much on this beautiful, fragile planet, are taken for granted by most of us most of the time.