Y.E.S. I am bereft about the senseless, ignorant felling of trees...it disturbs me profoundly. There is a black and white photograph I've seen online of four women in India standing around a tree with their hands joined, backs to the tree, in fierce protest of imminent destruction of that ancient tree...it haunts me. I wonder did they manage to save it? They risked their own lives to protect it. We must protect our trees and soils and preserve what little decent habitat we have left, you are right to take care of that ancient oak.
I grew up in a special place in England with giant ancient oaks in the garden. I have immense respect for trees. Near the pub The Barley Mow in Milford there was a tree so old it was held together by metal girders, one of the oldest in England. I used to go visit with it.
We must fight to protect this earth. I'm with you!
Thank you Elissa. Trees selflessly give us so much and ask nothing more in return . Profound sadness when I watch developers strip our area of towering Douglas Firs and native cedars.
Like everyone else here, and any right-thinking person beyond, I was very upset to hear about the senseless destruction of the beautiful sycamore tree. Yesterday, while waiting my turn to buy fish from the local van, I started talking to a woman behind me, a mother of grown up children. I commented on the striking colours of a towering and majestic copper beech tree across the road. I was stunned into silence when she said that she couldn’t understand the fuss over the felling of the tree in Sycamore Gap, saying “It’s only a weed!” Perhaps I should have challenged her but, being caught off-guard, and given the depth of her disconnection, I didn’t feel up to the task.
I was saddened when my neighbor cut down their trees, for reasons unknown. Leaf litter? I couldn't comprehend it. I have a tulip tree in my yard and in very fond of it, the tallest pillar in my neighborhood.
‘Children don’t learn to care for the world around them because their parents don’t care for the world around them.’ A good reminder of where the responsibility lies. Thought-provoking piece Elissa, thank you.
This has been on my mind a great deal. I live in a neighborhood in which 1000-sq ft homes became 2000-sq ft ones a decade ago; now developers are tearing those down for 4000-sq ft and up, and to make room for those, the 80- to 100-year trees must go. The city charges fines for taking down trees, but developers have accepted it as a cost of doing business; when you can charge $2mm for a house, what's a few thousand extra? What is especially crushing is that it is young families moving into these new houses. I often wonder: What kind of world do they want for their children? Do they not notice the loss of birds and animals and ecosystems? Or do they think they can buy their way out of it?
The sad thing is that the people who cause the destruction don’t read beautiful things like this. May the Sycamore Gap tree be not thwarted by one senseless human but grow into many trees that fill the gap and beyond. (coppicing growth or spurring the community to plant). It won’t be the same but it could be better. I dream of a glass half full. 😌
Trees!!!! Love your respect for them. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them since reading The Overstory. Would have loved to see that Wyeth exhibit.
The felling of the Sycamore Tree in the Hadrian's Wall gap devastated me, too, somewhat more than I would have expected. I could only ask, "WHY?" Your words tell it all. Thank you!
Y.E.S. I am bereft about the senseless, ignorant felling of trees...it disturbs me profoundly. There is a black and white photograph I've seen online of four women in India standing around a tree with their hands joined, backs to the tree, in fierce protest of imminent destruction of that ancient tree...it haunts me. I wonder did they manage to save it? They risked their own lives to protect it. We must protect our trees and soils and preserve what little decent habitat we have left, you are right to take care of that ancient oak.
I grew up in a special place in England with giant ancient oaks in the garden. I have immense respect for trees. Near the pub The Barley Mow in Milford there was a tree so old it was held together by metal girders, one of the oldest in England. I used to go visit with it.
We must fight to protect this earth. I'm with you!
Thank you for this, Elissa. Trees are there before us and after us. It's good to remember and honor that.
Thank you Elissa. Trees selflessly give us so much and ask nothing more in return . Profound sadness when I watch developers strip our area of towering Douglas Firs and native cedars.
Like everyone else here, and any right-thinking person beyond, I was very upset to hear about the senseless destruction of the beautiful sycamore tree. Yesterday, while waiting my turn to buy fish from the local van, I started talking to a woman behind me, a mother of grown up children. I commented on the striking colours of a towering and majestic copper beech tree across the road. I was stunned into silence when she said that she couldn’t understand the fuss over the felling of the tree in Sycamore Gap, saying “It’s only a weed!” Perhaps I should have challenged her but, being caught off-guard, and given the depth of her disconnection, I didn’t feel up to the task.
Utterly shocking. I’m so sorry.
I was saddened when my neighbor cut down their trees, for reasons unknown. Leaf litter? I couldn't comprehend it. I have a tulip tree in my yard and in very fond of it, the tallest pillar in my neighborhood.
A lovely, moving post!
The recent felling of the Sycamore on Hadrian's Wall reminds me of the sad, lovely poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, in which he says:
"After-comers cannot guess the beauty been.
Ten or twelve, only ten or twelve
Strokes of havoc unselve
The sweet especial scene"
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44390/binsey-poplars
Thank you. I love Hopkins 🙏🏻
‘Children don’t learn to care for the world around them because their parents don’t care for the world around them.’ A good reminder of where the responsibility lies. Thought-provoking piece Elissa, thank you.
This has been on my mind a great deal. I live in a neighborhood in which 1000-sq ft homes became 2000-sq ft ones a decade ago; now developers are tearing those down for 4000-sq ft and up, and to make room for those, the 80- to 100-year trees must go. The city charges fines for taking down trees, but developers have accepted it as a cost of doing business; when you can charge $2mm for a house, what's a few thousand extra? What is especially crushing is that it is young families moving into these new houses. I often wonder: What kind of world do they want for their children? Do they not notice the loss of birds and animals and ecosystems? Or do they think they can buy their way out of it?
The sad thing is that the people who cause the destruction don’t read beautiful things like this. May the Sycamore Gap tree be not thwarted by one senseless human but grow into many trees that fill the gap and beyond. (coppicing growth or spurring the community to plant). It won’t be the same but it could be better. I dream of a glass half full. 😌
Thank you 🙏🏻
respect our elders
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Trees!!!! Love your respect for them. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them since reading The Overstory. Would have loved to see that Wyeth exhibit.
I believe that the exhibit might have been at Brandywine first—we’re heading down there this winter. Never been!
Beautiful piece but oh, how sad.
Beautiful Elissa. Thank you for your ever-present sensitivity and wisdom.
Movingly & passionately put, Elissa. Thank you. 🙏
The felling of the Sycamore Tree in the Hadrian's Wall gap devastated me, too, somewhat more than I would have expected. I could only ask, "WHY?" Your words tell it all. Thank you!
I sobbed when I saw they’d cut that special tree down