The Power of the Tree - a series of writings
A flowering handkerchief tree
Part 1 - The Handkerchief Tree
The Beginning
I now feel I was fortunate to grow up surrounded by beautiful countryside. At the time I was unaware of the gift I was handed. I struggled to see the beauty of a tree as my father would call out latin names for each tree, it seems for all of my childhood. He was a nursery man by trade and he loved trees. Later in his life he saw a handkerchief tree in flower for the first time. He said afterwards he could now die happy, such was his love for seeing those flowers on, for him, this special tree. I now share his love and passion for these beautiful and, for me, heroic markers in our nature. I have my favourite trees that seem to anchor my walks. I am fortunate that these trees are a constant in my life, not under threat. They see through each year, day by day, taking in the weather, the passers by and their majestic views.
Today
I wonder whether somehow I have always remembered the love of the trees deep inside me and now, as an outdoor therapist I have moved towards a life surrounded by trees. What is rewarding to study and practice in the 21st century is in the constant discoveries in life & science and how they relate so deeply to therapy. As with much in life in the 21st century, science can now unveil explanations and knowledge to provide whole new meanings and understandings in our every day lives. The life of the tree is no exception to this. There is now much discussion and discovery over the huge root networks that trees have and how they communicate and care for each other.
“Some are calling it the ‘wood-wide web,’” says Wohlleben in German-accented English. “All the trees here, and in every forest that is not too damaged, are connected to each other through underground fungal networks. Trees share water and nutrients through the networks, and also use them to communicate. They send distress signals about drought and disease, for example, or insect attacks, and other trees alter their behavior when they receive these messages.”
Quote from the book: The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us if We Let Them (From the Author of The Hidden Life of Trees) by Peter Wohlleben
Others are much more able to discuss the power of the tree - check out this 5 minute clip - the Power of Trees, from The Nature Conservancy in Washington
