I destroyed a forest
today. Well, a small patch of potential
future forest. I ripped the tiny trees
out of the ground with my bare hands. It
is a battle with the ever-encroaching woods for possession of our
property. Some would call it weeding.
I feel incredibly guilty, as
if I myself am responsible for all of man’s destruction of the planet. Who am I to decide the fate of these
trees? Is my house more important? I think of old cabins left abandoned. Man turns his back and nature reclaims her
own; sending tree roots to crack the foundation, vines to expand the crevices
between the planks, and bugs to feast on the wood.
Despite my misgivings, I
uproot the miniature pines. On my hands
and knees, I marvel at the miniscule.
Underneath the five-inch red and white pine trees are even smaller oaks
and maples. I find several types of
minute mushrooms. One variety is tall
and slender; a pale runway model with a skull cap tight to her head. A second is thick and squat, with a
wide-brimmed hat instead of a cap. Yet a
third is just an ever-so-tiny button – nothing but cap – seeming to float on
the green below. The green is an
emerald-colored velvety moss, and another in a darker shade that is reminiscent
of feathery underwater seaweed. Underneath
it all are decayed leaves turned to dirt.
I am reminded of the cycle of
the northwoods forest. The forest begins
with birch trees. The birch give way to
pines, which in turn are overtaken by the hardwoods – oaks and maples. The cycle is not rushed. From pinecone or acorn to a strong, tall,
imposing tree requires decades, even centuries.
And yet, in my lifetime, I have seen these woods complete much of this
cycle. I remember vast stands of birch;
white trunks and silvery leaves creating a magical effect. Now these areas are mainly filled with pines,
and the forest is dark and ominous. But
the oaks and maples are growing tall under the pines, and autumn brings a burst
of color like light cutting through a prism.
I may have won today’s battle
against the trees, but ultimately nature, with her patient persistence, will reign
victorious.
