Where are all the Treehuggers

[Earth Hart]

I am very supprised to find no threads here, so I think I'd better start one.

Over the years of my life I've become attached to quite a few trees. There is one species that holds me more than any otherand that is the Yew. The Fortingal Yew, in Scotland, is said to be over 5000yrs old it may even be near 9000yrs old. Even so, it is the oldest tree in Europe and is one of the oldest living beings in the world. There is a Lime, in Westonburt Arboretum, in Gloucestershire, that is around 5-6000yrs old its age being helped by having been coppiced.

Does anyone know of any older?

Earth Hart

[Brian T]

Hi,

I'm not a tree hugger but a tree lover, I have about 10 acres of woodland and a lot of it is coppiced so it keeps us in winter fuel, I cut the grass in summer and the wood in winter and it's true that cutting wood heats twice, once when you cut it and once when you burn it. Nothing better than a log fire.

But I will say I love my woodland.

Brian T. www.calibordo.com

[Owl-Light]

I have little doubt you've read 'Meetings with Remarkable Trees' by Thomas Pakenham, Will - a really interesting book. There is also a nice little website The-Tree.org.UK you might like too of you don't know it already. I don't know of any older trees than the ones you've mentioned, but thats an astonishing longevity for one life form isn't it?

I love trees and always feel my natural environment is the the darker depths of our Ancient Broadleaf Woodland.

There is certainly something powerful about the Yew. I aways feel drawn to go sit under them when I come across them - a real energy there. But I know their reputation for dropping limbs on folk. very poisenous but I'm not about to nibble one myself

The Oak is awesome and the Beech is a real lady. The Copper Beech is an amazing tree and the Cedar of Lebanon too. Gosh I could go on and on, really.

Trees like any other wild thing are a joy to observe through the seasons. If you visit them regularly they always repay you with something new and often quite surprising.

The term Tree Hugger is a bit hippyfied for me (these days). I'm a Tree-Friend I guess

lol, that probably sounds even worse

[Earth Hart]

In using the term 'treehugger' I was being I've always been a friend of tree & T.Ps book has pride of place on my bookshelf + the DVD of the series. I'm not a 'New Ager' if anything I'm a very ancient hippy of the old school.

[Owl-Light]

Naa, I'm not a New Ager either or a Hippy type really (though Bowdie would disagree).
I tried darn hard to be one when I was 14 but my mommy kept confiscating my headbands No really

I guess I just have a sensitivity and a passion for all things Natural.

[Earth Hart]

Originally Posted by Sheryl La Bouchardiere

Naa, I'm not a New Ager either or a Hippy type really (though Bowdie would disagree).
I tried darn hard to be one when I was 14 but my mommy kept confiscating my headbands No really

I guess I just have a sensitivity and a passion for all things Natural.

On your way to school, did you pick flowers to out in your hair ? When I was home on leave one time, I caught my younger sister doing that. Boy, di she give me a look, all I could do was laugh.

[Owl-Light]

Originally Posted by Earth Hart

On your way to school, did you pick flowers to out in your hair ? When I was home on leave one time, I caught my younger sister doing that. Boy, di she give me a look, all I could do was laugh.

Hey, its a serious business being that... erm... cool, man.

Dunno what I was trying to be at the time really. I think the term most of us used was 'Hairy' rather than 'Hippy'. One of my many states of metamorphosis over the years. All of which have been great fun I hasten to add.

[paul m]

I'm not a tree hugger but I sometimes find myself talking to them while examining the invertebrates!

[Gaina]

Last time I hugged a tree it got attacked by Honey Fungus and died. Now when I approach a tree, you can almost hear them saying 'No, no, you're alright mate a smile will do!'

[jdbinion]

Here's a real Treehugger photo. The hugger is my wife and co-founder of our project "Dalbergia Preservation". The tree is the almost extinct Pau Brasil.
Caesalpinia Echinata
Family: Leguminosae
Origin: Brasil
Flowers: September - December
Common Names: Pernambuco, Brazilwood


This is the tree that is responsible for giving Brasil it's name. It is also the National Tree. Harvested to the brink of extinction for it's oils for perfumes, wood for violin bows and archery bows.
There have been scientific studies in Brasil in a search for a cure of different cancers. The oxidized oils from this tree have been used in testing that have resulted in Tumor reduction in mice in 83% of the cases.
The bark of the tree, when ground into powder form, has been proven effective in strenghtening of the gums. There are many medical uses derived from this tree and many reasons to help the survival other than for it's beauty.

To find out more on Endangered Tree species of Brasil, please visit our website at: Dalbergia Preservation

[goosey]

How sad your government will let this happen to your National tree - it seems governments are the same the whole world over. Thank goodness for people power and others like yourselves.
There are terrible tales of what is happening in Bulgaria in a couple of threads by balkantrek.
Bulgaria builds windfarm in "Kaliakra" Important Bird Area
Bulgaria destroying the "Emine" Important Bird Area
I can't belive that this is allowed to happen, I would have thought the EU could have put it foot down.

Just pure greed - people can't even plead ignorance these days like in the past when they just didn't know what affect such actions would have on wildlife etc.

The Pau Brasil tree looks smaller than I would have imagined when I think of the trees we see in images from the rain forests there.

Thanks for the great picture and informative post .

[jdbinion]

Originally Posted by goosey

The Pau Brasil tree looks smaller than I would have imagined when I think of the trees we see in images from the rain forests there.

Thanks for the great picture and informative post .

Goosey,
This Pau Brasil tree is rather young. It is the result of Francismars' (Director of Botanical Research in Sao Paulo) efforts at reforestation of this species. He has done a fantastic job for 30 years. He has been fighting with the branches of the Brasilian Government to fund his project. They have given a little assistance however, as with any government, it's never enough.

In Brasils defense, I must say, it is mostly foreign demand of wood that has led to this and other endangered species demise. This is something that has been occurring for hundreds of years. And until the last few decades has there been any effort to study the impact.
Brasil has always been a passive country. Always opening it's doors and lending it's diversity and resources to others. I think it was their naive attitude that has allowed these travesties. However, they are getting wiser. They now realize the greed of foreign investors who promise to log in an environmentally friendly way. Which as we all know just is never the case. As of two years ago, the Brasilian Government revoke 70% of the logging permits they had issued to foreign logging companies.
They have also increased their efforts to declare large parcels of the forests as preservations (not to be touched). Is it too little too late ? I hope not.
Due to the shortage of hardwoods from other parts of the world, the prices for quality hardwoods has gone through the roof. For that reason there has been a surge in illegal (poachers) harvesting in the remote areas of Brasil. The main problem being, Brasil is so large and has many remote areas that are hard to get to, and there is just not enough man power to cover all the vastness of the country. The poachers come in, ravage the trees, and are gone before anyone realizes what happened.

Some of our future plans are to educate and hire locals to watch these areas and report abuse. We would like to offer a rewards program to those who step up and report any illegal logging activity. We would also like to include awareness to the locals that the trees are far more important to their survival than they realize. Education and alternatives, such as reforestation projects will provide them work so they can support their families.

Poverty is another issue. When a family in the remote areas of Brasil are struggling and living in conditions of poverty most of us can't even imagine, and they have one tree that is worth 10-20K$....can we really expect them to look the other way ? There has to be alternatives for them. Or we can never expect them to worry about tomorrow when today their children are crying from hunger.

There are many areas responsible for deforestation. Some political, some ethical and some moral. We have to address all the issues to ever hope to make an impact and stop the cycle.

That is why we ask for donations. We aren't trying to profit from our project. We are trying to make a difference. We have to attend government meetings to be the voice for the trees and the people. We have to find ways to promote our efforts which means many hours writing and sending letters, speaking with others on forums like this one and traveling to areas of Brasil most affected by deforestation to help educate the locals.

Plus, we have to have money to pay locals to help in our reforestation project. We have to collect seeds, which requires travelling great distances to find one or two trees left of an endangered species that are still producing seeds. There is so much to do most people don't realize the effort and work that is required. It really is an uphill battle and I have to admit, I have sometimes wondered if we are fighting a losing battle. But, I have this little voice inside my head that says...never give up. You can make a difference.

I went to your website. I love your photos and back yard paradise. I really like the Iris Petals ! They are alive with color. I am an amateur photographer myself. I love photos of nature. They capture a beautiful moment in time.

[paul m]

Nature-Canada is running a photographic tree-hugging contest:
Win | Nature Explorers
Perhaps we could have one of our own?