“I don’t want to lose tree canopies and birdsong and cooling shade in the summer sun.”
All of my life I have enjoyed hiking and being surrounded by trees, first in western Massachusetts and later in upstate NY. I began to notice about a decade ago the declining health of the trees in this area. Each year I see trees fallen and broken and decaying. The remaining trees seem less vibrant, less green. And I worry. I worry about the birds who seek shelter in them. I worry how the squirrels and chipmunks will get nourishment and find safety in their branches. And I worry for the living creatures who will lose the air purifying qualities that they provide. I worry for us. The fear that our beautiful world is in trouble is real. I don’t want to lose tree canopies and birdsong and cooling shade in the summer sun. I plant trees and I donate to environmental causes, and wish more could be done.