from Humboldt Forest Defense, January 7, 2008
WOW! With gusts up to 55 miles per hour, it takes a lot of courage and
dedication to stay HUNDREDS of feet in the air during hail, thunder,
lightning, and severe winds. Even though Mother Nature and her fury tests
tree-sitting activists, they stay strong in their cause.
These high altitude villages can be blown sometimes 15-20 FEET in both
directions as winds test the strength of these Ancient Redwoods, as well
as the strength of their protectors. The villages remained occupied
throughout the past week, even through the strongest winds, as the storm
slammed into the North Coast.
It is dangerous simply to be on the ground during high winds in the woods,
especially in forests surrounded by clear-cuts. Normally, the winds would
be buffered by surrounding trees, acting as a wind shield, and protecting
the inner woods. However, Nanning Creek and Fern Gully lack the
protection that a normal, "healthy" forest has due to excessive logging.
The first time that I sat in a tree was in Nanning Creek, during a massive
winter storm a few years ago. It was challenging enough to climb 160 feet
to "Spooner's" lower living space in the rain and wind for my first
experience. As the storm progressed the first night, I found myself
clinging to the platform ropes for dear life as I watched surrounding
trees sway back a forth in the winds. I wondered if I could make it
through without giving up and climbing down.
The feeling is comparable to being in a very small "dingy" boat caught in
a squall, only this boat was suspended high in a Ancient Redwood tree. As
the storm progressed the second day and trees began to fall around us, I
began to trust "Spooner" the tree and accept my situation. I chose to
protect a being that was over two thousand years old and my place was to
"go down with the ship" if by chance that this was "Spooner's" last storm.
Imagine, the storms that "Spooner" experienced these past two millennia.
Spooner has seen earthquakes, floods, fires, and greater storms than we or
our children will ever see, hopefully. This brought a sense of peace to
me and helped reaffirm my presence. "Spooner" was never going to drop us.
As I was thinking this, all of a sudden, my treemate and I hear a loud
cracking and popping sound.
My first thought was that the "Sprout" that our platform is partially
secured to was breaking off. "Sprout" is a branch, technically called a
reiteration, but imagine this branch being about the size of a second
growth tree, about 4-5 feet in diameter. "Sprouts" are known to fall from
Coast Redwoods, part of Sequoia Semperviren's reproduction cycle. I
thought we were about to fall 160 feet, crashing to the forest floor
below. My treemate helped keep me calm and collected as the sound got
louder and closer.
BOOOOOOOOM! "Spooner" shook as if there was a large earthquake. My first
thought was that we were safe but also I believed our tree "Spooner" was
hit by another tree. Luckily, this was not the case. After inspecting
the damage in the morning, we discovered that a large second growth tree
had fallen over 500 feet away from "Spooner," on the edge of the grove and
the clear-cut.
I am grateful to "Spooner," as well as the Universe, for protecting us
through that wild and dangerous storm. We were in a place that even
loggers refuse to enter during mild inclement weather, due to the danger
of falling trees and "Widow Maker" branches. It takes spirit and
dedication to protect these ancient giants. It takes faith and guts to
stay in a swaying Redwood as trees fall around you. Anyone who tree-sits
is definitely a hero, but choosing to risk your life in these fierce winds
qualifies these brave activists as super heroes!
I am reminded of my "close to death" experience every time I visit Nanning
Creek. The tree that fell so close, yet luckily so far from "Spooner,"
actually fell across our path into the Ancient Grove that we are
protecting. The shoots of new growth reach for the sky and remind me that
these life forms are precious and worth protecting. No matter how tired I
am from hiking in supplies, or burned out from the psychological aspect of
helping support a tree-sit, my heart is lightened and my spirits lifted
every time I reach the end of my trek at the fallen one.
The fallen tree created a nice bridge for us to walk across on our way in,
avoiding the mud-slide and slash that Pacific Lumber is famous for across
our county. It is natural for Redwoods to fall, and for reiterations to
break off, creating new trees. Redwoods reproduce that way. Redwoods
seeds have only a .05 germination rate. Most redwood trees come from
fallen trees, reiterations or stumps that are fortunate to have fallen
naturally and left to grow or decompose. Clear-cuts are unnatural, and
logging companies are forced to sometimes plant these destroyed areas,
usually with cloned GMO trees.
If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound? Of course it does,
especially for someone who is there risking their life to protect these
Ancients. But there is both the physical sound of a tree snapping and
crashing to the floor, and the metaphysical sound as the process of
rebirth begins for a Coast Redwood. It is an experience that only a
select few brave and dedicated activists are fortunate enough to hear.
This natural sound, opposed to chain-saws and what follows, is truly a
blessing and a reward.
To help protect these ancient ones, please visit:
Humboldt Forest Defense
May the forests be with us... Always!
Jeff Muskrat
Humboldt Forest Defense
spooner "at" spoonerdirect.org
Culture Change mailing address: P.O. Box 3387, Santa Cruz, California, 95063, USA, Telephone 1-215-243-3144 (and fax). Culture Change was founded by Sustainable Energy Institute (formerly Fossil Fuels Policy Action), a nonprofit organization.
Some articles are published under Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107. See Fair Use Notice for more information.
from Humboldt Forest Defense, January 7, 2008
WOW! With gusts up to 55 miles per hour, it takes a lot of courage and
dedication to stay HUNDREDS of feet in the air during hail, thunder,
lightning, and severe winds. Even though Mother Nature and her fury tests
tree-sitting activists, they stay strong in their cause.
These high altitude villages can be blown sometimes 15-20 FEET in both
directions as winds test the strength of these Ancient Redwoods, as well
as the strength of their protectors. The villages remained occupied
throughout the past week, even through the strongest winds, as the storm
slammed into the North Coast.
It is dangerous simply to be on the ground during high winds in the woods,
especially in forests surrounded by clear-cuts. Normally, the winds would
be buffered by surrounding trees, acting as a wind shield, and protecting
the inner woods. However, Nanning Creek and Fern Gully lack the
protection that a normal, "healthy" forest has due to excessive logging.
The first time that I sat in a tree was in Nanning Creek, during a massive
winter storm a few years ago. It was challenging enough to climb 160 feet
to "Spooner's" lower living space in the rain and wind for my first
experience. As the storm progressed the first night, I found myself
clinging to the platform ropes for dear life as I watched surrounding
trees sway back a forth in the winds. I wondered if I could make it
through without giving up and climbing down.
The feeling is comparable to being in a very small "dingy" boat caught in
a squall, only this boat was suspended high in a Ancient Redwood tree. As
the storm progressed the second day and trees began to fall around us, I
began to trust "Spooner" the tree and accept my situation. I chose to
protect a being that was over two thousand years old and my place was to
"go down with the ship" if by chance that this was "Spooner's" last storm.
Imagine, the storms that "Spooner" experienced these past two millennia.
Spooner has seen earthquakes, floods, fires, and greater storms than we or
our children will ever see, hopefully. This brought a sense of peace to
me and helped reaffirm my presence. "Spooner" was never going to drop us.
As I was thinking this, all of a sudden, my treemate and I hear a loud
cracking and popping sound.
My first thought was that the "Sprout" that our platform is partially
secured to was breaking off. "Sprout" is a branch, technically called a
reiteration, but imagine this branch being about the size of a second
growth tree, about 4-5 feet in diameter. "Sprouts" are known to fall from
Coast Redwoods, part of Sequoia Semperviren's reproduction cycle. I
thought we were about to fall 160 feet, crashing to the forest floor
below. My treemate helped keep me calm and collected as the sound got
louder and closer.
BOOOOOOOOM! "Spooner" shook as if there was a large earthquake. My first
thought was that we were safe but also I believed our tree "Spooner" was
hit by another tree. Luckily, this was not the case. After inspecting
the damage in the morning, we discovered that a large second growth tree
had fallen over 500 feet away from "Spooner," on the edge of the grove and
the clear-cut.
I am grateful to "Spooner," as well as the Universe, for protecting us
through that wild and dangerous storm. We were in a place that even
loggers refuse to enter during mild inclement weather, due to the danger
of falling trees and "Widow Maker" branches. It takes spirit and
dedication to protect these ancient giants. It takes faith and guts to
stay in a swaying Redwood as trees fall around you. Anyone who tree-sits
is definitely a hero, but choosing to risk your life in these fierce winds
qualifies these brave activists as super heroes!
I am reminded of my "close to death" experience every time I visit Nanning
Creek. The tree that fell so close, yet luckily so far from "Spooner,"
actually fell across our path into the Ancient Grove that we are
protecting. The shoots of new growth reach for the sky and remind me that
these life forms are precious and worth protecting. No matter how tired I
am from hiking in supplies, or burned out from the psychological aspect of
helping support a tree-sit, my heart is lightened and my spirits lifted
every time I reach the end of my trek at the fallen one.
The fallen tree created a nice bridge for us to walk across on our way in,
avoiding the mud-slide and slash that Pacific Lumber is famous for across
our county. It is natural for Redwoods to fall, and for reiterations to
break off, creating new trees. Redwoods reproduce that way. Redwoods
seeds have only a .05 germination rate. Most redwood trees come from
fallen trees, reiterations or stumps that are fortunate to have fallen
naturally and left to grow or decompose. Clear-cuts are unnatural, and
logging companies are forced to sometimes plant these destroyed areas,
usually with cloned GMO trees.
If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound? Of course it does,
especially for someone who is there risking their life to protect these
Ancients. But there is both the physical sound of a tree snapping and
crashing to the floor, and the metaphysical sound as the process of
rebirth begins for a Coast Redwood. It is an experience that only a
select few brave and dedicated activists are fortunate enough to hear.
This natural sound, opposed to chain-saws and what follows, is truly a
blessing and a reward.
To help protect these ancient ones, please visit:
