The First Tree

Reflecting on the first tree I planted causes me some excitement but also a variety of other emotions. To capture the experience, I will begin with the story of time.

2008- As a child I enjoyed the outdoors and the seasons with growth and life. At my father's, he owned an old home with a sizable lot which had a variety of shrubs and trees. One thing I started to enjoy was trimming the lilac bush that would grow into the walkway. At 12 years old I was not able to reach the higher parts, so I imagine the bush resembled a mushroom from a distance.

Along a row of privacy shrubs in the front yard I saw a small maple tree seedling growing within. I knew this wasn't a good place for the young tree, and quickly pulled it and began to look for a suitable location to give it a new home. At one point we had a Norway spruce (at the time it was just a "pine tree"), that was removed and the stump was used as a fire pit to remove the last remnants of the tree, and this is where I decided to place my new friend.

Time went on, seasons came and went and the tree grew as I did. When I reached my final height the tree did not stop with me and continued to grow. After leaving my childhood home for my enlistment when I would come home I would see and admire the tree, but it was still just a tree. It was not until after finishing my enlistment, coming home to begin my education to be a park ranger that I fully gained an understanding for the maple.

2021- Taking field dendrology my first semester, I quickly learned the differences of the prized sugar maple and vilified Norway maple. I was concerned, what if the maple I moved well over a decade ago, was one of the trees that cause mischief to our native ecosystems. Would I have to slay the very same tree that I helped to preserve? It caused me stress, but all of it was absolved once I inspected the trademark brown scaled buds.

As I was learning, growing in a different way than my maple friend, I gained a respect for not only this tree that I preserved as a curious child, but also the role it played in our environment. It provided food, habitat, and the life force for the air that we breathe. While I continued to explore the relationships taking place in the environment the tree continued to do what it does best.

The news of my father's efforts to sell the property were not new, and became clear with the purchase of his new home and the market listing. I knew it would be the last time I might set foot in a place I called home for almost 25 years, so my younger brother and I took to the house to try and get some pear tree cuttings and I asked him to take a picture with my maple friend, which now towered over me and offered a fair bit of summer shade. This was my goodbye, and I was happy to have the picture to remember our connection, which was now to be dictated by the new owners.

2025- The house sold, and a new family moved in. The property was out of my way, so I did not drive by for some time. A year later with my brother in the car, I decided to drive by and see what changed.

It might not come to a surprise but the tree was gone. No longer able to offer

services to the local wildlife or potentially grow new trees with it's floating samaras. I will never know why they removed the tree or where the lifeless woody material finally went to.

Moving on- While I could be upset with the final outcome of knowing I will not be able to see the tree to continue to grow, I am happy that I shared the experience of seeing it grow. I believe this is just the start of trees that I will plant, and I will never forget the first tree.