Tree Huggers

When did the love of biodiversity and trees become unpopular?  While most ignore ~200 million Douglas Fir clone seedlings planted annually in the Cascadia Floristic Region, mre than ½ on publicly owned lands?  As a comparison statistically: 0/none/zero/very few Pacific Yew (or any of 900 other NW native species)!   If called a “Tree Hugger,” consider it a compliment.  History shows the results of man’s focus on clear cutting (Nova Scotia, Lebanon, the Atlas Mountains, Bishnoi villages in India …):

The first tree huggers … died while trying to protect the trees in their village from being turned into the raw material for building a palace. They literally clung to the trees, while being slaughtered by the foresters. But their action led to a royal decree prohibiting the cutting of trees in any Bishnoi village … and now those villages are virtual wooded oases amidst an otherwise desert landscape.” (Avantgardens)

Puget Sound’s south bay and fjords are almost lifeless, the Cascade hills’ poisoned topsoil sits in river delta silts, and government forestry’s flooding of herbicides and pesticides continues unabated.  We are using NW DNR & BLM Earth that we, the public, own and are being so careless.  A businessman argues with one rationale: increased revenues.  Do we satisfy this greed in exchange for many species’ long-term existence on this Earth?  Perhaps it’s time for caregiving rather than carelessness?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipko_movement
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/07/220711095139.htm 
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/church-attendance-below-pre-pandemic-134305032.html 
https://www.facebook.com/avantgardens.org/photos/a.573121939368238/1505155512831538/
https://womensearthalliance.org/wea-voices/the-original-tree-huggers-let-us-not-forget-their-sacrifice-on-earth-day/ 
https://www.brightvibes.com/the-origin-of-tree-huggers-the-brave-men-and-women-who-gave-their-lives-to-protect-our-trees/

The pictured “tree huggers” who all found death for their defiance, were in the Country of:

India
Canada
France

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