Ecosystems

I awoke this morning to the sound of the neighbor’s proxy busy cutting down their tree. Really, I should have no love for this tree, it’s a nuisance during fall, it bears no fruit and its roots burrow down beneath any surface in search of water, regardless of whether there is a structure in its way, or not. But my children and I love its aura, if a tree can have an aura.

It’s a welcoming site for all sorts of wildlife, from birds to squirrels to groundhogs and its not unusual to look out and directly observe Blue Jays, Cardinals and Pea doves in their natural habitat; the experience somewhat similar to having a thriving ecosystem in your very own backyard. At the root there is the Groundhog who nests and gets protection from exposure to the elements while perhaps benefiting from the water collection that the tree is constantly sourcing. In the middle are the squirrels scampering along the power lines commuting back and forth to their hiding places in the fall to sleep the winter through. The topmost level hosts a thriving colony of birds and whether they are, laying eggs, molting, or gathering bramble for nests; something is always happening.

Alas, the neighbor says the squirrels are getting up in her attic and causing havoc in her house’s heating and cooling systems and the birds follow the squirrels taking refuge when their furry counterparts are not around, then the burrowing roots are upsetting the foundation of her house – so its got to go! One Ecosystem in these circumstances must give way to the other - I guess. In other cultures folks try to incorporate nature into their livity (Jamaican for living) the mindset being that symbiosis certainly is more ideal but – what can I say - I hope that trees don’t eventually go the way of dinosaurs and our offsprings’ offsprings don’t have to go to museums to experience the joy that this lonely tree and its vibrant ecosystem has so generously shared with my family and that my neighbor remains cool and warm always.