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Fire On The Mountain

6/25/07 

                                           “Nature…she pardons no mistakes.”
                                                            -Ralph Waldo Emerson 

…A few words written from a quiet nook in the woods…

Some folks get tired when you talk about saving trees.  As long as they still have trees in their backyard--Who cares, right? Perhaps exposing folks to hard, cold facts will behoove them to make small changes on a personal level or raise their awareness concerning the constant urban sprawl and creeping of concrete and metal on rural routes of America. It’s a quiet sermon, but the Devil’s in the details…

The Rolling Stones’ keyboardist, a fine southern gentleman, Chuck Leavell stands as a strong proponent of promoting forestry cognizance. Of course, we all know Leavell’s musical accomplishments--playing with the Allman Brothers Band, Sea Level, Dr. John, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Gregg Allman, Marshall Tucker Band, Government Mule, Widespread Panic and The Black Crowes.

Leavell also wrote three books: Between A Rock And A Home Place (2004), Forever Green: The History and Hope of the American Forest (2001) and The Tree Farmer (2005). Between A Rock And A Hard Place revolves around Leavell’s musical endeavors. There he mentioned Keith Richard’s quote: “Just think…all this vast amount of money is generated by sitting down with this little wooden instrument.” Leavell remembered even Eddie Hinton once wrote in a song, “a commune with nature” in fine sentiment.

Forever Green (translated into German and published in Europe) and The Tree Farmer illuminate the vital resource of wood as well as conservation, forest development management and maintenance. Leavell’s Charlane Plantation, located outside Macon, Georgia, in Dry Branch, exists as 2000 acre plantation that offers the finest quail, turkey, deer and duck hunting along with a clear environmental awareness in the area.

The American Forest Foundation, American Tree Farm System, Georgia Conservatory, the Urban Forest Council and National Arbor Day all recognize Leavell’s work. He provides essential historical facts and statistics on the forestry trade during our country’s history…and a glimpse into the future…

Other organizations I’ll highlight—and suggest you explore—on similar-earthy topics include Farm Aid, Greenpeace’s Musicwood.org, BioWillie, the Audubon Society, the American Forestry Foundation, and Go Earth to name a few for valuable facts and realities involving environmental issues in daily life. Some of these organizations—especially Musicwood.org provide information on how trees used to build guitars, pianos, drums and other musical instruments are becoming rare and each specific type of tree is targeted by ‘poachers’, as well as defining the grim facts of blight.

One hundred years ago people lived closer to the land—they grew their own vegetables, raised their own livestock and some built their own musical instruments. Technology and corporate entities ruin cultural identities over the years, and everyone’s become lazier. Who lives by seasons, harvest moons and tilling cycles besides the farmers who should be seen in a more high-profile, prominent light than what they are these days? For practical purposes, let’s just start with The South. Most people don’t care if the fish they eat contains poison or that streams are polluted with toxic waste. Of course, their grandchildren might care…

I’m not talking about climbing up a tree and staying there until legislators see things your way. I’m just suggesting folks should explore the possibility of how important it is to keep an eye on greedy developers’ motives when they want to destroy virgin land.

I’ll step down from the pulpit now, and make my way down the mountain and face the evil rat-race. At least, get the kids to plant a tree late this summer. To be continued…

James Calemine
JCalemine@swampland.com

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