Life on this garden planet

Last week, I acquired several redwood trees that required relocation due to their proximity to a building. I accepted the trees and planted them beneath a light overstory of mature, declining alders. Alders are relatively short-lived species but serve as excellent soil builders due to their nitrogen-fixing root systems and abundant leaf litter, which will benefit the newly introduced redwoods.

As I planted these redwoods, I imagined the landscape of this forest one hundred years into the future. By then, the alders will have faded from the canopy, replaced by mature redwoods standing well over one hundred feet tall with two-foot diameters. Because I have interplanted this area with numerous red cedar seedlings as well, they too will be growing alongside the redwoods.

Adding redwoods to the natural openings in the forest increases diversity and strengthens ecosystem resilience in light of a changing climate. Redwoods are already adapted to the warmer climate of northern California, and they have a proven track record of growing well in this region.

While it is difficult to predict the exact climate conditions a century from now, trees undeniably mitigate the effects of excess atmospheric carbon. The coastal forests surrounding the Salish Sea are among the most carbon-dense ecosystems on the planet. The mature forest on this property alone conservatively stores 18,000 metric tons of carbon, with roughly half of this total consisting of below-ground carbon sequestered in organic soil, woody debris, and root systems.

While the massive amount of carbon stored within this forest provides a compelling argument for its preservation, it's my belief that a greater value lies in having  a space where humans can experience the natural world in all its diversity, complexity, and beauty. By slowing down and allowing our senses to be fully in communion with the environment, the illusion of separation dissolves, replaced by a profound sense of interconnectedness. Immersing ourselves in the forest, helps us remember that we  are intimately woven into the web of life on this garden planet!