Early in the Book of Genesis God instructed humans to subdue nature. “Subdue” is a provocative word, used sparingly in the Bible to evoke images of war, conquest, and defeated enemies. And this is what we did. We went to war against the forest, and won. We flooded forested valleys to capture water and cleared forested fields to plant corn, tobacco, and cities. We subdued the forest to build our civilization. We are a forest people.
Forests favored our digital dexterity to navigate canopies and gave us tools to tame the biosphere. Trees warmed hearths, built shelters, fortified diets, and forged weapons. Forest products cured malaria, made railroads, and captured wind for sailing oceans. Forests shaped our biological and cultural evolution. We are a forest people.
Forests define us. Fruit from the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden plays a pivotal role in the Judeo-Christian creation story. Our first president, George Washington, forged his character cutting down a single tree. We name the places we live Oaktown, Maple Ridge, and Cedar Rapids. We gather around a decorated everygreen during our most popular holiday. And we plant trees to celebrate births and memorialize deaths. We are a forest people.
While some of us are ignorant of connection to forests, none of us are innocent of our forests’ fate. Our beef, soy and biofuel diets deforest tropics. Our jam-free printer paper consumes virgin fiber. Our climate disruptions alter forest pollination. Our roads and roofs ruin watershed functions. Our materialistic, consumerist culture converts half the annual harvests of hardwood into pallets used to transport the products we consume.
We must end our innocence and accept the responsibilities of partnership, not just to sustain the material and cultural harvests on which we depend, but also to repair the wounds we’ve inflicted. Leaving forests alone is not a viable option. We must care for them, like we care for a valued partner. Most forests are dangerously degraded and increasingly threatened. Introduced species and disease such as gypsy moths, cats, and kudzu hitch human rides to leapfrog across the landscape. Lighting and suppressing fire altered whole species compositions and climate change is further reconfiguring ecosystems. Compaction and salination destroy forest soils and nutrient recycling. Spreading tentacles of urbanization alter land cover, disrupt water capture, and halt species migrations. Forests now need intentional and continuous care to keep them out of crisis, so they thrive and provide the services sustaining our lives and lifestyles.
By intentionally engaging forests we reinforce and reward our partnership, put our co-dependency front and center, and remind ourselves we are forest people. Ignoring forests leads to neglect and exploitation. Engagement leads to responsibility, appreciation, and care.
Forests are part of who we are and why we prosper. Successful partnerships require informed, active and respectful partners. Neglected partnerships sour and fail. Compassion and engagement must replace ignorance and innocence. Rather than subdue our partner, let’s read further into Genesis where we are told to tend and keep. The choice is ours, the stage is set, and the urgency real. We are a forest people. Let’s act the part.