Our Future in Nature:

Chapter 1 para 1): We depend on nature for the air we breathe, the water we drink and the services nature provides. Nature allows us to go within, be silent and reconnect. Who has not felt the silence, stillness, and peace when you walk in a woodland, beside a river, by the sea or observing a plant to connect with our inner spirituality? I was lucky enough to grow up on a farm in Ireland, with hedgerows and trees, together with its own small forest (at least so I thought). We farmed with nature. My father imbued in us a deep sense of respect for the soil and trees. I often walked along those hedgerows, in the forest, exploring and being present. Then, I was not aware that being silent and present was what nature taught. At six, I insisted on planting, at the wrong time of year, over 300 chestnut trees. All the trees grew and are now over 60 years old. I hope this book will give you similar ideas and inspire you. In this way we will continue to have and respect trees now and in future, so we can still be with and learn from trees, ecology and spirituality. (Chapter 1, second para after Table 1): Sacred trees have spiritual meanings for many of us. The reasons vary from the longevity of some trees, e.g. the yew and baobab trees, to human associations with certain trees, e.g. Buddha attaining enlightenment under the Bodhi or Fig tree. Sacred groves vary in size. Most are small with a spiritual significance to groups of people as, for example, the place where their God lives, or a burial place. These sites are protected, uninhabited with strict rules. The traditional respect for the environment and access restrictions often led to well-conserved areas with high biodiversity value within otherwise degraded landscapes. Trees have an ageless mysticism. Even for the secular-minded, forests are a special place for peace and silence–precious values for today. Take a walk in a forest and feel the silence and peace you become a part of. Many trees outlive our human lives by hundreds and thousands of years. Some pre-date formal religions and most predate formal conservation. (Chapter 2: first para): Nature housed our spiritual and religious origins, and made up our livelihoods, on which people depended when major religions and spiritual traditions formed. Many people continue to depend directly on nature, and we all depend on nature in one way or other. People developed cultural and spiritual ties relating to important natural resources, trees in particular, which feature in all the sacred texts. Because many rituals relating to nature and the environment evolved in ancient times, it is more difficult to understand them in terms of modern mind-sets. Such rituals may bear little relation to nature, yet they are critical components of our relationship with and dependency on nature. Culture shapes terrestrial nature and nature and culture go together, like subject-and-object. This helps us embrace the sacrality nature as the source. (Chapter 3 second last para): Individual trees, all over the world, are revered as national monuments, for ceremonies, as homes to spirits, to honor deceased people, as burial places, for naming children, as part of marriage ceremonies, meeting places and planting at the time of the birth of a child. The reasons vary and resulted in the spread of sacred trees across the landscapes as people planted and protected them. Most of these trees are large and long lived, are a focus for people to honor the spirits and a visible expression of their importance for various ceremonies. While the examples cited allude to this importance, it is not exhaustive, but shows the widespread importance of individual trees across our planet. It is important from both the context of conservation (different species, rarity, age; or as keystone species which may contain a lot of biodiversity, e.g. the fig and baobab trees), and for religions and spiritual groups (variety of spiritual practices associated with the main faith-based groups). (Chapter 4 last para): If we want to save sacred groves, we must save the people who belong to them. But if we want to save those people, we must save the land people belong to–the two are interconnected. Rather than more technological breakthroughs, we need a homecoming that requires more local knowledge, a more competent and empowered citizenry, and more reflection on what is important and what is not. And if we are to save both people and land, solutions must be local and the work local, with, one hopes, political and policy support. What have sacred trees and groves got to do with peace, education, health and reconnecting with nature? In our contemporary world, we are increasingly separated from nature, despite our dependency on it. We desperately, though we may not realize it, need ways to reconnect, respect and understand the wisdom and peace that emanates from nature. For example, people are least happy at work or sick. People are happier outdoors in green natural habitats than in urban environments. Children bond with nature by being present and innocent. (Chapter 8 last para): Many sacred trees and groves have existed for hundreds and thousands of years. Some ancient sacred trees and groves predate religious beliefs and the cultures of the people living in and around them. Most predate the formal the Protected Area movement. We can learn from these sentinels of bygone ages. Such areas contribute to our spiritual and material sustenance and development. They are an important source of biodiversity and can be a basis for restoration to promote connectivity. In addition, they can be an important means to convene for greater tolerance, conflict resolution, and for peace. They offer us a locale and provide examples of how we can cope with nature deficit disorder in our education systems and urban landscapes. This is why we need to recognize and respect how important sacred trees and sacred groves are, irrespective of our race, color, creed or nationality.