Trees, Trees, Trees

I love trees.

I am endlessly fascinated with their sizes, shapes, colors and blooms. I love watching their branches sway in the breeze. I love the way sunlight filters through their leaves and the way they cast shade and shadows around them. I love the scents of trees, whether from blooms or their heady scents on rainy days.

There is a Japanese practice called shinrin-yoku, which means “bathing in the forest atmosphere.” I learned about this concept several years ago and love to spend time in the forest hiking, admiring the trees. There are tremendous health benefits from forest bathing. It can boost our immune systems, reduce blood pressure and help with depression. However, the nearest forest is a 45 minute drive from where I live, so I am limited as to the number of times I can do a full forest immersion.

A couple years ago, I decided to experiment with the idea of forest bathing to see if I could replicate the benefits closer to home, with far fewer trees. Since I typically go for a walk each morning, I started hugging trees, looking up through the trees, purposely gazing at the swaying of the branches for periods of time, and closing my eyes and smelling the up- close and personal scents of trees. My experiment, which has become a regular practice, does indeed allow me to feel the calming effects associated with forest bathing. I immediately feel calmer, more relaxed. I find myself using the practice when I am anxious or feeling stress from work. I can just walk outside and embrace a tree.

The benefits of forest bathing or tree hugging are just one of the amazing aspects of trees. Scientific studies have shown that also promote health and well being by reducing air pollution. Trees have the unique ability to remove carbon dioxide from the environment and produce oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Trees also provide shade, reduce ground temperatures, encourage social engagement and promote physical activity. They seem like little miracle workers.

Given all that trees offer, I find myself frequently wondering why so many of the trees where I live are being aggressively trimmed to the point that they cannot grow into a full canopy and provide the benefits of shade, temperature reduction and photosynthesis.

In truth, I don’t just find myself wondering why I see more and more of this, I find myself ANGRY. I don’t understand. I have written letters and been told that the trees are being trimmed according to accepted arborist standards. When I see trees trimmed like this, when they haven’t out grown their prior trim, I am saddened. I decided that rather than take on fighting my home owner’s association, the neighboring associations, the city in which I reside and the county- all of which I see engaging in this practice, I have found a forest restoration project to which I can donate trees. I feel better knowing there is a positive action I can take, rather than stewing in anger.

At BreatheWell, we are all about breathing. Trees are vital to the quality of oxygen around us, so rather than get caught up in anger and fighting a fight that seems un-winnable, that would require a tremendous amount of my energy focused on a negative, we are putting our energy into giving and growing trees. Because, we love trees. We love putting good energy into the world.