View From a Prairie Home

by Hege Hernfindahl, Columnist

Earth Day, April 22, was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970 to raise awareness for ecology and promote respect for the planet. It also is supposed to make us aware of the problems of pollution which affects our soil, water, air and even climate. Some people celebrate Earth Day at the time of the March equinox, so that planetary observations also could be part of the celebrations and observances. Maybe then, we should call it “Environment Day” or “Solar System Day.” But, I like “Earth Day” best.

The Earth; our world; the basis of life here. Nature. If I am stressed or sad, if I worry or fret, I am lucky enough to be able to simply go out my door and be in nature. Nature, where God can most easily be found for me. Nature to me is paradise. It is peaceful. It doesn’t rush me or ask anything of me, except that I respect it. For me, that is not hard to do, but then I am among the privileged few who live surrounded by nature. Most people, however, live in cities. In fact, in the U.S., according to the 2010 census, 83% lived in big cities and the number is expected to increase. And many of our urban friends, think we live in the “middle of nowhere.”

And here, it is not hard to celebrate Earth Day. We always do it the old-fashioned way: We plant trees. We do this, because we can and because we like trees. Trees also have numerous benefits beside their obvious beauty and habitat for wildlife. They absorb excess carbon dioxide while releasing oxygen back into the air. This combats climate change by cleaning the air of pollutant gases. Trees provide shade which cuts the need for running the air conditioner so much. Trees prevent water pollution by filtering rainwater before it enters the ground and they help hold the soil in place.

These are just the physical benefits of trees. Research shows that just watching trees makes patients with mental or physical injuries heal faster because view of nature reduces stress and takes the mind to a calm place.

And trees help foster imagination. My children played every day, during every season in our grove. They rode on fallen trees. They climbed trees where the branches were within easy reach. Their dolls became tree fairies and we still find little red and blue inch-long cowboys tangled in branches. And, of course, they attached swings of various shapes to suitable trees. Their favorite place to play was between three mature boxelders. Here, they made a spaceship and travelled to the moon. When the space ship landed, the boxelders provided a private place where they could discuss the profundities of childhood in peace.

And now, we have grandchildren. When they were young, which seems not very long ago, they would run around in the woods. They made a treehouse here and bright green clubhouse and several bridges built between neighboring trees. And below branches of conifers there are secret hiding places where they found native tribes, friendly monsters and all kinds of space creatures. They still enjoy our woods. But now, they mostly go there to hunt.

But most of the time, in our woods, there is just an old woman now. She often comes out of her house and walks with her old husband. And often we talk about the trees, which tree needs to go and where we will plant the new trees to take its place.