An Urgent Request From The Trees

A couple years ago, I had the opportunity to stand in the center of a cathedral of Ancient Redwoods and facilitate a group of 100 or so people through a process of deep connection with these incredible beings. Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing, no script, just a desire to be a service in building a bridge to help the trees communicate how they experience time, what they have witnessed, how they communicate with each other and the world.

It was a beautiful experience for me, for the participants, and, I hope, for the trees. You can experience a version of it for yourself here.

I thought of that experience yesterday when I read that France is going to kill over 1,500 Ancient Oaks, over 52 acres of trees, to restore the roof and spire of Notre Dame.

The news punched me in the gut.

Was the fire at Notre Dame a tragedy? Absolutely.

Should the cathedral be rebuilt? Surely.

Are there ways to do it that do not involve the slaughter of ancient beings who cannot speak for themselves? Hell yes.

The fact that this is coming from France, where the Paris Accords were adopted in 2015, feels not insignificant.

Navigating the climate crisis is about much more than new technologies, managing emissions, and sustainable practices. We also have to acknowledge that much of the damage that has been done to the planet, including the accelerated extinction of countless species. grows from a root-level belief that humans are superior to nature and that nature is here to be a resource for our species.

That belief has led us to plunder the Earth’s resources.

It lies at the foundation of extractive capitalism, many systemic inequities, and countless wars over natural resources.

It’s poisoning our waters, rattling the Earth, and decimating our ecosystems.

We can reduce our carbon footprint as much as we want, but as long as we and our governments believe that sacrificing 52 acres of trees to rebuild a roof is acceptable, nothing will shift. The trees will die. The hundreds of other creatures who rely on those trees for sustenance and housing will die. But at least Notre Dame will have a roof built using outdated designs and techniques appropriate to a different age.

The reconstruction of Notre Dame presents a huge opportunity to embrace a new way of being. What if this landmark were reimagined as a bridge between the Old and the New? Preserving the building and incorporating new approaches that advance sustainability, truly embracing a belief system that acknowledges the value of other-than-human beings. What if the Cathedral became a beacon leading the world into a new relationship with nature?

We’ll never find out if the current plan moves forward.

It’s urgent: they’ll be killing the trees by the end of March. So let’s see if we, collectively, can help the trees be heard and be a bridge between their ancient wisdom and the modern world:

1. If this resonates, please join over 3,000 people from all over the world in signing the petition at www.change.org/saveancientoaks

2. Visit savetheancientoaks.netlify.app to learn more about the Oaks and how to get involved.

3. Share this info on Social Media or, even better, directly with folks in your world who are interested in a viable future for all beings.

Thank you for reading!