Multiple factors play into the decisions we make for our trees, and often, fear is a main player. Terrifying “what ifs” rule public thinking and end up becoming the catalyst for action, namely tree removal, and it is seen as normal by most. “It’s just one tree” is commonplace reasoning. With a population nearing 123,000, if each Ann Arbor resident used this logic, we would no longer be Tree Town.

Trees are living beings with flaws just as humans possess, but they are only flaws when seen through the lens of humanity. For instance, say an oak loses a large limb. It decays over the course of 15 years, and is now a home for a family of opossums that are working to lower tick populations. Fallen debris like leaves and twigs can become free fertilizer, or homes for butterflies, moths, and native bees that pollinate our crops. Instead of a hindrance, these events should be considered a feature bringing positivity to the environment, of which, trees are likely the dominating feature. When we scale out and remind ourselves of how trees naturally exist, in communities as harbingers of life, our perspective for what they’re capable of achieving widens. Oxygen, birdsong, blissful shade, frogs chirping, stormwater management, leaves rustling in the wind, cicadas booming…The silence a tree offers is no longer quiet when you consider the many voices that will disappear with its demise.

Protection of biodiversity starts on the micro level of your backyard, and the smallest contributors are part of the web that supports you, neighbors, and our collective way of life. Humans can and should take steps to preserve their trees instead of jumping to removal. Complimenting your neighbor on their beautiful trees brings a sense of pride and may alter how they view them. Doing decay testing around a cavity can inform us on how to mitigate its risk. Cable installation or weight load reduction pruning can be implemented to reduce the likelihood of branches failing into important areas. Moving a target can even eliminate risk in some cases. Is it possible to shift our collective mindset to see the positive aspects of trees before giving into the annoyance they may cause, and preserve what others may choose to destroy? I believe yes. Robin Wall Kimmerer reminds us, “We are not passive recipients of the Earth's gifts, but active participants in its well-being, and our job is to return the gift in equal measure for what we take".

There are times when tree removal is necessary. However, when fragmentation of nature and its processes is constantly occurring, we need to find harmonious ways to bring it back into our daily lives. Our community can make a difference by changing the psychology of what we consider “normal” when facing conflict with our trees. Contact Guardian Tree Experts to talk with an arborist who understands and loves trees, who is willing to offer solutions that improve the relationship you have with yours.