Ontario Nature Youth Challenge

Behind every tree...

by Marie-Claude
Grade 8, Tweed Hungerford Senior School, Roslin

“What are you talking about Miles? The tree doesn’t care if I kick it!”

“Yes it does care Mel! If that tree dies, that’s one less to help us breathe!” Miles stated while grabbing his friend and pulling him away from harming the tree.

“So what? Look! There’s more tree’s around here anyways!” Mel laughed.

The two friends were on a trip to the prairies together. Mel Tyson originally was a city boy, and Miles Ray as well.

Miles knew everything from reading so much, that was one of his favourite past times. While Mel only knew things from reading the books in the school library during detention to keep him awake. And those books were usually adventure or comedy…like comics.

He got loose of Miles’ grip and started kicking the tree again, trying to knock it down even though it was a large oak tree that seemed ancient.

Soon enough one of the teachers that brought them for the week’s trip came up behind Mel and pulled him away.

“What are you doing kicking my tree,” he snarled.

“Y-your tree Professor Yggdrasill,” Miles gulped.

Professor Yggdrasill nodded.

“I lived here before I moved to where I currently lived. I planted this during my adolescence, like you two.” He let out a soft sigh then touched the tree lightly with his left hand after letting Mel go.

“But, you only look in your twenties Professor, while this tree is very old, over 500 years old I say.” Miles guessed.

“Ah…one million four thousand six hundred and twenty-three to be exact,” Profession Yggdrasil smiled.

“You can’t be that old Yona.” Mel smirked while using his teacher’s first name.

Yona made no difference in talking when Mel said his first name.

“You two are not leaving this area till you learn something about how much this simple but old tree means to everyone around here. Converse with old Taylor. I’m sure he’s just the same as he was when I planted him, young and cheerful.”

As Yona started walking away, the tree seemed to wake up. Miles and Mel jumped back, unsure of what to do with the tree.

“Uh, h-hello?” Miles muttered sitting under the tree and looking up through the branches. Mel sat beside him and echoes what he said, but firmer, and more joyful.

“Hello!” Mel laughed up at the tree.

“Hello there young ones!” Taylor seemed to smile back.

Miles jumped with surprise at the trees sudden voicing ability.

A young girl smiled from up in the tree. “My name is Sarah. I’m Taylor’s wood Nymph, I take care of him.”

The two boys stayed silent.

“Well, if you two need to know about how much nature means to us. I can have you guys gone in a day. All you have to do is listen to me.” Sarah said, softly landing in front of them.

They both nodded.

Sarah began slowly. “The forests are great vast amounts of land smothered in nature, trees, insects, rocks, animals, and soil. If we care for the Earth, it cares for us, and when we hurt it, we are really hurting ourselves.”

“In wilderness is the preservation of the world. As ecosystems collapse, so do local and national economies and cultures.”

“The global problems that we face today, as Albert Einstein insisted, cannot be solved by the same consciousness that caused them in the first place. When we all care for the world, the universe will cease to be seen as a collection of objects, but as a communion of subjects. Get it,” she said.

Both boys nodded, agreeing to what she said. They learned much more than they thought.

Sarah returned up Taylor.

“So, what did you boys learn?” Yona asked returning.

Both boys spilled out everything that Sarah had told them to Yona. The man smiled, he was plainly pleased.

“Very well, both of you can go.”

After the boys walked away, Sarah popped her head down to see Yona.

“See, I told you it would work,” she grinned.

“I never doubted you Sarah, never did…”

Ontario Nature gratefully acknowledges Dow Chemical Canada Inc. for sponsoring the Ontario Nature Youth Challenge Essay Writing Contest.