2024.10.30 A Lament for the Trees

A whole local ecosystem in Tullahoma was just destroyed. For progress? For growth? The ecosystem I refer to was the one on Jackson St., next door to Hwy55, across from McAlister’s, where previously there was a whole network of oak trees whose roots intertwined with fungal mycelia to inter-communicate for the betterment of the whole ecosystem. They had had some rough times in recent years as the houses there were removed and damages incurred, but now, everything is gone. Wiped off the face of the planet. And for what? Apparently, for the wonderful human economic development we now push as our God that apparently cannot – does not on purpose? – want to acknowledge that the support system that Nature provides to all life on Earth – including humanity – is the most important focal point that our business-as-usual mindset should be including in ALL decision making at ALL times.

Unfortunately, this economic development and grow-at-all-cost mindset that is deemed the highest good for mankind is powered by private ownership, which in our not too distance past included other human beings as property. Private ownership beliefs do not have to include a consideration of what is best for the common good before deciding what to do with what they own: for them, the best for the common good is economic only. Why can’t owners see that they are really stewards and custodians of God’s creation instead of would-be controllers of God’s creation?

All this might not have been so bad if while that decision was made that completely destroy an ecosystem that there was another mechanism in place to ensure that that ecosystem’s capacity was bolstered up somewhere else locally that would help maintain a balance in Nature. Tennessee has rules in place in the case of wetland destruction that protects the value of wetlands so that if destruction must take place their lost capacity is offset somewhere else, but we don’t have codes or the mindset currently in place that would treat all of nature that way: private ownership Trumps nature’s balance. Remember the beautiful oak trees along Atlantic St. before TUB cut them down to install the inter-connect lines between the North and South electrical substations? For the most part, we promote the mindset of Anthropocentricism – what’s best for humans first, all else last.

The City of Tullahoma has a tree board and an arborist, but neither has the authority to intervene in private affairs, but even if they did, any action they took would run contrary to economic development and the God of growth and would therefore be under great pressure to let business overrule Nature. Capitalism was designed that way; if you’re rich enough to own, you rule. Too bad for the supporting capacities Nature provides to all.

One last word. Mother Nature has always had and will continue to have the last word on things, and humanity’s Anthropocentric actions may run contrary to her last word: you can’t fool Mother Nature for long.

You can grieve now, if you want; lament the loss; cry about our ignorance.