[CANUFNET] Mourning the trees in Arlington Woods, Ottawa ON

[Timothy Yeaman via CANUFNET]

Thank you Tracy for sharing, a beautiful and heartfelt poem ❤️

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 2, 2018, at 6:48 AM, Smith, Tracy via CANUFNET <canufnet at list.web.net> wrote:
> 
> I live in Ottawa and specifically, I live in Arlington Woods, one of the areas that was devastated by a tornado on September 21st. We are so thankful that our home was not affected, it has given my family time to help friends and neighbors clear debris from their home.
>  
> For those of you who are not familiar with Arlington Woods, it is a suburb of Ottawa and was built by Developer Robert Campeau between 1968 and 1980. It is like living in a forest, yet we can drive to Parliament Hill in 20 minutes – well at least it use to be anyway.
>  
> When Campeau designed the neighborhood, he did not cut down all the trees because they were in the way, instead the homes were built with these trees in mind. These trees were mainly white pine that were remnants of a large forest planted after a fire went through the area in 1870. Up until September 21st, these pines, along with large beech, oak and maples were in abundance, lining the streets of our beautiful sought after neighborhood.
>  
> Even amongst the vast amount of devastation and destruction to the many homes in the neighborhood, the residents, including those who were impacted are mourning the loss of the trees, especially the white pines that once towered over the homes. My neighbor, Gina Radic wrote this poem and she was thrilled when I asked if I could share it with the broader Forestry community. Hope you enjoy it, I thought it worthwhile to share with you.
>  
> To Those Who Mourn a Tree
> By Gina Radic
> Is it strange to mourn a tree,
> To shed my tears and softly weep?
> Would a stranger understand
> Why my feelings run so deep
> For a life, neither human
> Nor animal in form,
> But for which I cannot help
> But feel my heart, in two, is torn?
> Graceful giant that once stood
> Welcoming me home
> Now trunk and branches shattered,
> Like a giant broken bone
> A lawn that once was dappled
> By the sun’s game in its leaves
> The soothing swishing sound as
> Back and forth the branches weaved
> Feeding and protecting
> The squirrels I love to watch
> Gently cradling baby birds
> In their nest after they hatch
> Majestic sentinel that seemed
> To almost touch the sky
> Fond memories of my child
> From a limb, swinging high
> I’d lay my hand upon its trunk
> Before its sad demise
> I’d think of history witnessed
> And marvel at its size
> A century old spirit
> We settled on its land
> Lived and loved beneath its beauty
> This tree that was so grand
> All this is why I mourn a tree,
> Shed my tears and softly weep
> For its strength and grace now gone
> Leaving memories to keep.
>  
>  
> Tracy Smith, RPF
> Forester, Forest Management Unit
> City of Ottawa
> 2625 Queensview Drive
> Ottawa, ON K2B 8K2
> ' (613) 580-2424 ext | poste 43319 7 (613)580-2611 +tracy.smith at ottawa.ca
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> <image002.jpg>
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