Life as a City Tree: Observations from a Hackberry

When I grew up, I loved maple trees. Two grew in our front yard, and my oldest brother Gary tapped them, then boiled the sap down to the sweetest sugar. Now, more informed and a city dweller, I wondered how the under-appreciated trees feel about us. Here’s what I learned.

as told to David Stone

The Roosevelt Island Daily News

Your Average Urban Tree

Let’s face it, folks. I’ve been here a while. Like, “witnessed the rise and fall of payphones” while. Rooted in this concrete jungle, I, a humble hackberry (Celtis occidentalis, for you botany buffs), have seen it all. From the daily dog parade (complete with questionable fashion choices on the smaller breeds) to the never-ending construction ballet (performed entirely to the tune of pneumatic drills), life as a city tree is, well, interesting.

Now, I wouldn’t call myself a gossip (roots are deep, but not that deep), but I can’t help but eavesdrop on the daily human symphony. Let me tell you, it’s a cacophony of confusion and contradiction. Here’s what this weary bark has gleaned about your peculiar species:

• Obsessed with Speed, Yet Always Running Late: You humans are a blur of motion, scurrying about like ants with briefcases. Yet, for all this frantic rushing, you seem perpetually behind schedule. Is there a destination, or just the desperate need to appear busy?
• Masters of Technology, Slaves to Devices: You clutch those glowing rectangles like lifelines, constantly bombarded by a barrage of beeps and boops. Irony alert: you invented these contraptions for convenience, yet they seem to control you more than the other way around.
• Champions of Consumption, Champions of Waste: You build mountains of shiny things you barely use, then discard them with reckless abandon. Is there a bottomless pit in your basements, or are you simply terrible at Jenga?
• Prone to Strange Rituals: You gather in large groups, adorned in bizarre costumes, to cheer at oddly-shaped balls being thrown around. Then, you celebrate by consuming questionable hotdogs bathed in neon-colored condiments. Make it make sense, people.

Don’t get me wrong, there are moments of beauty. The way sunlight dances through my leaves, the laughter of children playing in the park – these are the things that make this concrete jungle bearable. But sometimes, I can’t help but wonder: are you even aware of the world around you?

• 20 questions your cat would never ask you, even if he could
• Where is the Roosevelt Island 9/11 Memorial Tree?
• The RIOC war on trees and the de-greening of Roosevelt Island
• Cherry Trees: Their Colorful History in America
• The RIOC War on Trees Claims a Century-Old Beauty on Main Street

Here’s a tip from your friendly neighborhood tree: take a deep breath, look up at the sky (not your glowing rectangles!), and appreciate the simple things. Maybe then, the symphony wouldn’t be so chaotic, and we could all coexist a little more harmoniously. After all, a healthy planet makes for a happier (and less noisy) neighborhood.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some photosynthesis to attend to. It’s a tough job being the green oasis in this concrete desert.

Finally…

Maybe, considering the viewpoint of a tree, you might see things a little differently too. Just maybe, you’ll take time to put your phone away, walk a little slower and look a little longer at what’s vying for attention all around you.