The Light Lens-Rising from the Ashes

• By T. Touris –

Over the past several years we’ve witnessed the ash trees in our valley succumb to the Emerald Ash Borer. We helplessly watched as the trees in the low-lying wetlands became bark-shedding skeletons; all the while knowing it wouldn’t be long before the majestic trees that reflect off of our pond would soon follow. Sadly, that time arrived this past year. These gentle giants deserved a better fate than the quick and violent application of the chainsaw. It’s cold comfort to think about the warm heat they’ll provide next winter. 

But hope springs eternal. Ash are one of those trees, perhaps considered a weed tree, that stubbornly send out new shoots from their stumps. There are ash colonies in the United Kingdom that have been providing firewood and other woodland products for centuries. Every 10 to 12 years these shoots, which grow to five or six inches in diameter, are sustainably harvested (coppiced), with the old stump sending out new shoots the next year.

We are going to do our best to keep some of these ashes around, with the hope that in the future nature will find a way to ease their plight. In the meantime, we’ll also be planting some birch, maple and oak friends to keep them company. Despite the quick demise of the ash trees, it’s heartening to view aerial photos from just 60 years ago that show the area as cleared farmland. We’re looking forward to watching and taking a small part in the next chapter of life in this beautiful valley.