Harmony Susalla
Harmony Art

"Trees Talk" won the Sierra Club (Sonoma and Mendocino Groups) award at the Environmental Art exhibit at the Gualala Arts Center in September. This is a description of the exhibit "Trees Talk".

Walking along a path behind the Gualala Arts Center, a short way down the hill towards the Gualala River, you find a ring of large redwood stumps and smaller living redwoods. The ground is covered with a deep layer of duff. As you enter the stillness of the ring, a voice that sounds like an old man somewhere within the trees begins to speak.......

"Hello! Did you know that trees are the longest living organisms on Earth?

My relatives were here in what you refer to as the Jurassic age - 160 million years ago. It amazes me that we have survived for so long.... As a Redwood tree, our average life span 2,500 years. In 1850 people started logging and now only 4% of my old friends are still around. What's our secret?

Here you some things you can learn from a Redwood Tree:

1. When the wind blows, hang on to your friends, family and neighbors - Our thousands of small roots create an underground web that allows us to hold onto each other and withstand violent windstorms.

3. Let go of what is no longer useful - We lose one third of our foliage every year! We don't whine or cry. We know that the little plants beneath our canopy will use them. They will create homes for small critters and ultimately create mulch and nutrients for our continued growth.

4. Don't give up! - Getting knocked down can be the best thing that ever happened to you. When we get knocked down, we continue to grow. Each standing limb turns into its own tree! Our established roots can make all sorts of adjustments to keep us growing.

5. When in doubt, grow up. We don't struggle with decisions about where to go... we grow up, and if something gets in our way, we grow around it.

This is but a VERY short list of advice from a tree who has seen nations come and go, was here before Christ, and who hung out with the dinosaurs. We have much more to teach those willing to listen. So, I challenge you to take a moment, quiet your own voice and mind and listen to your elders.... what do you hear?"