Their majestic branches stretch high and wide. At the end of each branch, it narrows to grasp a leaf. Each tree’s leaves have unique characters: long and pointy leaves remain sturdy and confident when the wind blows. Small delicate leaves dance in the breeze; their free spirits move with the challenging wind that surrounds them. No matter the size or shape, they each do their job well. As soon as the light reaches their face, they start the day’s work of turning warm sunlight into food for the tree.

Trees are a playground for animals and humans alike. Children, and the young at heart, find freedom and thrill climbing to reach the best vantage point. Birds seek rest in their nests that they have artfully crafted upon the branches. Below the canopy, creatures big and small find refreshment in the cool shade.

Trees also provide us with useful products like paper, pencils, cardboard, and furniture. Construction companies also clear groves of trees to lay the foundation for a new shopping center, apartment complex, or gym. Livestock industries clear forest to allow space to raise their animals. To provide these products and resources, these giants must fall. We do need to use trees to create products that enhance our daily lives, but we need to be good stewards of the planet in the process. Currently, our rate is not moving towards a sustainable future.

Trees are one of our planet’s life lines. According to a nonprofit organization called One Tree Planted, more than 121 natural remedies are found in the rainforest and can be used as medicine.  300 billion tons of carbon are stored in the Earth’s forests which regulate the global climate. When we remove trees, we don’t just take down a beautiful giant, but we alter the air’s filtration system, the building blocks for our soil, and a home for many organisms that play an important role in their ecosystem. When we clear forests, we are eliminating the chance to discover plants that can be used to fight diseases, and ecosystems that keep our planet thriving.

Groves of trees are disappearing rapidly within our community. A few days ago, I drove past a shopping center that was once hidden behind a beautiful grove of trees. Now, the land lays barren. Pieces of tree roots are scattered across the tilled soil. Not a bird is in sight, and the culprits stand in the open with their large claws bent towards the earth.

Call me a hippie, but trees bring peace to my soul. Their grandeur is profound. I am humbled by God’s power when I see the towering trees He has crafted. Each tree has a unique branch structure, pattern on its bark, and dance in the wind. It hurts my heart to see them go.