Everyone know it's windy
In just a few hours, Mother Nature did more to thin Chico’s urban forest than years of ax-wielding humans could ever accomplish. We think we’re such big news when it comes to tampering with the environment, but our ferocious climate can sometimes make our efforts look puny.
The worst wind storm I’ve seen in my 10 years in Chico exposed the dangerous relationship that exists when you put lots of people, houses, cars and trees close together. Fortunately, most of the trees fell straight to the ground, missing structures and people.
The theme of this year’s Chico Icons show at Avenue 9 Gallery is trees. One of the points the exhibit makes is that, almost uniquely in the world of living things, trees have a mystique of durability and agelessness. Redwoods and bristlecone pines can live for thousands of years.
But trees are as much a symbol of fragility as they are of permanence. Just look at all the fallen giants from last week’s storm. They towered above Chico’s buildings and people. Suddenly, they’re on their way to becoming part of the soil. They’ll nurture tomorrow’s trees.
When the downed branches have been cut up and carted away, we’ll forget about the trees that stood on those spots. Instead, we’ll look upon trees that their now-toppled neighbors had been blocking from view. The sun will shine in spots that were shady, encouraging saplings to mature into strapping specimens. In time, they will age. Some of them will have to be cut down before they get very far into their dotage — generating heated protests. Chicoans sure do love trees — each and every one of them.
But to me, trees come and trees go. I don’t mind this as long as the basic fabric of Chico’s urban forest is preserved.