Why do we love trees?

Zocalo, a Getty Center talk moderated by Bob Sipchen, editor-in-chief, Sierra Magazine Magnificent trees in Kentucky (travelBBB.com)

Why Buddhism LOVES Trees -- Explained

It’s hard to overstate the significance of trees. They provide food, fuel, shelter, shade, beauty, cleaner air, and the raw material for charcoal, paper, and homes. Early manuscripts were printed on birch and beech; the ships that propelled explorers and armies were built from elms and oaks. But beyond their practical use, tress stimulate the spirit and imagination, carrying deep symbolic meaning. Seated in their shade, the Buddha found enlightenment, and Newton found gravity. Laurels meant victory for the Ancient Greeks and Romans; cedars signify revolution and independence for Lebanon; and palms and jacarandas convey the promise of Los Angeles. In conjunction with the Getty exhibition "In Focus: The Tree," Zócalo invites artist Jennifer Steinkamp, environmental studies professor Nalini Nadkarni, and farmer David Mas Masumoto to discuss the beauty and meaning of trees, and why we love them. More

How the talk went: The three participants on a panel called "Why Do We Love Trees" might be expected to have fairly simplistic relationships with the plants in question. READ MORE

Warming killing off trees in Western states (Los Angeles Times)

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