Historically, when sailing vessels replaced all of their masts from the rainforest, none was missed. Mother Nature easily and quickly replaced the losses. The forests were sustainable. Today, laws prohibit such practices because that seemingly harmless tradition grew and spread into clear cutting in a race to make forestry products available to all. Now, the world's rainforests are fast becoming history. Some can think the problem through and wisdom is slowly replacing tradition. Reforestation projects are increasing.
Wisdom and Trees
Nothing to do with trees however, this story illustrates the differences between what we are told is correct and what we experience: Years ago Little Joey ignored his father's words of wisdom: "whenever you ride your bike wear shoes." Joey was just a "smart" kid. Now his big toe is as ugly as his father's ever was, he is not so smart, but he is wise. Joey, still with bandages, may have thought his friends weren't too smart when he repeatedly spoke his father's words: “Be careful: whenever you ride your bike wear shoes." However, barefooted, those smart kids would peddle away.
Much of what we learn from tradition may be bunk passed on, but wisdom is also founded in experience and tempered with time.
In “ The New Middle Ages ”, (The Older-and-Wiser Hypothesis), published May 6, 2007 in the New York Times, Stephen S. Hall wrote “the mere contemplation of a definition [of wisdom] is an irresistible exercise that says a lot about who we aspire to become over the course of a lifetime and what we value as a society.” It has only been in the last 30 years that finding the elusive definition of wisdom has resurfaced. It has been in the last 70 years that most of the forests have fallen to the tradition of clear cutting.
Tradition and Reforestation
Common sense tells us that people don’t repeat their actions in exactly the same way since that was before and with something learned we are never the same. Youngsters, however, travel their predecessors’ former timelines exactly as experienced. The paths they walk are so recognizable to others who have been there - the outcomes so apparent. But the outcome is not necessarily apparent to the immediate traveler, and when conveyed, not heard, especially over the sound of the chain saw.
Hall writes further that wisdom is not reserved for the elderly, although it is more prevalent in that group. Wisdom is occasionally found in the young, but not tempered with time, is seldom heard for what it is. Conversely, tradition passed down by many a senior is mistaken as wisdom and legitimized, but it may lead to dangerous results. Substantial and legitimate companies cut more and more trees.
Spreading wisdom to the smart ones is a never-ending task. NGO's and foundations - that add value to forests through their management services - reach the smart ones and use “money making” tactics to get and hold their attention in order to save trees. The “smart ones” may listen to the money solution while unwittingly producing a result that will be socially wise, changing from the tradition of reckless clear cut deforestation in favor of a wise solution of conservation, sustainable reforestation using biodiversified agroforestry.
Joseph Reynolds - Mr. Joseph J. Reynolds, MPP began his professional career in 1974 as a planner for the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council when ...
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