Guest Post by Anne S.

There is a tree in my backyard that is not very old.  It is maybe around 30 or 40 years.  It is a lovely tree that is perfect for climbing.  When I was a young child and very ambitious, I would often climb this tree, but never too high, for I have always been afraid of heights.  I have also broken quite a few bones, so I could never be too cautious.

In reality, this tree isn’t very special. It has green leaves that change colors in the fall, just as regular trees do.  It has birds that live in it, just as other trees do.  It has welcoming branches that beg to be climbed, just as most trees do.

I have often climbed this tree just to sit and listen to the wind rustle the leaves, the birds chirp, and my neighbor mow his lawn (as I believe he does just about every day).  I have read many books in this tree; I have had many scrapes from this tree; I have watched many birds living in this tree.

Why is this tree so special?  Well, it really isn’t.  It was an easy tree for me to climb as a little girl, so that is the tree I chose to climb in.  It has a sturdy trunk, multiple branches, and a surplus of leaves.  It is just an ordinary tree, but it is my tree, that I love dearly.

Guest Post by anonymous

Ever since I was a young child, I have loved nature. My summers were always spent running around outside and exploring the amazing natural world around me. My parents own a cabin, and my dog and I used to always run around, looking for animal tracks, cool plants, and interesting bugs. There was a tree on our property that had died long ago, from a lightning strike, I expected.

Whenever I saw that tree, there were birds, squirrels, and bugs running up and around the tree. I think I forgot that that tree was even dead, because the wildlife inhabiting it made up for its lack of life. That tree inspired me to write one of my first ever poems “The Tree of Life”.

Nature and the environment are so important to me. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the busy life of the suburbs or the city, but when I’m with nature, I can forget about all of that and just relax. Everything in nature has beauty, and I think we all need to find and embrace that beauty and serenity.

It concerns me that all of that natural environment is shrinking, becoming office buildings and shopping centers. I think it is important that we don’t pollute our environment with harmful chemicals, and trash our environment with things people are too lazy to pick up.

People need to raise awareness of this problem, and of how great nature is. Through connections to the environment, and blogs like these, I think that can definitely happen.