NATURE-AND MAN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 19 December 1936, Page 4

NATURE-AND MAN

JOYCE KILMER—NATURE LOVER A WORTHY MEMORIAL (Edited by Leo. Fanning) The memory of Joyce Kilmer, a lovable American poet, will be kept green' in a “temple of trees,” the Kilmer Forest, in North Carolina, a national sanctuary dedicated to the gifted nature-lover, whose best-known poem is Trees.” I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast. A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain.' Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree. In “American Forests” Elizabeth Pitt gives worthy words to Joyce Kilmer. "The forest consecrated to the memory of Kilmer will be a place where every type of human being may come and depart with a richer knowledge of the deeper shades of living,” she writes. “Here there will be no ostentation. Beneath a great tree in popular cove there is a granite boulder which Nature has decorated with soft lichens of yellow-green. On this ancient stone Kilmer's soldier com- ! rades have placed a small bronze plaque, perhaps not more than twenty inches square, with these simple words: ‘Joyce Kilmer, 165th Infantry, Rainbow Division Soldier and Poet, Author of “Trees.” ‘Born in New Brunswick, New .Jersey, 6th Decem-

ber, 1886. Killed in Action in France, 30th July, 1918.’ “No tall monuments but the living trees. No relics but the wild creatures of the woods. Even though centuries pass, this memorial will not grow old. Ageless time will not bring about its passing. Every year time’s ravages will be repaired from 'the earth's sweet flowing breast.’. Hoary trees that have worn unnumbered nests of robins in their hair may fall before a lightning bolt or from sheer age, but others, loftier and lovelier, will take their places. Undisturbed by man, Nature will make this temple of trees a special charge. The beauty of the wild flowers . will attain enchantment. The birds and animals, which give the forest life and warmth, secure forever from harm, will instinctively seek this place as an earthly haven where they may raise their young with none but natural enemies I to fear. When man does appear in this small kingdom of Nature, his forest friends will know no terror. Songbirds, secure in their leafy perches, will trill their loveliest woodland arias. Surely no form of memorial would appeal more to Joyce Kilmer—quiet lover of the good earth.”

On a smaller scale New Zealand has some memorials of that kind.

NATURE CLUBS FOR YOUNG FOLK fclood progress is being made in America with nature-study outings for boys and girls. Recently the Colorado Mountain Club, which encourages the preservation of forests, flowers and wild life, invited school pupils to write slogans on conservation of natural resources. Here are two of the best:—• “Fires are such fun to make, But wouldn’t you hale to sec them take Our trees, that stand so tall and strong, And flowers that grow so very long?” “God was loving and gave us flowers I To make them grow He gave us I showers; ! Since God - was kind and gave us them, We should leave them on their stem.” The trees, shrubs, rocks and flowers along the Club’s nature trail in Fort Collins Mountain Park are labelled. That is a helpful hint for similar action in suitable places in New Zealand. AMERICAN FORESTRY CONFERENCE The need of a more intensive educational programme, in all phases of conservation was recognised by the reI cent conference of the American Forestry Association, and a programme I enlisting the active interest of States, j counties, communities and individuals was urged. In this direction it was recommended that the teaching of conservation in the public schools should be immediately considered by State educational agencies. The conference expressed its unanimous belief that primitive forest areas should be preserved and that, where necessary, roads into wilderness areas should be placed to restrict their use to administrative purposes only..

GIGANTIC REDWOODS Although not as long-lived as the big tree nor as great in girth, the redwood grows to a greater height than any other 'American tree. On flats under good.conditions it grows to be 350 feet high and from twenty to twenty-seven feet in diameter. The oldest redwood found during investigations by the Forest Service was twenty-one feet in diameter and 1,373 years old. Another tree fifteen feet in diameter and 270 feet high, described by Prof. Dudley, was 2,171 years old. Accurate ring counts cannot be made without destroying the tree, but it is assumed that redwoods 300 feet high and twenty feet or more in diameter may approach an age of 2,000 years. Most of the redwoods cut in commercial operations are from 400 to 800 years old. Those are from three to ten feet, in diameter, and 200 to 275 feet tall. A CHILD AND A SEA-GULL Some folk were strolling on the Wellington waterfront the other day. A girl of about four years, who was in the party, saw a beautiful seagull perched on a bollard. Eagerly she toddled ahead in a hope that the bird would allow her little chubby hands to stroke it. However, the gull rose up, and slowly .fluttered its wings. “Oh. it’s gone!” said the little girl. “But it waved ta-ta.”