abdulkazi
Registered: December 2009
City/Town/Province: Princeton Junction
Posts: 1
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John Muir, America's most famous and ardent preservationist once said “God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools.” Trees are the quintessence of nature, they provide beauty with their flowers, they provide sustenance with their fruit, and they provide security to animals and humans alike. However, in this day and age not only have humans lost their love for nature but we have started to destroy it by stripping the Earth of its resources, trees included. The environment isn't cared for enough, we take and take from the Earth's natural resources but very rarely do we give back. So when I decided to plant some trees and give function and form to a desolate area of mulch in my front yard, I knew that planting a few Rhododendrons would not fix global warming or solve the problems caused by lack of trees, however, I did know that it was my responsibility to give back to Mother Nature and through my efforts and the efforts of others we could collectively make our planet a little greener.
Rhododendron canadense are beautiful flowering shrubs that are native to New Jersey, in the spring the plant produces beautiful pink flowers that can be seen from quite a distance. Though the plant can be found in the wild, the deciduous shrub was a perfect fit for my front yard. The trees were placed right next to a Redbud already in my front yard and they match perfectly. However, though I was happy that the trees looked great I realized that my excitement wasn't coming from the beauty of the trees but the fact that I had made a decision to help our planet and that my actions made a difference. That if by planting three flowery shrubs in my own yard I brought beauty and life to a patch of land, together with my neighbors, friends, and family we could bring life to our entire town, and eventually we all could enliven all of our surroundings. It may take time and effort, but Wilderness Project introduced me to the importance and the fun of giving back to Planet Earth, and that I could introduce others as well. As those rhododendrons grow and flourish they will remind me that a few hours work on a breezy Sunday afternoon grew into a project that not only brought freshness to my yard but to my soul as well.
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