Trees run for the woods

Just more than 15 kilometres a decade. That is what has scientists completely stumped. If you have no idea what I am referring to with this pun: that is the distance American trees are migrating at. Yep. The trees are migrating.

In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, where the novelist uses animals on a farm to reflect on events leading up to the 1917 Russian Revolution and the Stalin era of the Soviet Union, the unthinkable becomes the norm as the animals – who can talk – take over a farm and declare that all animals are equal.

Maybe in the difficult times we find ourselves (discriminatory travel bans, intercontinental nuclear tests on a regular basis and the obligatory cyberattack), instead of talking animals, we should be listening to the trees.

Do you know how difficult it must be for a tree, firmly rooted to the ground, to move away from a problem? I have quite a history with trees, so let me school you.

We bought our current house about four years ago, and in that time, wifey and I have paid thousands of rands to our garden service for tree felling, clearing of roots and the general cleaning of the yard because of leaves. As much as I wish for it, these trees have not moved an inch, as no migration seems to be taking place at all.

Then I realised that at our house, we open the doors for people of all backgrounds, races and creeds. We also do not threaten any of our neighbours with any weapons, and we not attempt to hack into anyone’s computer either. (However, I must say that I have used one of my neighbours’ WiFi, as it did not have a password. I think the UN Treaty of ’88 allows this, though.) No wonder our trees are not going anywhere.

We really are living in tough times when the trees are trying to get away from us as humans. Trees are pretty much trying to avoid us like we do the front row at a stand-up comedy event, because we know what is coming. The world is at a tense standoff, with ultimatums being issued from the US to Qatar.

Luckily, we have a secret weapon that can delay the migration of trees, and his name is Nelson Mandela. This is the type of man who was so influential when he was alive that if he had been a musician, he would be one of those people who make more money in their deaths than they did alive. That is because he left a legacy.

As we anticipate International Nelson Mandela Day on the 18^th of July, let us try and get the trees back by doing our bit for others. Whether this is knitting the world’s largest jersey or handing out blankets to the homeless, let us remember that we need each other on all levels.