500 Year Old Karri Tree ‘Has It’s Life Cut Short’
This story of this 500 year old Karri tree (view photo) unfortunately is a reality according to the online news that I read earlier today. Haven’t heard yet WHY?? It was cut down. If you think about yourself for just a minute and know that you are on this planet most likely for, less than 100 years. Could you then imagine, even contemplating ending the life of something that has been here for 5 times longer than yourself.
To put this into perspective, even on the minutest scale believe it or not (if you look at the bigger picture). This tree would have contributed to YOUR WELL BEING in some way, along with every single person on earth today. Including, the lungs full of fresh air that was NEEDED, to PROVIDE LIFE to make this ACTION POSSIBLE to the VERY PERSON/PEOPLE to CHOP it down.
This news story then reminded me of a song Leanne and I wrote in 2004 after I played at the Nannup music festival in WA (Western Australia). It has never been recorded, however I feel inclined to post the lyrics for you to read.
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To help paint some of the picture. This true story began when we stopped at a small gravel car park. To stand in wonder at our first sighting of WA ‘Karri Trees’. While there, we noticed behind us on the ground, just over the car park pine wood railing. What at first looked like a dead cow that had somehow had its head squashed flat? Then we quickly came to our senses, as this was bush land and miles away from any farm land. Then I saw a tail that was sort of thicker tiger stripped or banded and remembered a photo that I had at home of a ‘wobbegong shark’ (see photo, not mine another site) that was exactly the same. More shark photo’s here
So now we have two pieces, a head and a tail, where was the third piece, the body? Ah, that’s right, when you go fishing (which the coast was not far down the road from here) and you catch one, you only want to eat the middle bit and discard the head and tail. So it looks as if someone had gone fishing, then on their way home pulled into the car park and dumped the pieces of shark that were of no use to them. To see a dismembered shark in bush land!!! Was just the strangest contrasting moment for a long time, if ever?
Shark Amongst The karri Trees
This song is copyright(c)by Leanne Buckley and Russ Aimz 2004
We went for a drive through Margaret River
Where the people grow their vines and crush the grapes into wine
We waved our good-byes to the Indian Ocean
On a scenic trip through majestic trees its cooler there
The sun flickers between the leaves and the branches as we go by And we stopped our car on a bend
We stood there in awe of these trees
We could smell something rotting on the ground in the leaves
We couldn’t believe what we found
So far away from your home in the sea home in the seaWe saw a shark amongst the karri trees lifeless it lay
We saw a shark amongst the karri trees lifeless it lay
We saw a shark amongst the karri trees lifeless it lay
April 2009 update: Felled old-growth tree ’500 years old’ (This gum tree has had carbon dating test)
June 10th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
That’s an excellent analogy on the life of that tree. In a way, it reminds me of a storm we had almost two years ago, which damaged 90% of the trees in Buffalo. People began cutting down more than just the trees that were destroyed. We stood outside in front of our house and demanded that officials not cut down the maple tree in front of our house. Fortunately, they left it and it looks great.
…I hope you record the song. How great for you and Leanne to collaborate.
November 30th, 2008 at 12:35 am
Hi Leanne & Russ,
I’m a author/singer and song writer from Bethanga Victoria. I wrote and recorded a song a few years ago called ’500 years from now’. It’s been recorded on 3 CD’s including the brilliant Environmental choir, ‘Ecopella’ on their CD ‘songs in the key of Green’. I’d love to send you a copy of my song as a swop for your song. The song talks about the importance of planting seeds and nuturing the plants to benifit our future for the next 500 years as opposed to governments’ planning for the next 3 years… their vision is rarely beyond that……as trees from the past that helped us to be here now are cut down…we need to live for the vision of ’500 years.’
Peter Klein
December 1st, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Hi Pete..hopefully you’ll drop past again and read this. I replied via your email but it came back undelivered..so thought I’d better let you know as you’re probably unaware of this. Thanks for stopping by and reading Pete..all the best with your work with our trees.
December 12th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Hi Leanne and Russ,
Try my email again with .au on the end. I’m also working on a children’s book with similar themes. It’s coming along, hopefully ready for self publishing late next year. Cheers Pete K
November 29th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Looking for the song about the Nannup Tiger sung a few years back at the Nannup Music Festival. Any suggestions?
November 29th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Hi Margret!
Can’t say I’ve heard of that song? They have or used to have compilation CD’s of each artist. Perhaps the song is on one of those? Try contact someone at their Nannup website, about the CD’s. Good luck, hope you track it down.