I’m a Stumpy.

I know what you’re thinking. “Well, Jeff you are excessively short and somewhat stocky. Tell us something we don’t know!” 

Guilty as charged.

Sure I’m that, but I’m referring to being a graduate of the College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry at Syracuse University. Our NY State University Forestry School occupied a tiny niche on the massive Syracuse University campus. Those rich kids at SU referred to us as “Stumpies.” We couldn’t do much about the name calling since there were too many of them and not many of us. 

The Forestry School was a mish-mash of styles, personalities  and educational opportunities. Students could earn a degree to Forest Engineering, Forest Zoology, Landscape Architecture, Paper Science and Resources Management. I received a BS in Resources Management which was the generic Forestry degree for those who would rather drink beer, cut classes and go to concerts than spend time studying. (I’m smarter now than I was then.) However, this doesn’t mean I don’t care about Environmental Sciences and Forestry. I do! I’m a self proclaimed tree hugger. In fact, I went so far as to have a mural of a deciduous tree painted on my dormitory wall. (BTW. The last name of the artist was Forrester. We are still friends on Facebook.)

Fast forward past graduation and my first haircut in four years. In 1978 that degree in Forestry was my one-way ticket out West. The reason? I found employment with the US Forest Service. 

OK, by now you’re getting my point. I love trees and the places they grow and not grow. In other words open Public Spaces! 

In December of 2019, the San Juan Mountain Association newsletter contained a blurb concerning the local US Forest Service District’s program for “gifting” seedlings. Interested parties (like me) could buy a potentially fully grown tree at $2/seedling. Gretchen the Forester would then send the lucky recipients a certificate stating so many seedlings would be planted in their honor. I sort of went wild and gifted seedlings for a green future to my nephew’s children and a multitude of my friends birthdays. I even bought seedlings for an avid birder. I told her, the trees would provide future flocks with a place to roost. 

BUT! This touchy feel good moment wasn’t done yet. Gretchen informed me, I could volunteer to plant them in April 2020. Then along came Covid and like everything else the event was cancelled. That’s the bad news. The good news was the planting event was rescheduled in commemoration of Earth Day 2021. I signed on right away.

It was a chilly, dreary morning when dozens of forester wannabes ascended to the Hermosa Creek campground. Our goal was to stick 900 Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir seedlings into the ground. The site chosen was at the infamous 416 Fire of 2018. I used the term infamous because most likely a Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge train ignited the 54,000 acre flaming mess with an errant coal spark. The D&SNG denied culpability. The US Forest Service thought otherwise. The Feds are seeking 25 million in damages.The lawsuit is still moseying through the courts. 

Enough fire history, back to planting. 

Event Coordinator Amanda from Mountain Studies Institute thanked us all for being there. She made introductions and laid out the very reasonable ground rules. Gretchen the Forester was on hand for a quick teach in planting seedlings. It involved a menacing looking tool called a hoedad. 

With little fanfare we grabbed a satchel of seedlings and a heavy hoedad. Up the trail we went fanning out over the burnt out matchstick forest. I chose to work alone. I wanted to spend some quiet quality time with my green children before abandoning them to the elements. With each planting I made the sign of the Star of David over the little one. Then for good measure I added “Live Long and Prosper.” 

With each hole I dug, I thought about the people I bought these seedlings for.

I also thought how my final remains (placed on Handies Peak) will have scattered in all cardinal directions before this seedling achieved cordwood size. I’m OK with that. 

After all 900 seedlings were in their new homes, the volunteers and staff scattered too.

A few hours later Amanda reached out to all.

“Thanks for all your hard work and for braving the weather! We really got lucky that it didn’t snow on us very much and there was practically no wind! The storm really dumped almost immediately after we got out of there, watering all of our little trees! 

Sincerely thank you for being a part of this truly awesome community event!”

Plant a tree. It’s good for your soul.

Cheers!

Jeff