Save Our Sacred Trees

This last week, I met the most wonderful sacred trees. I came to visit them because they are in grave danger, and the Long Island Conservancy was asked to help.

The Sacred Beech Tree

Last week I came to visit a sacred beech in Southampton at The Shinnecock Nation. The tree is being threatened by the fact that a natural gas line is being run right alongside this 300+ year old tree, and no doubt, some of its roots have already been severed in the construction.

Beech Leaf Disease: Another Threat to The Sacred Beech

This is more than about one “Sacred Tree.” As it happens, The American Beech itself is under grave threat from “Beech Leaf Disease, a new disease caused ultimately by a nematode that comes from Japan. It is killing or damaging a large proportion of our beeches. This Sacred Beech, 300+ years old, seems unaffected thus far. As an ancient tree too, it also serves an important ecological purpose. It is likely a Mother Tree, one that through it’s roots, rhizomes, and mycorrhizal fungi communicates, organizes and nurtures the forest around it.

“The Public Has a Right To Know”

Too often projects are approved without consulting residents. The reason of course is if the public knew, there’d be a good chance they would delay or deny whatever is being planned. At that point, people need to show up, organize, and reclaim their rights as citizens. In the case of The Shinnecock, this is more than that. It’s a matter of national sovereignty.

The tribe organized a protest, calling for a work stoppage, and ideally a rerouting of the pipe away from their sacred tree. The tribe was never consulted on the laying of this gas pipe. Likewise, the National Grid work crew in their planning were indifferent to the fact that running the pipe so close to the tree would create problems.

Heritage Trees and Mother Trees

We don’t have a lot of 300+ year old trees on Long Island. The British denuded Long Island’s ancient forests in colonial times to build ships and for fire wood, just as they had in Ireland. It is crucial that we protect the few that survived this era. The Shinnecock Nation has called for their Sacred Beech to be designated as a “Heritage Tree,” one that would be protected and preserved for future generations.

Perhaps the Sacred Beech, as a Mother Tree, is better able to resist the nematode, and the opportunistic fungal infection that comes with it. We have in fact noticed in the field that the beeches most affected were otherwise surrounded by non-natives, and the ones that were doing the best were growing within an otherwise healthy forest.

Restoring Tribal Land And Recovering A Culinary Heritage

The Long Island Conservancy will be working with The Shinnecock Nation to support the well being of this Sacred Tree, but also for the benefit of all the trees and plants on the reservation, which covers 800 acres. We will map it via drones, and work with the tribe to remove invasive plants while planting native.

The Sacred Beech Deserves a Hug!

The tribe’s emphasis will be on ethnobotany — what should be growing here? What traditional meals could be made from what is grown? The tribe’s new Cultural Affairs Director and her team is very excited to get going. If nothing else, The Sacred Tree drew us all together!