Redwoods, part 1:  Fairy Rings and Cathedrals

As the nights grow longer and the year draws to a close, it’s natural to think “legacy thoughts”. What do we have to show for the year? What do we hope to seed for the future?

Dear friend and fellow biomimic Victoria Keziah recently reminded me of the inspiration of the redwood tree. Here are a few tidbits:

If you chop down a redwood, the roots survive and encircle the dead stump with a ring of new shoots called a Fairy Ring.  As these new trees grow up and up, the ring is called a Cathedral.

And, the roots of redwoods are surprisingly shallow, often only six feet deep and yet the trees can tower to thirty stories high, because each tree’s root system grows outward to weave together with its neighbors.

As we approach the new year, I’m reassessing my roots, hoping that they maintain vitality to inspire new life, and connection to inspire new heights.

Here’s to self-renewal, and to interdependence!

Redwoods part 2 will follow next week, with a glorious ode to redwoods from Victoria.