2. Introduction

The poem "Trees" by Shirley Bauer revolves around the importance of trees in the survival of human beings. The poet lists out the relevance of trees in the world. She also very sarcastically portrays the fact that human beings take it for granted. People cut trees for their own personal use, thereby contributing to harmful consequences like climate change in the planet. Earth and its inhabitants are hugely dependent on trees for survival.

 

The process of clearing away forests for bringing in an urban lifestyle or agricultural lands is called deforestation. In the early days, people lived a simple lifestyle, where they stayed as groups, cultivated their food and existed peacefully. But towards the \(1960s\), people started building separate living complexes, as they sought more privacy. They also started building more work spaces after the industrial revolution. Warehouses, mills, plants, and industries were established. In order to build these, people started clearing out forests and cutting trees. Although natural calamities like forest fires, landslides and floods can also cause deforestation, it is mostly accounted to human activities. This may also cause the destruction of the home of several animals living there. When humans enter their zone, the animals having no place to go, evades into the human territory.

 

Cutting trees may also lead to soil erosion. The roots of huge trees gives the soil an extreme strength. But when they are cut down, the soil becomes weak, leaving the area easily affected by floods or landslides. The most important effect of cutting trees is climate change. Trees store CO2, and when they are cut, a considerable amount of carbon-di-oxide is released into the planet, causing dangerous consequences. The poem is a wake-up call to the human race to preserve trees.