Should I Offer the Tree My Umbrella?

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Acid rain" is a broad term referring to a mixture of wet and dry deposition (deposited material) from the atmosphere containing higher than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids."

My husband and I noticed that quite a few of the evergreen trees were experiencing an unsightly disturbance to their normally green texture. The trees have taken on a sort of fungal appearance. We inquired about the trees and asked if it was a fungus. What the Park Ranger told us left us stunned.

"It is the affects of Acid Rain."

While water has a PH of about 7, acid rain can have a PH as low as 4 or 5. It is the result of human activity such as cars, trucks, industry, etc.

Honestly, I have pooh-poohed most of the environmental warnings although we are lovers of the outdoors and do our part to lower our carbon footprint. Seeing the devastating affects upon our beloved forest have raised the hairs on my arms.

The verse that came upon my heart are the words of Joyce Kilmer who wrote the poem, "Trees."

"I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree."

It is the verse towards the end that struck me, "intimately lives with rain."

If Mr. Kilmer were alive today, he would have to change the verse to read,

"intimately is slain by the rain."

Sources:

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/acidrain.html

http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what/

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/acidrain/2.html