Top image: Greg Walters/Creative Commons. All other photos by Alishea Galvin.
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Then there's the issue of liability. Without human intervention, which has only existed for the past hundred years, Burbage suspects that the tree would be doing just fine. But here we are—people!—and we want to see an old tree. As a consequence it becomes imperative that parts of the tree not fall. Some of its gargantuan limbs have been propped up on metal poles, while others are attached to wire cables. Burbage undertakes these supportive measures with the goal of minimal impact on the tree. Some interventions prevent potential stress and infection, but trees are built to handle such setbacks. Perhaps it's a minor annoyance to the tree that it's been fitted out with rigging so people can walk under it safely.This is a historical problem in nature appreciation. We don't like to see nature having a rough time. It's no fun to see adorable deer starving to death, or baby birds falling out of trees, or a pristine forest consumed by flames. The temptation to meddle is strong when we believe our intentions are pure. Burbage told a story about the Angel Oak. About 10 years ago, the park managers called him because of a large cavity on the side of the tree. They were worried that the limb below the cavity was falling. It had not fallen, but they were watching it and felt that they could see it slowly falling.This is a historical problem in nature appreciation. We don't like to see nature having a rough time.
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