Spirit of Trees

Welcome to Spirit of Trees, a resource for therapists, educators, environmentalists, storytellers and tree lovers! You will find here an abundance of resources, in particular a varied collection of multicultural folktales and myths.

This website was originally conceived of as an educational resource for the DC Memorial Tree Groves Project, a Washington, DC-based national memorial to the victims of 9/11. But the project has grown beyond its original intention and is now offered as an independent resource for a world-wide community of tree-lovers of all ages.

About Spirit of Trees

Many tree-related online resources focus on the scientific aspects of trees or describe simple tree-planting procedures. Spirit of Trees offers a complementary approach, one that highlights the symbolic and aesthetic dimensions of trees. You will find, in particular, an extensive collection of multicultural folktales from contemporary storytellers, with links to more tales on the web. When told with feeling, these have the power to foster a heart felt connection to trees, one that taps deep into the human imagination to inspire hope, wonder and compassion for the living earth.

There is also a selection of poetry, plus other sections for lesson plans, for scholarly essays, and for national and international tree organizations — and more.

Browse and enjoy!
Cristy West

Alone with myself
The trees bend
to carress me
The shade hugs
my heart.

--Candy Polgar

Tree Organizations

American Forests

www.americanforests.org
American Forests is the nation's oldest nonprofit citizen conservation organization, founded in 1875. Their efforts helped create the National Park and National Forest systems in the U.S. Through the Global ReLeaf program, American Forests plants millions of trees each year and advocates the benefits of both rural and urban trees, good science, and sound policy. Learn about their plans for Global ReLeaf 2000 or take a virtual tour of famous and historic trees and forests. An order form on this site allows individuals to "plant a tree online" and help preserve threatened forest ecosystems.

Forest Ethics

www.forestethics.org
ForestEthics protects endangered forests by transforming the paper and wood industries in North America and by supporting forest communities in the development of conservation-based economies.

Forest Stewardship Council

www.fscoax.org
Forest Stewardship Council is a Mexico-based international non-profit organization founded in 1993 to support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests.

Forest Organization

www.Forests.org

Forests.org, Inc. works to end deforestation, preserve old-growth forests, conserve and sustainably manage other forests, maintain climatic systems and commence the age of ecological restoration. This Wisconsin-based web site offers a vast array of links on forest, biiodiversity and conservation topics.

Forests Trees and People

www-trees.slu.se

The Forests, Trees and People Programme is a Swedish program designed to share information about improving community forestry activities and about initiatives of interest to its members.

ForesTrust

192.197.196.1/wcfsd/forestrust.htm
A citizens' force envigaged as a set of global, national and local level arrangements to involve people from all parts of the world in solving the forest crisis. Sponsored by the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development. Formed after the Earth summit in 1992.

Gatherings: Seeking Ecopsychology

www.ecopsychology.org/journal/gatherings7/toc.html
The Winter issue of Gatherings. The strand running through this issue is trees. Some of us have been involved in saving forest and woodland. John Scull was asked to be an expert witness on why anyone would go to jail to save trees, and several of us contributed our thoughts.

Greenpeace International: Ancient Forests Campaign

archive.greenpeace.org/~forests
Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organization which uses non-violent, creative confrontation to focus public attention on environmental issues. The Ancient Forests Campaign focuses especially on world's remaining ancient forests in the Amazon, Africa, Russia, the Pacific and North and South America.

International Analog Forestry Network

www.cerronara.com/analog.html
Costa Rican-based organization which seeks to empower rural communities both socially and economically, through the use and sustainabel management of tree species that provide marketable products.

International Forestry Students Association

www.ifsa.net
The goal of IFSA is to enrich forestry students' formal education, especially in terms of a wider, more global perspective through extracurricular activities and the exchange of information and experience. Links to other international organisations in areasw such ans forestyr, environmental protection, social development.

International Network of Forests and Communities

www.forestsandcommunities.org
A Canadian-based organization which promotes an ecosystem and community-based approach to forestry. Offers a multitude of links.

International Society of Arboriculture

www.isa-arbor.com
This site contains information on the care and development of a worldwide healthy tree population. Members include urban planners, forestry professionals, commercial horticulturists, and educators. There are pages with detailed fact sheets on insect control and storm damage, for example, journal abstracts, consumer information, and much more. A useful feature is a site map of the United States with links to land grant universities and their cooperative extension programs.

National Arbor Day Foundation

www.arborday.org
The National Arbor Day Foundation's mission is to help promote tree care and conservation and to educate people on tree issues in the USA. To do so, they have developed nationally recognized programs like Rain Forest Rescue, Trees for America, and the Arbor Day Farm. Find tips on planting and caring for trees, educational tools for teachers and kids, and conference and workshop announcements.

National Tree Trust

www.nationaltreetrust.org
The National Tree Trust promotes healthy communities by providing resources that educate and empower people to grow and care for urban and community forests.

International Network of Forests and Communities

www.forestsandcommunities.org
"The network is an opportunity to share expertise, skills, strategies and approaches to community forestry nationally and internationally." The network was established at the International Workshop on Ecosystem-Based Community Forestry held October 19-25, 1998. This site provides access to the Directory of Ecosystem-Based Community Forestry, a database of organizations and community forestry initiatives around the world. This site is available in Spanish and English.

National Alliance for Community Trees

www.actrees.org
Through collaborative endeavors of a spirited membership, ACT is a vigilant advocate in local communities, states and the nation creating a positive, action-oriented presence for the member groups. Membership will have grown to include virtually every tree group in the country as a result of substantive benefits and services that strengthen individual member groups and their leaders.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRC

www.nrcs.usda.gov
The NRCS helps set conservation goals, works with people on the land, and provides assistance. Its partners include conservation districts, state and federal agencies, NRCS Earth Team volunteers, agricultural and environmental groups, and professional societies. The agency provides technical assistance to farmers and ranchers by helping them to develop conservation systems uniquely suited to their land and individual ways of doing business. The agency also provides assistance to rural and urban communities to reduce erosion, conserve and protect water, and solve other resource problems.

Pachamama Alliance

www.pachamama.org/about
Organization whose mission is to preserve the Earth's tropical rainforests by empowering the indigenous people who are its natural custodians.

Rainforest Action Network

www.ran.org
Since it was founded in 1985, the Rainforest Action Network has been working to protect tropical rainforests and the human rights of those living in and around those forests.

Rainforest Alliance

www.rainforest-alliance.org
An international nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of tropical forests for the benefit of the global community

Regional Community Forestry Training Center (RECOFTC)

www.recoftc.org
This Thailand-based organization supports community forestry development throughout Asia and the Pacific.

Trees Forever

treesforever.org
An American organization whose mission is to facilitate the planting and care of trees and forests, through action-oriented programs that empower peole, build community and promote enviornmental stewardship.

World Rainforest Movement

www.wrm.org.uy
This Uruguay-based organization is an international network of citizens groups working of northern and southern hemispheres to defend the world's rainforests

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