In our modern world , you can travel from one continent to another in a matter of hours. So, you may think it’s strange when I say that trees can travel. If anything you might think that a tree is one of the most stationary forms of life on earth.
How trees travel
Yes. The tree itself is stationary. Where it’s planted or where it puts down roots is where it stays. Yet, trees do travel. Not the way you and I travel. They travel through their offspring, the next generation.
As they produce and drop their seeds, the offspring will germinate and grow a distance away. This determines the direction the forest is moving.
Why trees need to travel
The Earth is a living thriving organism. Like all the creatures that live on it, it is constantly changing. Over thousands of years, mountains ascend and valleys descend. Even continents shift.
Looking at this through our current minuscule life span, we cannot see this,… but trees do. They experience the natural climate change that takes place over centuries. So, they need to keep moving toward living conditions that are more comfortable for them.
Trees travel at different speeds
Some trees progress quickly. For example the Willow will produce a seed that can be carried by the wind for as much as half a mile.
Maples produce a heavier seed, but it is designed with an ingenious spinning, flying aid that allows it to fly a good distance before it reaches the ground . During a storm, these seeds can be carried up to a mile away.
As for Oaks and Chestnut trees, their fruit is a lot heavier. The movement of the forest for them is a lot slower. Yet, here is where we find an incredible design and balance in the ecosystem.
Birds, such as the Jay will carry acorns miles away. Squirrels will store these acorns only perhaps a hundred yards away. Mice store them very close to the base of the tree. Sometimes they will make their home in the very roots of the tree and store their treasures around them. So, even though the animals help spread the forest forward, it’s at a steady– but very slow rate,
So, the next time you need to take a lengthy trip somewhere that may take more time than you would like. Just remember the slow but steady tree. If you do your travels will then seem more pleasant, enjoyable and brief.