I recently reread Patti Smith’s memoir, Just Kids. In her book, Smith writes about art, bohemia in general and more specifically, the art and bohemia of New York City during the 1960’s and 70’s. The art and bohemia are integral parts of the loving and often angst-ridden life she shared with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. From their first meeting on the stoop of a Brooklyn tenement, the pair starts on a gritty journey of self-discovery as they search for their artistic voices and listen to the voices of Alan Ginsburg, Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan and others, famous and infamous. This was my vivid recollection of the book when I first read it ten years ago. I remember it as a snapshot of a short period of time and a tribute to the relationship of two twenty-year-old’s who were dedicated to creativity and to each other.
A couple of months ago, I saw Patti Smith being interviewed on a late-night television show and it occurred to me that a second reading of Just Kids might be in order. I was only a chapter or so in when I realized that I was seeing the narrative from a different perspective and with greater clarity and detail than I had originally. I better understood the depth and profoundness of Patti and Robert’s feelings toward each other and the importance of their mutual support. Each would fade and sink due to fleeting creativity until encouraged and buoyed by the other. During my first reading, I may have been so immersed in their routine of living with poets, rock stars, and poverty that I barely noticed the delicate and intimate aesthetic of Smith’s word choices. She wrote of her friendship with Robert as if it were holy and the artistry of some of her passages stood out like precious gems that could be marveled at for their own beauty but also for how they linked to and complemented the writing as a whole. The story was the same I had read years before but my understanding and my appreciation of it increased exponentially.
So…what in the world does a book (no matter how good) that is written by a poet/ singer-song writer about New York bohemia have to do with community forestry? Nothing. But the act of re-reading that book just might.
We all go to conferences, workshops, seminars and (more today than yesterday) webinars. For many of us the overall topic of these sessions has something to do with trees in our communities (e.g. how they help us, how we help them, how we help them help us). More specifically, we learn about planting, pruning, air quality, water quality, and soils, and other sub-topics ad infinitum. But not ad nauseam. We don’t get tired or bored with our search for knowledge. Even if the topics and titles repeat, information is constantly updated, refreshed, and often presented from a different perspective. Very seldom do we have to endure just a rehash of a past presentation. New supporting (or non-supporting) information is introduced, and we assimilate it into our constantly growing portfolio of knowledge.
The Trees SC Annual Conference will have a different slant this year. Covid-19 is causing us to pivot a bit but not relent as we find innovative ways to enhance our arboricultural expertise. We won’t meet person-to-person in Greenville as originally planned but we will still meet. We’ll convene via an electronic platform and network with each other as we hear and critique the thoughts of community forestry experts. Annual Conference presenters are teaming up with speakers from our South Carolina Arborist Workshop (SCAW) that is usually held in September, to explore an array of specialized topics. Dr. Jon Hathaway from the University of Tennessee will share his research on Urban Trees: A Contributor toStormwater Management, and another titled Stormwater Goes Green? Investigating the Benefit andHealth of Urban Trees in Green Infrastructure. Dr. Bruce Fraedrich, who before his recent retirement, directed the Charlotte laboratory for the Bartlett Tree Expert Co., will discuss Climate Change and Urban Trees as well as Structural Pruning and Young Trees. Kevin Parris, Horticulture Instructor and Arboretum Director at Spartanburg Community College will share with us his thoughts on The Spartanburg Community College Arboretum; How to build an Outdoor Classroom in 50 years. Jimmy Walters, principal of Urban Forest Advisors and Immediate Past-President of Southern Chapter ISA, will present on Tree Risk Assessment for Climbers. Jason Derrick of Mid- Carolina Electric Cooperative will explain Safe Work Practices Around Unity Lines. Laurie Reid Dukes, one of Trees SC’s favorite presenters, will educate us on tree pests with a presentation called Look at the Bug! In addition to this gallery of fantastic speakers and their innovative perspectives on important subjects, we’ll also enjoy each other’s company and expertise as we enjoy a virtual networking session on Thursday afternoon at 5:30. BYOB.
So, the bottom line (literally) is if you don’t think there’s anything new under the sun? Have a second look.
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