Miranda’s Daily Blog: Day 52
So, I guess it’s official. The Observer Tree is going down in history. Today marks day 52 of my time at the top of this tree, making me the new holder of the Tasmanian record for the longest time in a tree. How does it feel to be the new record holder? Well, to be honest, I wish I wasn’t. I wish I didn’t have to spend the last 52 days in this tree watching over this forest…. Because I shouldn’t have to. This forest should have been protected. It is a shame that Peck had to sit in a tree almost five years ago, just over the ridge there, in the middle of the Styx valley, for 51 days. It is a shame that it still needs to be done today. After all the promises made by the government… that these forests still remain under threat.
Although it’s a shame that I have to be here, I’m glad that I am doing it. If the government is going to continue to break their promise and if Ta Ann are going to keep pushing the destruction of these forests… then I just cannot stand by. I do not want to see these forests lost forever. I do not want to see these forests lost in silence, behind locked gates, out of view from the public. These past weeks have been an inspiration, as I have been able to show this forest to people all around the world and I have seen the level of support for these forests that is truly out there.
These past 52 days have been some of the most amazing times. Connecting with this tree and this forest. Getting to know the insects, the birds and animals here. Getting to feel like I am a part of this forest. It has of course held some of challenging times too. Hearing trees felled as logging continues in the area adjacent to me as been difficult on a daily basis. And not knowing how long it will be until the forest is protected. The signing of a false “conservation agreement” that saw no end to the logging of high conservation value forests was also a difficult moment. To hear that an agreement had been finally made, as we had all been waiting for… only to find out that it would allow logging to continue as usual, was devastating. Especially as I sat here and watched over this forests, knowing it has come so close to being protected and now it could be lost forever, all because of the government’s failed promise.
Everyone who supports The Observer Tree, I’d love your support for our upcoming global 24 hours of action. Please get on board, take part in this easy action and help send a message to the companies involved. Help me to show to them that there are people all around the world who want to see these forests protected.
I had a chat to Peck last night. He offered his support for what I am doing. And he also felt that it is such a shame that these kinds of actions are still needed in Tasmania. When will this end? When will these forests be safe?
Check out this footage from Peck’s tree sit:
Posted on February 3, 2012, in Daily Blog. Bookmark the permalink. 5 Comments.
T h e O b s e r v e r T r e e 
Congratulations and thank you. We are with you.
Good morning Miranda.
I hope your night was a peaceful one.
I’ve come to your site through Tuffin’s wonderful TT.
I’m glad you have the energy to continue this quest and thank you for using your skills and enthusiasm to hold those responsible for this area and our forests to account.
From my family, children and grandchildren…..go well, go safe X
I’m happy you draw from the environment and feel the connection…it must be amazing up there and a warming time in your life.
Feel comforted that there are many who follow, feel inspired and thankful for what you do, but have not the time or the wherewithal to let you know.
Bests,
Dave Angie n Fam 🙂
Miranda, I hope you read our responses.
Following this para is something written by Hermann Hesse, author of three books that I’ve read in the past:
1. Siddartha [a parable on the life of the Buddha]
2. Glass Bead Game [on wisdom and understanding and realisation]
3. Steppenwolf [the anarchy of reality? – my own libertarian take]
Hesse on trees (pronounced a bit like Hessa?):
“For me, trees have always been the most penetrating preachers. I revere them when they live in tribes and families, in forests and groves. And even more I revere them when they stand alone. They are like lonely persons. Not like hermits who have stolen away out of some weakness, but like great, solitary men, like Beethoven and Nietzsche. In their highest boughs the world rustles, their roots rest in infinity; but they do not lose themselves there, they struggle with all the force of their lives for one thing only: to fulfil themselves according to their own laws, to build up their own form, to represent themselves. Nothing is holier, nothing is more exemplary than a beautiful, strong tree. When a tree is cut down and reveals its naked death-wound to the sun, one can read its whole history in the luminous, inscribed disk of its trunk: in the rings of its years, its scars, all the struggle, all the suffering, all the sickness, all the happiness and prosperity stand truly written, the narrow years and the luxurious years, the attacks withstood, the storms endured. And every young farmboy knows that the hardest and noblest wood has the narrowest rings, that high on the mountains and in continuing danger the most indestructible, the strongest, the ideal trees grow.
I hope you read this and maybe you have a moment to check out “Siddartha”, the novel and read it. Even the first paragraph. Here it is… at http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2500/2500-h/2500-h.htm
[Dave, you are a great photographer and visual artist. Would you create an image which would encapsulate Miranda, the Observer Tree, and the height of our aspirations? The respect. The integrity. The vision. It would be a great favour if you would, Dave.]
Sorry for the hijacked thread Miranda….Thanks Garry….big call….I do satire easily or unfortunately depending how you observe…..for you I’d give something a run if you can swing me some fodder (ie pics) D X
hi miranda just wanted to say what a truly inspiring job you are doing up there on the tree and for so long. Hopefully by the time you get down there will have been real progress with agreements honoured to protect such forests you are trying to save. We need to see action and not empty words and empty promises. Keep up the great work. Markets for Change will continue to apply markets pressure both within Australia and internationally to help in the campaign to protect these amazing forests. We salute you with your record breaking tree sit !