Save the Redwoods

For more than three thousand years, “…God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand storms; but he cannot save them from sawmills and fools.”
John Muir states that God, an omnipowerful and omniscient being, is able to prevent the destruction of these magnificent redwoods from a wide array of causes, but when it comes to humans and their technology He is helpless. By making such a claim, Muir hopes to demonstrate the enormous power and influence humanity holds over nature. Is it really true that humans are more powerful than drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand storms? Although these combined factors are devastating to the redwood community, nature has defenses against such events to prevent mass destruction. On the other hand, nature has no way of protecting itself against the destructive influences of humans; there is no evolutionary mechanism that allows the redwood to adapt to the damaging effects of the sawblade.
The question then becomes ‘What should be done about it?’ Although Muir states that God cannot save them from sawmills and fools, he later says “…this is left to the American people.” It is our responsibility to save these awe-striking and beautiful forests that have existed for thousands of years. We are responsible for putting the blade to the tree, therefore we should be responsible for taking measurements to preserve such wonders. We must start by first changing our values from merely anthropocentric values—mostly economic value—to more ecocentric values. In addition, we must take responsibility by creating preservations and natural parks that secure this magnificent species of tree. “The wrongs done to trees, wrongs of every sort, are done in the darkness of ignorance or unbelief.” We are no longer able to blame our actions on ignorance because we have seen the truth; we have seen the effects our actions cause nature and because of this we must take action and revert our ways.