Dear Editor:

The Tree of Life was the African name given to the baobab tree. The name suits it well as this tree arrived 200 million years ago as plates of earth were rising above the ocean splitting the world’s continents.

The baobab tree became better known when Antoine de Saint Exupéry published his book “The Little Prince.”  The little prince was worried about the baobab tree because it was big enough to split in half the tiny planet on which the prince lived.

Baobab trees can be up to 98 feet high and 164 feet wide. This is a succulent tree that during rainy times absorbs and stores the rain in its wide trunk, which helps it produce fruit. One tree alone can hold up to 1,190 gallons of water, which is up to 80 percent of its trunk. Water is life-saving, providing good reasons for naming baobabs the tree of life. These trees were known to live as long as 5,000 years and occupied 32 African countries. They were also transported to countries of India, China and Oman

The baobab is a life-giver for African wildlife, often creating its own ecosystem. It provides food and shelter for many species, from small insects to African elephants. Humans have built homes near these life saving trees as a safety measure for their own lives.

When we compare baobab tree heights to California sequoia redwood trees that lived 1,200-1,800 years, the redwoods are taller, up to 379 feet, but only up to 29.2 feet wide versus 64 feet for the baobab. We also know the tall Sequoia redwood trees are dying more rapidly than usual.

The question to answer is what is the cause of rapid early deaths of long lived trees? We know trees talk and baobabs save lives. It sounds like we need to call out the tree whisperer in addition to scientists to confirm the causes. If they are dying so are the species whose lives depend on the baobab trees.

Mankind needs the trees of life and all of our trees to keep our environment a viable place to live.

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb