Hi, my friend! I’m Molly the maple tree. I may be tall, but I’m a kid like you. I have so much more growing left to do!
I love my forest friends – the squirrels, birds, and bugs. Even the mushrooms join in when we practice group hugs!
But on extra warm days our human neighbors come to play. They laugh with glee while staying cool under the shade from us trees.
One day, though, with a roar and a scream, big strong people riding giant machines came into the woods and cut it down clean.
Using shovels and trucks, they hauled off my friends. I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again.
How far off did my friends go? Not even the squirrels, birds, bugs, mushrooms, or humans know.
I wish so much that my tree friends would come back. Now we’re all scared that the machines will attack.
With a rumble of rocks, the earth started to quake. The people and machines made our branches shake.
Then all of a sudden came the sounds of shouts and cheers, who could it be? Our human friends are here!
Standing up strong, with branches in hands, we shouted together “Get off our land! This has to end. This isn’t your forest. These are our friends!”
At long last, the machines rolled away, and we’re so proud to know we raised our voices together to make it that way.
With our forest home finally free, our neighbors planted new trees. And now I can fully grow to be me!
Now it’s up to you to take care of our beautiful green canopy! How will YOU be a friend of the trees?