The Nature Pages

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	Nature, Culture, and Big Old Trees Live Oaks and Ceibas in the Landscapes of Louisiana and Guatemala by Kit Anderson  University of Texas Press, 2004
	The product of a three-year study of live oaks in Louisiana and ceibas in Guatemala, this work of cultural geography examines the roles of the two long-lived species in their natural environments and how they have rooted themselves in the lives of the humans around them.		.
	"I believe that in interactions with trees, Homo sapiens' closest counterparts in the plant kingdom, humans express fundamental relationships with the nonhuman that help define who we are. The dividing line between humans and trees can become thin," author Kit Anderson explains. "People have married trees, condemned them for murder, and given them legal standing. Trees in children's literature love to give advice."		"Oaks have a long history as the premiere useful and sacred tree in much of Europe. Within the great oak forests that once covered much of the continent, ancient peoples used the wood, subsisted on acorns, worshipped in their shade, and buried their dead in hollow oak logs."
	The live oak is an icon of the American South, appearing on postcards and in movies surrounding plantation homes or lining walks and lanes. The tree is common to Louisiana community centers and gathering places like plazas and parks. The ceiba occupies a similar role in the cultures of Latin America. Known as the "World Tree of the Maya," it is the official national tree of Guatemala.
	Anderson's book shows how these trees sprouted and thrived in the midst of human development and intertwined their histories with people that have come to cherish their existence.		"Mutualism may be the best word available to characterize these relationships with charismatic trees (and many other species). It implies an interdependence between two species, each giving something of value to the other. Mutualism, like friendship, involves two active participants, rather than one who acts, and one who is acted upon. The best outcome for both is to continue the relationship indefinitely, through changes and difficult times."