If you are looking to spend time with trees then you have come to the right place. Since I was a young boy, at the age of 4 to 5, I started climbing trees. I remember there were two trees in particular that were Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) trees one was in the front yard of my house that I loved to climb. The other was in the front yard of my grandparent’s house. Both trees were very tall with the first branches being way out of jumping arms reach. I would have to scale the tree bark with my fingers and toes to get up to the first branches, but from there the rest was a piece of cake.
Climbing trees
One of my favorite thing to do is to climb huge trees. It started when I was a child, yet continued on into adulthood. The only problem is as we age the fear factor sets in more and more. That is where climbing smarter comes into play. The best way to climb smarter is to get the proper gear. This is to offer protection, such as keeping yourself tied in at all times. To do this you start by getting yourself a high-quality harness that fits correctly. It is also important to find one that fits your budget.
The next step would be to get a lanyard (also known as a buck strap) that gets fastened to your harness with a carabiner. This then attaches to the D ring on either side of your harness. Once the lanyard is on a D ring, assign a side that is more comfortable to you, you can simply put the lanyard around the tree or branch and attach it back to your other D ring on the opposite side. Just a harness and lanyard can keep you secure in the tree. But, If your goal is to get up in a tall tree or one that has a long trunk this is not the setup method.
There are many ways to get up in a tall tree but the safest is to get a slingshot with a sandbag and throw line. Or, just a throw line with the sandbag in hand and toss it up through a crotch that is at least as big as the wrist of a full-grown adult. A crotch is often the term used to describe where two branches come together and form a Y in the tree. Once the line is through the crotch of the tree the next step is to have a static line (that is used for single-line climbing technique) pulled up through the crotch and back to the ground. The rope can then be tied around the tree back to itself with a running bowline. After the single rope is anchored you can then set up your petzel rad system that will allow you to ascend up the tree by basically a sit-stand pul technique to climb all the way to where your rope is positioned in the crotch. This method will ensure that you are 100 percent tied in. From there you can undo your ascender and pulley plus take out your foot ascender and advance around the tree while descending using the petzel rig self-breaking system.
My favorite place to get tree gear is at Tree Stuff, SherrilTree, but also Wespur, Baileys online, or lots of items on Amazon or eBay.
Build a tree house or fort
A great way to enjoy trees other than climbing them or photographing them is to build a treehouse or tree fort. You don’t have to get all fancy with it like Pete Nelson from Tree House Masters, but you can take a more cost-effective approach. Find a tree or trees that form a triangle of some sort and start building. There are of course invasive and non-invasive ways to do so. You can drill holes and place tabs in the hole to then screw them in tightly. This method will close off the wound so the tree can heal and continue to grow. Then once the tab is in you can use any type of beam or rafter to position one side to another. You can just build a platform to hangout on to submerse yourself with the trees or get fancy and go all out. It’s all up to your budget at the time.
A non-invasive method includes finding one tree or trees with a somewhat straight trunk and using c-claps of various sizes to go around the tree back to itself where a bolt hole is, to secure the lumber with a bracket. A rubber sleeve helps to avoid the metal wearing away at the trunk branch or stem. This method of building does involve adjusting the hardware as the tree ages.
I constructed a small tree fort for my kiddos when they were little that they used for years. On one side is an American ninja warrior slack line obstacle course that goes from the tree fort to an opposite tree 15 to 20 feet away. If you have the strength to make it across you can then come down a rope ladder. If you get tired you have to jump to the ground a short way down to release. On the opposite side of the treehouse is a platform with a zip line and T bar to cruise across the yard into the forest. Additionally, there is a slide for a quick smooth exit. You can also set up a slackline between two trees for balance training excercise.
Build or buy a tree swing
Throughout our front and back yard, we have various tree swings that are attached with old climbing lines that run up through a strong crotch in a few different trees. From there you can adjust it to whatever height suits your desire which is quite functional. We also have a tire swing that I constructed out of an old tire I found when I purchased the house/property many years ago.
To build a tree swing all you would need is a 6 to 10-inch board (sanded) that is about 2 feet long. Drill a hole on all four corners. Place an eye lag with washers and bolts through the board holes and get some rope to hang it in any branch that’s strong enough to secure the swing. Usually, a horizontal branch works best. Be sure NOT to tie the rope around the branch because it will girdle, or suffocate the branch, especially with added weight. The best approach is to drill through the branch at 2 points vertically to the swing platform length and add eye lags with washers/nuts through the branch so it is sealed for healing. Then you are set to start swinging under your tree.
Have a picnic under a tree
Just to get out to enjoy your tree or any tree you can simply put together some sandwiches, fruit, and a snack in a basket then just get out there and find the one that fits the moment. This can be in your backyard, at a park, by a stream or lake, or anywhere.
The mental benefits of being under or in a tree
Being amongst the trees has many health benefits including clearing your mind which puts anyone in a parasympathetic nervous system state of mind. This is relating to the part of the automatic nervous system that counterbalances the action of the sympathetic nerves. It consists of nerves arising from the brain and the lower end of the spinal cord and supplying the internal organs, blood vessels, and glands with more oxygen. It includes the rest and digest state of mind, not the sympathetic which is the fight or flight state of mind.
Conclusion
There are many ways to enjoy trees. Several of which have been explained in this article. I do hope that you enjoyed the content. The first step is to get out side your house or into the forest to find your most favorite trees. If you have any questions or comments please respond or send me an email.