A Tree Story, Sitka Spruce

My story with Sitka spruce begins when I was in school and employed weekends as a tree planter. I definitely connected with spruce.

At University of Washington’ Pack Forest we were planting lots of different types of trees and one was Sitka spruce. I loaded up my bag with spruce and lined up with the others who were planting other species and off we went hoe dads in hand.  Two steps and a swing, maybe two or three swings it was old glacial outwash covered with sludge from Seattle’s METRO and the ground was hard.  Primary qualifications for the work were a strong back and up to date tetanus shot.

My connection with spruce was on my arms and side after completing a run, not aching, but red.  The sharp points of the spruce needles had been poking and rubbing my arm and torso side and they were red from the irritation.  I made several runs with spruce and the following day looked first for another tree species to plant, but it wasn’t as memorable as that day planting spruce.  Nothing medical came out of my spruce planting, just that first real connection with a tree.