Death of Giants

In the last year there has been a wave to recycle the olive orchards in my region of Turkey.  Although some of the destroyed groves have been replaced with apartment buildings, most are being replanted with more predictable cash crops. Some trees are chopped for firewood, others are repurposed as ornaments for shopping centers, apartment complexes, and wealthy homes.  Ultimately, this destruction is motivated by greed and economics, but for me it is more about the loss of environment, history, culture, and continuity.  As I learn more about trees and their highly developed interwoven connections, these gentle giants can be likened to refugees yanked out of their homes and sent into exile.