Turning Over a New Leaf—A Lesson From Trees in Embracing Change

Change can be unsettling. Good or bad, exciting or unexpected, there’s an undeniable anxiety that accompanies seeing our lives shift. We’ve all likely felt that instinctive resistance to "the new," unsure what a new job, a new diet, a new house, or a new town might bring. I even remember seeing it in my kids as they moved through grade school, hesitant to start a new school year with an unfamiliar classroom or teacher.

Thankfully, nature reminds us that entering a new season in our lives is nothing to fear.

Right now, trees around the country are already beginning to welcome their next chapter. Soon, green leaves will fade, replaced by the telltale hues of autumn. We already know trees have a positive effect on people’s mental health, but during this time of the year, it feels like forests are just dishing out endless joy for free. And I’m not the only one looking to soak it all in.

What’s now known as "leaf-peeping" has become a highly lucrative form of tourism in the United States. A researcher from Appalachian State University estimates that across 24 states in the eastern half of the country, fall foliage tourism contributes more than $30 billion to local economies. In Maine alone, tourists looking to check out the fall colors make up about 20-25% of all the visitors the state sees in an entire year. And even though climate change has made it more difficult to predict when exactly foliage will peak, it hasn’t stopped people from trying to figure it out. Tourism leaders from the Smoky Mountains recently released their annual fall foliage prediction map. It’s a popular interactive tool that uses weather science data to help travelers plan out when they have the best chance to catch those gorgeous autumn views, county by county.   

There’s such majesty in trees, and this is the season we take the time to marvel at the spectacle.

Perhaps part of what makes the foliage so special is the innate understanding that it’s temporary. Eventually, branches will become bare, and we’ll stop snapping photos for social media.

And as the seasons change and we feel that familiar longing for what was, trees will once again embrace their evolution.

Because even when they aren’t adorned with flashy fall colors, even when their internal systems slow down during dormancy, trees are still supporting the ecosystem. Their fallen leaves are broken down by bacteria and fungi and infuse the soil with nutrients the tree needs to grow. Insects take up shelter in their bark, eventually becoming food for other wildlife seeking a place to nest. Their strong roots stabilize the soil, preventing erosion from winter snowmelt. A leafless tree is not a lifeless tree. Fall foliage or not, trees are important all year round.

By taking care of trees and continuing to plant them, we’re protecting ecosystems and wildlife. We’re making people happier and healthier. And we’re also helping to preserve this everlasting reminder that growth is beautiful.

Dan Lambe is CEO of the Arbor Day Foundation, the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. He can be reached at dlambe@arborday.org.