When Gran married Douglas Squirrel she agreed to dig tunnels to store his considerable acorn holdings. Unfortunately, she dug too deep and the flood got into them. The seeds sprouted, and in desperation he ended up donating the little oaks to the city.
The acorns were planted in an uninhabited area bordering the Wild that was prone to erosion. Once they take root they’ll keep the soil from washing away. It’s already been named the Douglas Squirrel Botanical Gardens, although of course it will ready only be appreciated by my grandchildren.
Tree plantings have been done before, but the saplings usually end up being eaten by herbivores. What makes the difference here is Gran. She’s well known at resolving disputes by “going Medieval on one’s hindquarters” and few plant eaters would dare cross her once she put the word out that eating one of the trees would be the equivalent of stealing from her garden.
Speaking of vegetation, Tree is still slowly recovering from her ordeal. I’d say she only has about 30% of her previous abilities but she’s making progress. Fenton’s using his sonar to detect her root system’s gradual integration with the local environment.
Me, I’m still planning a wedding and doing my final projects for my degree. Rachel winked about what Fenton and I do when we’re inside Tree. Honestly? I nap.
Do humans have areas that are set aside for natural growth?
