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Reflections on Trees & Psalm One An Interview With Shane Bossard

It wasn’t until his thirties that Shane Bossard was struck by the wonder of trees. When he purchased land in Floyd, he says, “I believe commuting back and forth from Floyd to Roanoke allowed me to appreciate what God had shown–that tapestry, that artistry in the fall and in the spring. I guess it just hit me one day how beautiful trees were!” Shane admits that trees were something he took for granted the first half of his life. Now, when he isn’t appreciating trees in their season on his daily commute, he is planting them on his property with Ashley, Lincoln, and Reid. His pursuit to slowly reforest his property began as a practical endeavor. He shares, “If you’ve ever been to the Bossard home, you realize that our house was built in some open hay fields. So we began as a family to appreciate the shade that a tree provides.” He reflects on the simple joy of “being able to sit under a beautiful Sugar Maple and be able to take comfort… God provided that–to be able to rest under shade. Imagine how long summer would be if we just had to sit in the sun all day.” Living in Floyd County has further evolved his love for trees as he witnesses local artists take a tree and masterfully turn it into a table or a chair. He appreciates how trees mark the history of the Appalachian Mountains as pioneers depended on the American Chestnut tree for everything from food to logs for homes. As a tree planter, Shane understands the temptation to become impatient, watching a young tree grow. Yet, he insists that “like everything in life, if we grow it too quickly, it’s not going to be sturdy.” Instead, he is moved by the Scriptures’ image for us of the strength of mighty oaks, able to withstand the hardest storms and whose strength comes from slow and steady growth. “Oak trees only grow an inch or two a year,” he says. “I want to model myself after an oak tree and be slow and steady. The strength will come from that.” It’s easy to see how God attuned Shane to trees across the landscape of time, place, and scripture. May passions that dwell in brothers like Shane help us marvel at the Creator and long to be mighty oaks, “like trees planted by streams of water, that yield fruit in their season, and whose leaf does not wither.”