From Deforestation to Awareness

Literature Opening onto a “Canopy of Hope”

Abstract

Deforestation is one of the main ecological tragedies of our times and the need to turn ourselves into custodians of the forest is one the most pressing challenges facing the world today. The felling of trees, the conversion of forests to agricultural land and commercial logging have all resulted into reduction in biodiversity, erosion and soil depletion as well as destruction of human and non-human habitats. This article intends to show how texts are action and dissemination of action. It is founded on the belief that texts can help to change wastelands into regenerated nature because they are endowed with the greatest leverage when they exemplify the necessary interrelation between human beings and the non-human world. Wangari Maathai’s autobiography in particular will appear as an instance of the deep role writing may have in the way to awareness and it will try and demonstrate how texts can trigger off, sustain, and prolong concrete action.