An Adventure
"Let’s do this!” I cheered myself on. With my trusty compass in hand, I stared at the woods in front of me. It seemed to stretch a million miles with no end in sight. Taking a deep breath, I took a step forward. Then another. I wanted to go on an adventure in the remote sandstone canyons of Australia to find and photograph the elusive Wollemia pine. One of the rarest tree species on Earth, and strictly protected in New South Wales, this was a tree species that was critically endangered. I prayed fervently that I would be able to find the few that were left. The goal of my entire expedition was to search for and photograph this tree.
The towering trees loomed over me like a dark cloud ready to pour. Petals and leaves pelted the muddy and coarse ground. Any direction I looked, I saw only green and lush grass. Birds chirped from their nests atop sturdy branches that blocked the view of the sun. It was as if Mother Nature herself was welcoming me with open arms. A blanket of serenity calmed my frayed nerves as I breathed in the fresh air.
Just as I was about to close my eyes and relish the wind before me, I was rudely interrupted by a strange chopping sound. Muffled voices could be heard coming from my left. “There could be someone else here… Maybe they’re trying to find the Wollemia pine too?” I mused. The corners of my mouth danced upwards and before I knew it, I was grinning from ear to ear. I scurried towards the sound, eager to meet some like-minded adventurers. Needless to say, the events that were about to unfold stunned me in the worst possible way.
Pushing away the overgrown bushes and vines, I stumbled across a pair of illegal loggers trying to cut down a Wollemia pine with an axe. I could have sworn that my heart stopped beating for a moment. “No! No! Don’t! Please stop that!” I shrieked frantically, blinking back tears. “That tree is endangered!”
The man who was cutting down the tree looked up and stared at me dead in the eye. “Get lost, little girl. We need this tree for wood and paper,” he grunted, wielding his axe.
His buddy stepped forward, arms akimbo. “Imagine the money we can get from such a rare and luxurious wood. You will not take that chance away from us!” he growled, gritting his teeth.
My fear melted into fury as I took a step forward and raised my fist, clenching so hard my knuckles turned white. “I said knock it off, or I will report you to the national parks authorities!” I boomed, my voice reverberating throughout the woods. Resisting the urge to slap those selfish jerks, I whipped out my phone and began recording them. “If you don't stop now, this video is going online,” I warned.
“Look, girl. We’re just-”
“No!” I cut him off. “Get away from the tree, or else!”
Slowly but surely, the duo started backing away, raising their hands in defeat.
“Now, get lost!” I barked, furrowing my brows. Begrudgingly, they scrambled away, tripping over roots and hitting branches as they went, their cold, hard expressions contorted in distaste.
Watching them made me smirk. I turned my attention back to the mesmerising tree. It stood majestically before me and I marvelled in awe. Miraculously, apart from a few dents and scratches around the trunk, it was relatively fine.
Heaving a sigh of relief, I shuffled backwards and snapped a picture of the beautiful tree. Patting myself on the back, I prided myself for being brave to step up and defend the Wollemia pine from those twice my size. Ironically, I was grateful those illegal loggers had come along. If not for them, I would never have found the tree. This expedition would forever be etched in my mind. This truly was an adventure; one that I would never forget.
