Friday, June 10, 2011

Wire rope bridges and rigging in trees

Ever since I was a small child I have really liked walking on rope bridges...suspension bridges made out of wire rope usually though sometimes fibre rope, or similar. I suspect partly because as a small child I used to cross this one every now and again...

Suspension bridge across the Lembing River, Sungai Lembing Malaysia
Now it is pretty sturdy [for a 100yr bridge] compared to others that I have walked across in more recent times...




Wire rope bridges on Mount Tamborine

I think it is a very important to be able to get people closer to the canopies of trees, to experience a perspective of the bush that is rarely available. It is perhaps possible for the open minded person to suspend [sorry could not resist!] their human perspective and see the forest as a glider or a small bird might, flying through the midstorey. 

We almost always percieve trees as filling or taking up space...but to a great many living things it is rather the spaces between that define the woodland or forest environment. Rope bridges certainly focus the mind on the concept of the space between stems...the higher the bridge the more focussed the mind I guess!





Bridges from northern NSW subtropical rainforest

As I said I really like going on these sorts of bridges even though they might [as the last few did!] move around far more than you might like...I get sea sick quite easily!!!

I wish there were more places where people could easily access 'higher' views of the woods and forests...it might just stimulate a different way of looking at and thinking about the trees in the bush.