A performance for the white pines

A small group of Islanders set out from a lot off West Tisbury Road last month into the Island’s largest forest, with white pines rising around them. One toted a black guitar case.

Willy Mason, an Island musician who’s now on an international tour, held a private performance for the small group as a means to honor the forest and spread awareness of a plan to cut the white pine down. Some of those in attendance are part of White Pine Friendly, a local group that has raised concerns over the cutting down of trees in Manuel F. Correllus State Forest.

For Mason, the intimate concert wasn’t necessarily a protest of the plan that has drawn the ire of some locals, but more a concern for the landscape of the Island going forward.

“It seems to me, and I have a very small understanding of all the ins and outs of it, but it seems to me like it’s the best solution that they can come up with to address sort of a problem that’s arisen out of something like neglect,” Mason said. “And so to me, it’s an opportunity to think about how we can better manage our shared spaces more proactively, so that we don’t need to take such drastic action in the future, and so that we can preserve these shared spaces and shared resources for future generations and for ourselves.”

Back in July, a top state authority issued the approval for 52 acres of white pine plantations to be cut as phase one of the plan that would eventually clear 175 acres by 2035 as a means to promote biodiversity and native species. The plan has drawn criticism of the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) from some Islanders who would rather leave the forest alone.

Johanna Hynes, a seasonal resident who organized the performance, felt that not enough people knew about the plan, and she wanted to draw attention to some of those concerns. She had the idea of a performance by Mason in the late spring when she “attended a few meetings and felt like there was a lot of misinformation or missing information about what was involved,” and a lack of attendance.

“I figured getting someone who is a trusted member of the community, and an artist who you know is respected and admired, would be a great way to reach a broader audience,” Hynes said.

On a Friday in September, Mason chose a spot off the trail where white pines stood in line all around him; as golden light streamed through the canopy, he performed four of his songs to a rapt crowd of about a dozen. Most sat silently among the sounds of insects and birds nearby, distracted only by creaks made by a tree that stood across from Mason.

“It felt like the forest really appreciated us being there too,” Hynes said. “And there was this one tree that just kept creaking. It was sort of singing along with Willy.”

Mason played within the 52 acres planned to be cut down in phase one of the project. The removal plan is part of a conservation permit issued in 2001 and amended in 2021 to remove non-native species planted a century ago for the lumber industry, and to restore a native landscape that supports rare species and reduces wildfire threats.

But some Islanders feel that nature should be left alone, and the modification of nature can only do more harm than good. 

Mason came to know about the plan only recently. “I’m a little bit late to the understanding of the management decisions, so I’ve just been kind of talking a lot with friends, just finding out what the plan is and trying to understand it and wrap my head around it,” he said. “And in the process, the idea was born to try and do something to help raise awareness for other people as well, and just help educate people.”

Mason, who grew up “running around and exploring” in the State Forest, said the place, to him, represents a commons. He was always told that the white pine was planted to be used as lumber, as a public resource used and managed by the community. “That’s a beautiful thing to me and an important thing to me. Along with the beauty of it, I think I always sense that feeling of shared responsibility around it that I think was instilled in me growing up here. Beyond just the forest, one of the things I’m really grateful for is that feeling of shared responsibility.”

He told Hynes that he wanted to participate in this small event in order to honor the forest and to spread awareness and encourage understanding and community engagement in land management.

The plan has evolved over the past year after some locals pushed back against the proposal and called for more engagement in the community. Most recently, the approved phase one saw a reduction in targeted acreage from original plans. Locals, such as those involved in White Pine Friendly, still harbor worries about the regenerative success of the native landscape, the release of stored carbon, and the Island’s capacity to process so much wood, as well as the endless maintenance that will be required after the trees are cleared.

The approved plan has a proposed start date of Dec. 1, and a DCR spokesperson said work could last through April.

The whole event, including the trek and performance, lasted about an hour, and culminated in a video where Mason sings “What Is This,” from his 2013 album “Carry On.” The video was shot by Island photographer Michael Blanchard, produced by Hynes, and includes photography by Elizabeth Cecil.

“I thought the event might make me feel kind of sad, being out there in the forest, knowing that a lot of these trees could be completely destroyed,” Hynes said. “It’s hard sometimes to see something beautiful knowing you might not be able to protect it, but actually being out there made me feel so hopeful and happy.

“There was something very sacred about the whole experience,” she added, “especially the walk that led us to the spot where Willy played. It was so quiet, and you could really feel the forest.”