Scott Turner
My city never ceases to amaze me!
It’s just a normal day, I think, and I’m doing what I will often do on a normal day – I am meeting with someone who would like help installing a tree swing in their yard. Then I am standing under the Red Maple tree with a husband and wife doing another thing I will often do on a normal day – I am sharing thoughts with them about Richmond, our children, and our trees. I tell the MacPhersons that I wrote a children’s book about trees that come with the swing, and Kerissa says, “Oh, Liam will love that! He is a bit of a Lorax you know.”
A Lorax, huh? That’s cute. So he likes trees, you say? Me too.
“No,” Kerissa says, “Liam doesn’t just like trees. He has made a law to protect trees.”
Awwww. Cuter still. The family has to follow Liam’s “tree law.” I will follow Liam’s law too. Great kid.
“No” Kerissa says, “Liam wrote a letter to his delegate about his concern for trees. Delegate Willet brought him before the Natural Resources Subcommittee of the House to share his letter and his concerns while introducing an environmental protection bill. The bill was renamed “Liam’s Law,” and Liam appeared again virtually before a Senate sub-committee. The Senate approved the measure and sent it to Governor Youngkin who signed it into law.”
Wow. That’s a little bit more than cute.
A few days later I arrive to hang the swing, and I look back at the house to see one of my favorite sites – a wide eyed young face waiting eagerly for me to finish. I wave the small girl outside and she comes out with her brother, the Lor . . . I mean, Liam.
Liam is upright and bright faced and very comfortable talking to me. I ask about his law and say, “You’re pretty famous, right?” Liam smiles and says, “Well, only in my school.” Only in my school? Geez. What other fame matters to a 9 year-old boy? What does this kid have his sights set on, anyway?
I ask for an interview and Liam agrees. We sit on his back porch as his sister plays on the new swing.
What made you so interested in trees?
Well, I started noticing pollution in the creeks, and thought about how wrong that is and how we should do a better job protecting the nature around us.
How did you get the idea to write to your delegate?
Well, my mom gave me and my sister an assignment to write something to them, so I decided to write to him about voting to protect trees.
Weren’t you scared when you went to the House of Delegates?
Not really. I was just talking about trees. Plus I got to skip school.
What’s your favorite kind of tree?
Willow Oak
Fast growing, wide-spreading, shade making, friend of the city and friend of the field, and always standing out in a crowd. Liam and the Willow Oak tree.
Great job Liam!
And thank you delegate Willet, Virginia House of Delegates, Virginia Senate, and Governor Youngkin for hearing the small voice of someone who is hoping for a clean and beautiful natural world to grow up in.
