MONTGOMERY – The Alabama legislative session ended earlier this month, but not before HR 315, “Recognizing the Historic Significance of Marker Trees in the State of Alabama,” sponsored by Rep. Corey Harbison, R-Good Hope, was passed. The resolution recognizes the “great historic and cultural significance and lasting influence of the trail marker tree network.”
“Back when Indians roamed throughout what is now Alabama, they didn’t have Google and the internet,” Harbison said. “They would bend certain trees, mark certain trees, making landmarks across the land so they could easily travel and know where they were going.”
Trail marker trees are trees that were shaped by Native Americans into a specific form as saplings to be easily recognized and used to aid in navigation, as well as to mark significant sites. These trees guided Native Americans along the safest route in their journeys, helped them locate necessary natural resources and sometimes denoted areas of historical significance to the tribes.
While official legal recognition has been granted to the trees, Harbison was careful to maintain that this resolution does not grant the trees any protection.
“There was no trouble in getting the bill passed. But, this is not a protection act for the trees. It doesn’t do anything but grant the history of the trees recognition and bring awareness to the trees.”
Harbison said that the fact that the bill was not a protection act perhaps helped its swift movement into legal recognition.
“One of the reasons that there was no opposition for the resolution was that it is just a historical recognition of the trees. If it would have been to protect the trees, then opposition would have arisen,” he said.
Harbison was approached about the trees this year by local Billy Shaw. Shaw is active in Native American history preservation and requested that Harbison propose the bill.
Harbison said he is always willing to help anyone and anything.
“If anyone has anything they want, they can call my cell phone,” he said.
Harbison can be reached at 256-385-5510.
