As a 6-year old kid, I was involved in my first plant-a-tree project way back then in Belgium. It always kept my interest, until I did a PermaCulture Design course in Malaysia. and I made my decision to start planting trees weekly.
When I was six years old my parents moved from the Netherlands to Belgium a small town called Lommel. The first thing I realized when going to school was how the schooling was so much different in than in the Netherlands. The Belgian teachers were much more focused on practical skills. They helped all of us to let our theoretical knowledge become part of our practical skillset.
My First Tree Planting
In my first year at school, there was a plant-a-tree program in which the whole school, about 800 students, participated. I still remember the clear emphasis the teachers gave us on the importance of trees for our own well-being. On the big day, when we all went to an empty plot next to an existing forest, we got ourselves ready to help Mother Earth to grow more trees. We as second-year kids, helped some of the older students to dig holes, water the holes, place the trees, cover the roots with soil, and ensure the tree would be safe. It was a very satisfying experience.
That day, 600 hundred trees were planted, and in a team effort, we planted a small forest in just one single day.
Let’s Do It Again
A year later, we again had a plant-a-tree week. This time we learned about storing seeds, popping seeds, and how to nurture a seed to a tiny tree in our classroom windowsills. All very exciting to learn. During the week we had two trips planned. The first trip brought us to the plot of the previous year. We all were amazed how our small trees had grown to double the height of us in person. We all tried to search for the tree we planted, but the transformation had been such that this feat was impossible.
A few days later we went to a new plot of land, and we brought our tiny trees from the windowsill trays to be planted. All of this made so much sense. The tiny dry seed, which sprouted while we witnessed it got now planted to become a big healthy tree.
I probably don’t have to explain how proud we all were. We as little kids were helping Mother Earth. The feeling lasts a lifetime.
While I studied, and during my corporate career, I planted a few trees in my garden here and there, but never without many purposes, more for aesthetic reasons.
PermaCulture
Until I got the chance to document a PermaCulture Design Course (PDC) in Kuantan, Malaysia.
The first PDC I attended was given by Jeff Lawton from the PermaCulture Research Institute from Australia. However, because of time constraints, I was not able to attend all days.
My second chance came only 6 months later, where His Royal Highness Tengku Amir Nasser Ibrahim invited me to attend the full two-week program. Oh man, I loved it, it was truly a life-changing event where I decided to make a difference. There were students from 12 different countries. In just two weeks we turned a bare plot of land into a thriving food garden, surrounded by trees to form a fruit garden in years to come.
With PlantTreesToday I can see that we can make an impact worldwide. Simple knowledge, easy to duplicate, and fun to do are three easy-to-follow ingredients.
Let’s grow more forests around the globe!