Tag Archives: Trees

My first tree planting

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Finally, at last, my first tree planting session. I’ve been wanting to get into this for years.

And what did you do in the war on climate change, Grannie?
“I helped to plant a trillion trees, while the Amazon was burning.”

Stevie with all the gear

This morning I went with a friend, Stevie Braun, to Trillion Trees’ Guildford Meadows 2nd Tree Planting in Caversham (just north over the Swan River from Guildford, Western Australia). We had a great time planting about 75 plants as a two-person team. Many people did it solo using the great equipment which does make it very easy.

Me. The figures in the distance are other planters, not livestock.

Next weekend they’ll be planting in the same place both Saturday and Sunday, 31 August & 1 September (Father’s Day) 2019. Apparently, they have several other sites on the go but they don’t seem to be on their website.

The whole event didn’t need to cost us a thing (though there is a donation tin). Our free lunch featured a couple of great soups, followed by some wonderful talks from a few speakers about the work. I wish a few young people I know had been there to hear them.

From their website:

“Guildford Meadows was first planted as a memorial planting on 14th August 2016 to celebrate the life of Barrie Oldfield OA. Barrie was a founding member of Men of the Trees, now known as Trillion Trees, in Western Australia and served as President for over 17 years. He was an inspiration to all who knew him – one of those extraordinary people who spread light wherever they go.”

Seedlings
Seedlings. Some will become trees, and others will be shrubs, grasses or reeds.

I once met Barrie when holidaying in Bali ca. 1999 with my partner at the time, Jean. We dined at a restaurant in Ubud with Barrie and his wife. This was maybe two years after I was on a committee at The Wilderness Society (TWS) trying to save old growth forests. Ever since those days I’ve wanted to plant trees because the planet desperately needs them. Everything gets back to trees.

Don’t bother looking for the origin of the quote about grannie and the Amazon, I made it up. But it’s true the Amazon is burning.

Please don’t wait as long as I did before you come out on a weekend and plant some trees, we all need to do this now.