Plant a Tree - Bangkok

Anonymous benevolence

2010-06-23T14:11:00.004+07:00

Some time ago, I had planted T007, and then went as usual several times to water it, but it nonetheless died during the hot season. But before it died, I came to the spot several times after someone else had watered the tree. And then, one day, I came to water the tree as usual, with my water bottle in hand, only to find that a man was already watering it ! He was not very old, and he could have been one of the numerous tuk-tuk drivers who park and work nearby.

So I crouched and started to pour water on the tree with him. We smiled a bit, didn't look too much at each other, we were a bit shy. We just exchanged a few words on how hot the weather was. Nothing more. But we shared the feeling and were feeling good.

Well, despite our care, the tree didn't make it. So I later removed the pieces of wood I used as stakes, and didn't go back there until last week. As I rode past, I had a look at the spot, and couldn't believe my eyes ! So i came back later with my camera :

A new young tree !

A beautiful young coconut tree !

How long ago was it planted ? Was it planted by the tuk-tuk driver ?

I don't know...

What I know, is that someone around the neighbourhood has thought that the raining season has come already, and that planting a tree in that empty spot is not such a bad idea. They just did it, just like that...

This gives me wings : I am not alone !

But I knew that already : a few people have contacted me, and a few friends have shown interest, and we will soon be planting more trees together. Another friend who lives near the forest will send me more seeds. There are indeed plenty of people who want to do something, and it's easy to just do it !

So, I had been busy, and was waiting a bit more, and other bad excuses to postpone the 'raining season planting spree', but I cannot ignore such a sign :

Let the planting season begin !

T009 - Planting details

2010-06-15T18:08:00.001+07:00

Location : Thanon Pitsanulok

Specie : Neem tree (Azadirachta indica) สะเดาไทย

Size : 40 cm

Ref : T009

Date : June 15th, 2010

Observations : Replacement of T002, next to T001

before

10 minutes later

Hot season freshness in the forest

2010-04-01T12:38:00.008+07:00

We have now begun the hot season in earnest, and I put on hold planting more trees : they'd just die. We have been lucky to have air breezes lately, but still, the heat is a bit overwhelming.

One of the reasons I plant trees in Bangkok, is that trees and plants do help a great deal to reduce temperatures. I experienced it last WE, while trekking the deep deep forest of the south (Khao Luang National Park), where temperatures where easily 5 to 10 degrees lower than in the village ! We were also blessed with rain, and while is not easy or comfortable to walk on steep slipery slopes when wet, I was quite happy to finally feel COLD !

If you are bored of the usual 2hrs boring touristic trek, and want to feel the real thing, sleep in the forest, try out some new paths, learn about trees and plants, it's time to go on a trip with P Gan

I cant resist posting a few pictures of real pristine rain forest, andsome amazing trees, hoping we can have such beautiful trees one day in Bangkokstreets...

The forest is so fresh under the trees canopy !

Rain forest at its best

Huge healthy trees. How different from Bangkok street trees !

Trees are a vital support for other plants : vines, orchids, ferns...

The large number of trees in the forest attracts rain and water. Streams and rivers dry quickly if all trees have been cut. Here, we can drink clean water from the streams wherever we go, even in the heart of the hot season.

Good to see trees rejuvenated with rain and air humidity

Of course, I could not go in the forest without picking up a few seeds for Bangkok !

Flying seeds (right = Dipterocarpus sp.)

I picked up about a kilogram of different seeds in these 3 days. The fresh and soft ones have been crushed in my bag. I'm not sure whether I can germinate them all, and some of them could be from vines. We will see :)

Of course, I did not take any tree from the national park. But I sure took a few saplings from the village when we got back :D

They joined the other trees in my improvised nursery, waiting for the raining season just as eagerly as I am...

One week under the 'red shirts' menace

2010-03-22T21:52:00.007+07:00

This blog has absolutely no purpose of dealing with anything political, and I wouldn't even mention the so-called 'red shirts', if they were not protesting in the area where some of my trees are.

So, this article will not debate on whether the 'red shirts' do constitute a menace to the Thai society, or to the Thai government ; but since having so many people camping around, the 'red shirts' surely do constitute a menace to such small trees as mine.

Will my trees make it ?

The Police has set a barrage on Thanon Phitsanulok, just behind T8

During the protest, I will have to go through checkpoints to water T1

Sunday March 14th, 2010 - lunch time, the 'red shirts' arrived on site

T1 is located a bit off the main protesting area, where many 'red shirts' rest at night and between actions. It's a bit intimidating, but they are just like most Thai people, very nice. I've been offered to share some food several times during the week.

I had set that mobile fence that is usually nearby close to T1, hoping it would help to protect it. People have obviously found other uses for it !

Monday March 15th - morning, laundry time

- 'Please, beware of the tree, do not kill it with detergent'

- 'I did nothing, it's ok'

Well, how come the soil around my tree is soaked wet and bubbling with foam then ? I still watered the tree. She scared me, but so far, so good.

We see in the background a pick-up convoy, ready to go

Tuesday March 16th - lunch time, very hot weather

I shouldn't water when it's so hot, as it's dangerous to the tree. Just couldn't resist checking on T1 after the 'laundry incident' though.

Thursday, March 18th - the 'red shirts' took position for good

Tents have been set pretty much everywhere in the neighborhood, the 'red shirts' are here for good.

Monday, March 22nd - late morning, laundry done and drying

I've been away for a few days, but today T1 was still doing ok.

These guys were perplexed when I told them T1 would provide shadow in a few years, so that they could come back to protest some more.

A bit 'trashy', but so far, so good !

Giant from Over the Magical Beanstalks

2010-03-08T23:26:00.013+07:00

Recent events probed me to give some news of my little proteges, and its been 3 months already since the project began. I postponed, but this morning's surprise forces me to post tonight. I'll give news of the trees by planting order.

T1 - Growing happily as usual

Has almost doubled its size to 60cm+

T2 - Was barbecued last week

Not sure exactly that it really was a barbecue, but lots of people stay here all the time, and I can't find a more appropriate hypothesis so far.

What killed the tree, leaving this brown mark ? Weedkiller or portable barbecue ?

T6 - Replaced by a giant from over the beanstalks !

T6 had been growing steadily and quietly up until now, having survived and recovered from drying off once. But when I went for my watering tour this morning, instead of T6 I found this !

I thought for a few seconds I was daydreaming, until I noticed saw dust on the sidewalk, bruised weeds and freshly dug soil. No doubt left, this baby was planted this very morning, just before my round.

I'd be very honored to congratulate the generous benefactor who climbed on the beanstalks overnight, brought back and planted this tree here. Please, make yourself known here !

So well, I'll count my tree as lost in the planting stats, but I'll count this new as a 'Bonus Tree'. After all, it might have been planted here as a consequence following my stubborn appearances at this street corner, fully geared up with my planting or watering equipment ! To be continued . . .

I'll build up a budget, to plant trees this size some time soon !

This kind of staking is good as it doesn't harm the trees. I wonder whether T6 is still under there somewhere ?

This 'giant' is going to face severe cutbacks, as its branches are just below the wires overhead.

T7 - Brushed to death ?

Ok, I'll agree that I made a mess when I planted T7, about 2 weeks ago... Now, we do have a very energetic street cleaner at large on that street, and even though I added extra protection to each side of the tree, I guess it was really too tiny to take it.

Original planting mess

Now, there's still good news about this little guy. One, I regularly noticed that when I went there, somebody had already watered it ! Nice :)

The second good news, is that at the same time I saw T7 dying off, I was witnessing the germination of local seeds. I just made sure they were watered and protected too, as I hope they will replace T7 and grow to become beautiful big trees... I'm not yet sure 100% of its genus, but I suspect it is a nice flowering tree.

Anyways, definitely another 'Lost tree', replaced by a 'Bonus Tree'.

T7 withering, while some other seeds grow

T7 died, while another tree will hopefully replace it

T8 - Expecting trouble

If T8 doesn't stress out after what happened to his ex-neighbor, T6, this morning, I do expect some serious troubles for it. One, it's tiny and still fragile as it hasn't fully recovered from drying out on my balcony. Then, it might be replaced by another 'official tree' any time soon ! All for the best anyways !

Flagship Vs. Ownership

2010-02-21T15:35:00.005+07:00

Went today to plant a flag next to T7.

When I planted the tree with my wife yesterday, some neighbor expressed very dubious feeling when seeing us in action : doubt to the point of contained agressivity. Planting a (tiny) tree in a street, not even ours, is obviously very suspicious to her. I don't blame her : how often have I felt the same thick layer of incomprehension from my co-citizens, back home ? Ignorance is a plague, everywhere it strikes.

Anyways, I felt that I should better flag the sapling.

ทรงพระเจริญ - Long Live the King !

Flagship Vs. Ownership

This flag is obviously not a token of ownership, because that tree is out there like any other tree, for everybody to enjoy, and nobody to own. Who could claim legal ownership of this little guy ? I don't own that tree, nobody does.

It's a street tree, subject to its fate, and anybody might at any moment step on it or cut it down. When it'll reach a decent size, everybody will enjoy the shade, the beauty and the cleaner air it provides. Neighbors surely will plant signs and nails to advertise on it, maintenance teams will chop its branches off, lovers might carve its bark, etc... So be it...

But now that it's so very tiny and puny, this flag will ascertain that somebody takes care of the tree. I gives passersbya hint that this sapling should not be messed with as it is notabandoned to its fate. That will provide it a bit more protection, Ihope.

Flagship for understanding

Because that flag's message is a blessing intended for His Majesty, that flag should also send a clear sign to the few doubtful neighbors or passersby : that tree has been planted here in respect with His Majesty's general recommendations to the Thais to take care of their environment. The King relentlessly repeats how important for the future it is to plant trees, so seeing this flag associated with a sapling will be instantly understood by any Thai : this tree will help improve your world.

It is at least the highest hope I have when planting this tree : it will help improve the world.

T008 - Planting details

2010-02-21T15:10:00.002+07:00

Location : Thanon Nakhon Ratchasima
Specie :    Dipterocarpus obtusifolius ยางเหียง
Size :              30 cm
Ref :      T008
Date :        Jan 21th, 2010
Observations :   Replacement of T005 ; survivor tree

T5 died while I was away for some time. Second replacement at the same spot, I hope this time will be the right time !

T008, ready to conquer after recovering

The world seems so big compared with my balcony !

T007 - Planting details

2010-02-20T13:00:00.008+07:00

T007 planted this morning, and now it rains :)
I will have to replace T005 that died while I was away...

Location : Thanon Krung Kasem
Specie :    Pterocarpus macrocarpus - ประดู่
Size :              20 cm
Ref :      T007
Date :        Feb 20th, 2010
Observations :   Wires above ; survivor tree.

Planting spot before - looking west

T007 is of the survivors kind : almost dried while I was abroad, but grew anew after I kept watering it :)

Stakes to prevent 'accidental trampling' - watered just after taking the pic

looking east at how big it'll become

T005 T006 - Planting details

2010-01-22T00:40:00.009+07:00

T5 and T6 come in replacement for T3 and T4 that were cut during a maintenance operation.

Location : Thanon Nakhon Ratchasima

Specie : 2x Neem tree (Azadirachta indica) สะเดาไทย

Size : 25 cm

Ref : T005 + T006

Date : Jan 18th, 2010

Observations : Tiny trees : planted with a (small) stake so people don't step on it/cut it inadvertently ; wires above T6

The positive thing about having had to replace these trees, is that they got double ration of good soil... Lesson learned on my side : stakes are necessary, even if small.

T005 so tiny we barely see it next to the stake

T006 looking natural, as if it'd been here for over a month ...

2010 Planting objectives

2010-01-16T18:50:00.009+07:00

Part of my new year resolutions was to define how I expect to practice this tree planting hobby in the coming year.

1 - plant, plant, and plant

Time constraints came to mind first : I wish to limit my participation to what my motorcycle can carry comfortably at any time, being 4 x 2L bottles of water. This limits my actions to only watering 4 trees regularly at any time, not too far from my home. So, after replanting the missing T3 and T4, which are watered by someone else, I can still plant and take care of another 2 trees.

Basically, I can plant more trees, provided they are in any location that will not require me to look after it on a regular basis afterwards. That means I can also plant in any other location that gets watered either by municipal/corporate gardeners, or by good souls who wish to join this project.

2 - spot suitable planting locations

Another corollary is that I can basically plant anything, anywhere, during the monsoon, when the sky itself will look after these fragile baby trees. So one of my objectives now is to spot and map suitable planting spots, that will be planted during the raining season. I already saw many more suitable spots while cruising in Bangkok's streets ; some of these locations could really do with more trees cleaning the air and providing shade. All would benefit from the reassuring presence of 'greenery' around us.

3 - recruit

I'm not good at this, but I just love company ! :)

Anybody is welcome who wishes to help, if only a little bit. Just indicating me accurately a suitable planting spot would help. Coming along for a planting session is fun ! Planting, watering and watching your own tree grow is just a great feeling.

4 - think big

I've been thinking over Berlin's plant adoption scheme (see Andy's comments), and have also found evidence of sponsoring parks/trees planting in both Laos and Singapore. Conversations with friends with interest in these questions led me to probe a few personalities about developping a large tree planting 'sponsoring project'. The first inputs have been quite positive.

I do not wish to develop this idea further here at the moment, since there is still so much to be defined yet.

Survival at stake

2010-01-16T18:41:00.003+07:00

Everything has been going on fine for the trees, especially early this year when it's been raining several times here.

But a bitter surprise was awaiting me yesterday, while I went on my watering round, as T3 and T4 plots have been 'weeded' out by the maintenance team, including my little beloved trees...

Maintenance on T4 plot and T3 in the back ; both trees gone missing

The good news is that T1 and T2 are intact, growing happily and steadily. I guess they were saved because of the stakes I stuck in the ground next to them. This way, they look like somebody is taking care of them, and the maintenance people didn't dare touch anything near them.

T2 and T1 (in the back) hiding in the bush, sticking to their stakes for survival

T1 showing off its new leaves for the picture (T2 in the back)

The thing is, I guess the maintenance guys expects somebody to take care of the trees and their square plots. Since I do assume paternity on the trees, this would mean I will also have to do some maintenance around the areas I claim... Unexpected task, but why not ? After all, this whole experience is about gardening the city, isn't it ? That should sure make me a proud guerrilla gardener .

T1 real proud of his daddy after I cleared the place around today (T2 in the back hopes secretly his turn will come soon)

T004 - Planting details

2009-12-22T23:46:00.043+07:00

Saying that the result of the Copenhagen summit came as a disappointment is a real understatement. Therefore, to cheer up a bit, wife and I went to plant tree #4 last sunday, before going to tam boon at the temple. We planted it in the available spot next to T003.

Location : Thanon Nakhon Ratchasima

Specie : Neem tree (Azadirachta indica) สะเดาไทย

Size : 25 cm

Ref : T004

Date : Dec 20th, 2009

Observations : Tiny tree : need to find a stick so people don't step on it inadvertently ; wires above

T003 in the back. As I thought, it gets watered without requiring my help, which will allow me to plant another one :)

T001 grows its first leave. I feel good :)

T003 - planting details

2009-12-13T18:27:00.017+07:00

Couldn't resist planting another one when the heat decreased a bit today :)

Location : Thanon Nakhon Ratchasima
Specie :    Pterocarpus macrocarpus - ประดู่
Size :              50 cm
Ref :      T003
Date :        Dec 13th, 2009
Observations :   Good spot :D

Before - Good spot : no wires directly above, and gets watered with the hedges. Another available spot behind next to the road :)

T003 in place

Strangling fig attacking a neighboring tree

T001 & T002 - planting details

2009-12-12T23:45:00.009+07:00

Location : Thanon Phitsanulok
Specie :    Dipterocarpus obtusifolius ยางเหียง
Size :              40 cm
Ref :      T001 & T002
Date :        Dec 05th and 11th, 2009
Observations :   King's birthday celebrations

Planting the very first trees

2009-12-12T22:30:00.013+07:00

It's been some time now that I want to plant trees, plenty of trees, and see them grow big and tall. It's not such an easy thing to do when you do not own land, and live in one of the biggest cities in the world. I love Bangkok, and feel lucky to have a chance to be here. But when it comes to planting trees, cities don't provide you with much opportunities : you need an actual access to the soil through the concrete. You also want to plant a tree where it's not going to be damaged too much, or even cut down by other people.

So after much thinking, my first plan was to plant a tree next to my home, in replacement of another one that died and has been removed. This way, I just replace what has come to be missing.

I then decided to wait for december 5th to plant the first tree, in honor of His Majesty the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, who relentlessly repeats how important it is to plant trees for everybody's health, wealth and spirit. I also decided to plant that first tree as close as possible to the heart of the King's birthday celebrations.

This is how I found myself digging a (very small) hole in the ground, amidst a crowd of bemused Thais, all of them wearing pink shirts, smiling and kidding me around. They pretty much understood my purpose and the symbolic date without need for explanations, and took turns for a series of pictures with me and the newly planted tree. Just too bad i didn't bring my camera, or thought of getting a copy...

The first tree planted (Dipterocarpus), after one week

My wife and I bought bottles of water (forgot to bring some), watered the tree, planted a flag next to it, and that was it ! Since then, it got 2 liters of water almost every days of this past week, and looks great ! We came back yesterday with another same tree, to fill the available spot right next to it.

only 40 cm high, but already looking forward to reach the sky !

I now wish to continue this fun and useful activity, and have already noticed some suitable spots for more trees ! :D