Tree planting activity --> get kids involved

After a long interruption for personal reasons, Plant A Tree Bangkok comes back stronger than ever!

. we have seeds
. we have a nursery space
. we are experienced, connected to people who also want to plant trees, and are more determined than ever!


Now that we have plenty of seeds to plant, pictures and experience to share, I would love to get kids involved. What a great learning experience for them: plant seeds, touch soil, learn about how Nature works, watch a tree grow, plant it and watch it grow big!

--> Now looking for schools/teachers who would like to have a tree planting activity in their class, it's the perfect time of the year to get started!

Kids just love it!


Send me the word ;)

Some of the seeds we have

Kids just love it! 

Moms too^^ 

So eager to learn and practice!

Anonymous benevolence

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 !

Hot season freshness in the forest

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, and some amazing trees, hoping we can have such beautiful trees one day in Bangkok streets...

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

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

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 !

Survival at stake

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)