Global reforestation efforts got an amazing boost when the El Verde Project in the Philippines started their 12 million trees by 2012 project by setting a new Guinness world record for planting the most trees simultaneously.

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

On February 23rd 2011 6893 volunteers gathered in the Philippine province of Camarines Sur to plant 64096 trees See confirmation on the Guinness world records website and the Guiness world records blog about the world record event Volunteers included President of Philippines Noynoy Aquino AKA Benigno Aquino III, Provincial Governor of Camarines Sur Luis Raymund Villafuerte, fire, police and hospital services, judges, politicians, businesses and thousands of other locals.

President of Phillippines Noynoy Aquino and Governor of Camarines Sur Luis Raymund Villafuerte El Verde

President of Philippines Noynoy Aquino AKA Benigno Aquino III plants a tree at the El Verde event

Provincial Governor of Camarines Sur Luis Raymund Villafuerte and volunteers plant trees for El Verde

Another YouTube video about El Verde event

And another video on YouTube about the El Verde event

Province of Camarines Sur is in the Philippines with a population of about 1 ½ million people See the Camarines Sur website and See the Wikipedia entry With such natural wonders as Mt. Isarog and an indigenous tribal people called the Agta, it is a beautiful place to visit.

Governor Villafuerte was happy to promote the benefits of tree planting.  “The El Verde project combines biodiversity conservation, economic development and a climate change adaptation strategy to help reverse the rate of deforestation in the province.” “We want to teach our people the importance of saving the environment and how they can help as active stakeholders,” Villafuerte said.

The El Verde project has inspired families living in Camarines Sur to get involved in the planting and maintenance of the saplings in their early years. The families are partnered with an area of land with at least 2500 new trees planted and asked to nurture them. In return extra food is distributed to them, along with extra health and education benefits.

El Verde is inviting business and individual sponsorship to help address climate change through reforestation. Please help make a difference and get in touch with El Verde Contact details for El Verde

A Collection of photos showing the El Verde Tree Planting Volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

El Verde Tree planting world record volunteers

Photos from Boom Dayupay

More Reforestation efforts around the world.

The El Verde initiative blends in well with the United Nations acknowledged 2011 is the International Year of Forests Find out more about The International Year of Forests 2011

Another great reforestation initiative headed by Professor Wangari Maathai and HSH Albert II, Prince of Monaco is The Billion Tree Campaign that has facilitated a world changing 11 billion trees to be planted. Read more about The Billion Tree Campaign

The inspirational Boris Trajanov helped to initiate ‘Tree Day’ in Macedonia in August 2007 Macedonia Tree Day Since then the Macedonia people have planted over 20 million trees. Watch a video of Boris Trajanov talking about ‘Tree Day’

The world record for trees planted in 1 hour by 100 people or less is 26422 trees. That’s an average of 264 trees each person in one hour! See the Guinness World Records Website for Confirmation If half of the world’s population planted trees at the same rate for just 1 hour 883 billion trees would get planted.

“Planting and growing increasing quantities of trees is the scientific solution to Earth’s environmental dilemma.” Dr. Richard St. Barbe-Baker Watch Video Of Dr. Richard St. Barbe-Baker on YouTube HERE

Posted by Michael Horsnell
Please take time to leave a comment / reply below

International Year of Forests 2011 is a golden opportunity, to centre everyone’s thoughts on the beauty, benefits and necessity of forest protection, enhancement and reforestation of our planet.

View from Turtle Mountain Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve, Guyana

“Planting and growing increasing quantities of trees is the scientific solution to Earth’s environmental dilemma.” Dr. Richard St. Barbe-Baker Watch Video Of Dr. Richard St. Barbe-Baker on YouTube HERE

The United Nations has acknowledged 2011 the International Year of Forests Celebrating Forests for People See the UN website for this 2011 initiative

UN International year of Forests 2011 logo

As more and more of humanity learn to appreciate the higher value of the world’s forests for the complex jewels they are, compared with the short term 20th century view of forests wealth if they are chopped up, mined or replaced with farmland, we are ALL waking up to the true value and undeniable wealth of ecosystems all over our planet.

It is so much more rewarding for ALL to protect, nurture and enjoy forests without feeling the need to destroy them for short term profit.

Who in their right mind would hold an ounce of gold or 20 barrels of oil higher in value than 10 acres of pristine rainforest or even one acre?

Humanity and the Earth cannot continue in the old fashioned 20th century bubble of growth from destruction. Both Humanity and the Earth will benefit from sustainable growth based on protecting, nurturing, enhancing and creating life in our biosphere.

Unless we evolve from a 20th century mindset that short-sightedly presumed a rainforest is worth more chopped up than alive and thriving, many an unscrupulous business will take that opportunity and chop it up for profit. Humanity will benefit from putting more value on protecting and nurturing life, rather than putting a value on something’s destruction.

Worldwide reforestation will bring about so much abundance and wealth for humanity and the rest of the planet.

View from Turtle Mountain Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve, Guyana

What can we all do?

• We can ALL plant trees, one, ten or ten thousand, as many as we can, either by direct planting ourselves, in communities or through organised schemes.
• We can ALL make every effort to visit a pristine forest somewhere in the world, to fully understand its phenomenal splendour.
• We can ALL refuse to buy ANY consumer goods unless absolutely sure they have NOT helped to destroy pristine forests anywhere on the globe.
• We can ALL write to our politicians and businesses to insist they will not earn profits from the destruction of pristine forests and will support reforestation efforts.
• Explore this great website and support reforestation worldwide. http://goodplanet.org/LoveForests

Of Forests and Men Video

Yann Arthus-Bertrand was appointed by the United Nations to produce this official film for the International Year of Forests 2011.

Yann has an amazing website full of nature’s beauty:

Yann Arthus-Bertrand Website

Of Forests and Men, is an Amazing video. The Earth needs reforesting. Humanity needs the world reforested.

Reforestation is the crux to a richer more diverse humanity. Restoration projects will for sure help heal ourselves and the Earth.

Posted by Michael Horsnell
Please take time to leave a comment / reply below

www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign

Rainforests need to be shown that they are worth more alive, than dead.

In 1950 the forest cover of Indonesia was about 160 million hectares; today less than 48 million hectares are left. www.greenthefilm.com/Info

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

***DONATE*** As the film is given away free, please donate what you can afford to help Patrick help everyone save global rainforests.

www.greenthefilm.com/Donate

DEFORESTATION OF INDONESIA IS MADE POSSIBLE BY :

THE COMPANIES BEHIND THE WOOD INDUSTRY AND OUR PASSIVITY

If we don’t buy the products, those companies can’t sell the products.

The consequences of our purchase from palm oil products (biofuel, toothpaste, biscuits, etc) to garden furniture, to plywood, to paper, all decide if species are exterminated or will survive.

See this extensive list of companies to question on there sourcing of products.

DEFORESTATION OF INDONESIA IS MADE POSSIBLE BY :

THE COMPANIES BEHIND THE WOOD INDUSTRY
Sinar Mas Group – Indonesia
Salim Group – Indonesia
Barito Pacific Group – Indonesia
Bakrie & Brothers Group – Indonesia
Tanjung Lingga – Indonesia
Astra International  – Indonesia
Djajanti Group – Indonesia
Kalimanis Group – Indonesia
Kayu Lapis Group – Indonesia
Korindo Group – Indonesia
Gudang Garam – Indonesia
Raja Garuda Mas Group – Indonesia
PT Uniseraya Group – Indonesia
PT Diamond Raya – Indonesia
Mitra Usaha Sejati Abadi (MUSA) – Indonesia
Surya Dumai – Indonesia
Sumalindo Lestari Jaya Group – Indonesia
PT Inhutani – Indonesia
Benua Indah Group – Indonesia
Lyman Group  – Indonesia
Alas Kusuma Group – Indonesia
Sumber Mas Group Samarinda – Indonesia
Hasko Group – Indonesia
Central Cipta Murdaya Group – Indonesia
PT Tanjung Kreasi – Indonesia
Rimbunan Hijau – Malaysia WTK Group –  Malaysia
Samling Global Limited – Malaysia
Kerwara Limited –  Malaysia

THE COMPANIES BEHIND PULP AND PAPER INDUSTRY
Sinar Mas Group- Indonesia Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) – Indonesia
Indah Kiat – Indonesia
Kertas Nusantura – Indonesia
Kalimanis Group – Indonesia
Raja Garuda Mas – Indonesia
Kiani Kertas – Indonesia
Raja Garuda Mas International – Indonesia
Asia Pacific Ressources International
Holdings  (APRIL) – Indonesia
PT Inti Indorayon Utama – Indonesia
PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper – Indonesia
PT Tanjung Enim Lestari Pulp and Paper (TEL) – Indonesia
PT Musi Hutan Persada Pacific Timber – Indonesia
PT Arara Abadi – Indonesia
United Fiber System Limited (Unifiber) – Singapore
Jaakko Pöyry – Finland

THE COMPANIES BEHIND THE PALM OIL PRODUCTION
Sinar Mas Group – Indonesia
Astra Agro Lestari – Indonesia
Raja Garuda Mas International – Indonesia
Asian Agri – Indonesia Salim Group – Indonesia
Inti Indosawit Subur – Indonesia
Musim Mas Group – Indonesia
Duta Palma –  Indonesia
Inexco – Indonesia
Indofood Sukses Makmur – Indonesia
Makin Group – Indonesia
London Sumatra – Indonesia
Bakrie and Brothers – Indonesia
Anglo Eastern Plantations Plc – Indonesia
First Resources Limited – Indonesia
Agro Group – Indonesia
Austindo Nusantara Jaya – Indonesia
Surya Dumai Group – Indonesia
Sime Darby Group – Malaysia
IOI Group – Malaysia
JC Chang Group – Malaysia
Guthrie – Malaysia
Golden Hope – Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Kepong – Malaysia
Asiatic Development – Malaysia
Boustead Holdings – Malaysia
United Plantations – Malaysia
IJM Plantations – Malaysia
Tradewinds Plantation – Malaysia
Golden Agri – Singapore
CTP Holdings Pte Ltd – Singapore
Wilmar / Kuok / ADM – USA
Cargill – USA
MP Evans Group – United Kingdom
Socfindo – Belgium

THE BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS SUPPORTING IN THE ABOVE INDUSTRIES
World Bank
International Monetary Fund  (IMF)
International Finance Corporation  (IFC)
World Trade Organization (WTO)
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
World Resources Institute (WRI)
COFACE – France
Export Credits Guarentee Department (ECGD) – United Kingdom
Export Import Bank (EX-IM) – USA
Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund – Japan
Finnvera – Finland
Export Development Canada – Canada
Export Credit Guarantee Board – Sweden
CellMark – Sweden Gerling-NCM – Germany
National Machinery Equipment Import Export Corporation (CMEC) – China
China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation – China
Sinar Mas Bank – Indonesia
ABN  Amro Bank – Indonesia
Bank Central Asia – Indonesia
Bank Mandiri – Indonesia
Babobank Duta – Indonesia
Bank DBS – Indonesia
Bank Panin – Indonesia
Bank Resona Perdania – Indonesia
Danareksa Securities – Indonesia
OCBC Bank – Singapore
DBS Bank – Singapore
AFC Merchant Bank – Singapore
CIBM Group – Malaysia
Malayan Banking – Malaysia
SOCFIN – Belgium Sipet – Belgium
Bank Brussels Lambert – Belgium
Raifeisen Zentralbank Österreich AG – Austria
Andritz – Austria Rabobank – Netherlands
ING Bank- Netherlands Fortis Bank –  Netherlands
German Development Bank  (DEG) – Germany
Deutsche Bank – Germany
Commerzbank – Germany
HSH Nordbank AG – Germany
HSBC – United Kingdom
Legal & General – United Kingdom
Barclays – United Kingdom
Standard Chartered Bank -  United Kingdom
Royal Bank of Scotland – United Kingdom
Edinburgh Java Trust – United Kingdom
Collins Stewart – United Kingdom
Lloyds Bank – United Kingdom
Numis Corporation – United Kingdom
Astra Zeneca – Sweden / United Kingdom
UBS – Switzerland
Credit Suisse – Switzerland
Goldman Sachs – Switzerland
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi (UFJ) – Japan
Mizuho Bank – Japan
Vivendi Water – France
Natixis – France
BNP Paribas – France
Credit Agricole – France
AXA – France
Société Générale – France
Citibank –  USA
Cornell Capital Partners – USA
Merrill Lynch – USA
Morgan Stanley – USA
JP Morgan Chase – USA
Lehman Brothers – USA
Amroc – USA
Blackrock – USA

THE COMPANIES TRADING OR BUYING WOOD PRODUCTS FROM INDONESIA
CSH Industrial Group – Singapore
Aeonic International Trade – Singapore
Wajilam Exports – Singapore
Jason Parquet – Singapore
Neeshai Trading – Singapore
Nature Wood – SIngapore
Chippel Overseas Supplies – Singapore
Tong Hin Timber Group – Singapore
Sitra Holdings – Singapore
Chiang Leng Hup Plywood – Singapore
Pargan – Singapore
Sunlight Mercantile – Singapore
Sunrise Doors International – Singapore
Wason Industries – Singapore
Dowlet Trading Enterprises – Singapore
Pan Majestic Holdings – Malaysia
Acmeco Ventures – Malaysia
Flooring Box – Malaysia
Hok Lai Timber – Malaysia
Kim Teck Lee Timber Flooring – Malaysia
McCorry Group – Malaysia
Sumec International Technology Trade – China
Jiangsu Kuaile Wood Industry Group – China
Xiamen Xinda Import Export Trading Company – China
Sino Forest Corporation – China
Celandine Co. – China
Montague Meyer – United Kingdom
Wolseley Group – United Kingdom
Homebase –  United Kingdom
Habitat – United Kingdom
International Plywood – United Kingdom
Premier Forest Products – United Kingdom
Kingfisher Group (B&Q, Castorama, Brico Dépôts, Hornbach) – United Kingdom John Lewis – United Kingdom
Travis Perkins – United Kingdom
Kiani – United Kingdom
Wolseley Group – United Kingdom
Maison du Monde – United Kingdom
Jewson – United Kingdom
Allied Carpets – United Kingdom
Caledonian Plywood – United Kingdom
Cipta – United Kingdom
Wood International Agency – United Kingdom
Armstrong World Industries – USA
Lowe’s -  USA
Koch Industries Inc. – USA
Chesapeake Hardwoods – USA
Plywood Tropics – USA
Geogia Pacific – USA
Taraca Pacific – USA
North Pacific Lumber – USA
Far East American – USA
IHLO sales & Imports – USA
The Home Depot – USA
Les Mousquetaires (Bricomarché) – France
Leroy Merlin – France
Saint Gobain Group (Point P / Lapeyre / Jewson / Raab Karcher / Dahl) -  France
Maison Coloniale – France
Pier Import – France
Pont Meyer – Netherlands
Hoek Lopik – Netherlands
Oldeboom – Netherlands
Tarkett – Germany
Possling – Germany
Roggemenn – Germany
Daiken – Japan
Seihuko – Japan
Nippindo – Japan
Kahrs – Sweden
IKEA – Sweden
DLH Group – Denmark
Junckers – Denmark
Finnforest – Finland
FEPCO – Belgium
Glencore International – Switzerland
Goodfellow – Canada

THE COMPANIES TRADING PULP AND PAPER FROM INDONESIA
United Fiber System Limited (Unifiber) – Singapore
PaperlinX Asia – Singapore
International Paper Company – USA
Weyerhaeuser Company – USA
Kimberly-Clark  – USA
MeadWestvaco Corporation – USA
Procter & Gamble  – USA
Koch Industries – USA
OJI Paper – Japan
Nippon Paper Group – Japan
Sumitomo Forestry Co – Japan
Marubeni Corporation -  Japan
Itochu -Japan Marubeni – Japan
Sojitz – Japan
Stora Enso Oyj – Finland
UPM-Kymmene Corporation – Finland
Metsälliitto – Finland
Cellmark – Sweden
Bomo-Cypap Pulp and Paper– Cyprus

THE COMPANIES TRADING OR BUYING PALM OIL FROM INDONESIA
Sinar Mas Group – Indonesia
Permata Hijau Sawit – Indonesia
Golden Agri – Indonesia
Indofood Sukses Makmur – Indonesia
Arnott Indonesia – Indonesia
Wilmar Group – Singapore
Charleston Holdings (Tropical Oil Products) – Singapore
Pacific Rim Plantations Services – Singapore
Olam International – Singapore
Intercontinental Oils and Fats – Singapore
Lam Soon – Singapore
Kuok Group – Malaysia
Sime Darby – Malaysia
Giant – Malaysia
Mitsui & Co – Malaysia
Yee Lee Corporation – Malaysia
Intercontinental Specialty Fats – Malaysia
SSD Oils Mills Co – India
Nirma – India
Hindustan Lever – India
Godrej Industries – India
China Grains & Oils Group Corporation – China
China National Vegetable Oil Corporation – China
Beijing Orient-Huaken Cereal & Oil – China
Beijing Heyirong Cereals & Oils – China
Cargill  – USA
Bunge – USA
Archer Daniels Midland  (ADM)  -  USA
Kentuky Fried Chicken (KFC) – USA
Kraft  – USA
ConAgra Trade Group Inc. – USA
Reckitt Benckiser -  USA
Procter & Gamble  – USA
Johnson & Johnson – USA
Wal-Mart  – USA
Hershey – USA
Kroger Co  – USA
Shaw’s – USA
Safeway Inc – USA
Costco Wholesale Corporation – USA
Kroger Co – USA
Pepsi Co Inc. – USA
Krafts Food Inc. – USA
SYSCO – USA
Pizza Hut -USA
Mc Cain – USA
Burger King – USA
Mc Donalds – USA
US Foodservice – USA
Aramark – USA
Estée Lauder – USA
McKee Foods Corporation – USA
Kellogg’s  – USA
Starbuck – USA
Colgate Palmolive – USA
Safeway – USA
Shaw’s – USA
Albertson’s – USA
Ahold  – USA
Sara Lee Corporation – USA
Unilever – Netherlands / United Kingdom
HJ Heinz – United Kingdom
Cadbury Schweppes – United Kingdom
Body Shop International – United Kingdom
Tesco – United Kingdom
Sainsbury’s – United Kingdom
Boots – United Kingdom
Marks and Spencer – United Kingdom
Macphilips Foods – United Kingdom
Compas Group – United Kingdom
Associated British Foods – United Kingdom
Tate & Lyle – United Kingdom
Musgrave – United Kingdom
John Lewis Partnership – United Kingdom
Co-operative Group – United Kingdom
ASDA – United Kingdom
Britannia Food Ingredients – United Kingdom
United Biscuits – United Kingdom
Aarhus – United Kingdom
Northern Foods plc – United Kingdom
Burton’s Foods Ltd – United Kingdom
Croda – United Kingdom
Whitbread Group – United Kingdom
ICI – United Kingdom
ASDA – United Kingdom
Waitrose – United Kingdom
Morrisons – United Kingdom
Carrefour – France
Edouard Leclerc – France
Auchan – France
Pinault Printemps Redoute – France
Danone – France Gillette – France
SAS Devineau – France
L’Oréal – France
Henkel  – Germany
Cognis – Germany
Alfred C Toepfer International – Germany
Metro Group – Germany
Aldi Group – Germany
Schwarz Group – Germany
Rewe – Germany
Cognis – Germany
Cremer Oleo – Germany
Walter Rau – Germany
ALDI Group – Germany
Goodman Fielder  – Australia
Gardner Smith – Australia
Coles Group – Australia
Australian Food – Australia
Woolworths Limited – Australia
Arnott’s – Australia
Foodstuffs – New Zealand
Progressive Enterprises – New Zealand
Ahold NV – Nertherlands
CSM –  Netherlands
Cefetra – Netherlands
Glencore Grain – Netherlands
Nidera – Netherlands
Akzo Nobel – Netherlands
Nestlé  – Switzerland
Barry Callebaut – Switzerland
Glencore International – Switzerland
Lindt – Switzerland
Florin – Switzerland
Nutriswiss – Switzerland
Coop – Switzerland
Migros – Switzerland
DaiEi – Japan
Kao Corporation – Japan
Saraya Co Ltd – Japan
Fuji Oil Group – Japan
Mitsubishi Corporation – Japan
Myojo Foods – Japan
Rainbow Energy Corporation – Japan
Arthur Goethels – Belgium
Delhalze Group – Belgium
FEDIOL – Belgium
Danisco – Denmark
Dragsbaek – Denmark
Goteborts Kex – Sweden
Cloetta Fazer – Sweden
Mills DA – Norway
Orkla Group – Norway
Saetre Kjeks – Norway
Kantolan Keksi – Finland
Musgrave Budgens Longis – Ireland
Savola – Saudi Arabia
Thai President Foods – Thailand

THE COMPANIES INVESTING IN BIO DIESEL MADE FROM PALM OIL
Wilmar Group -  Singapore
Continental BioEnergy – Singapore
Carotino Sdn Bhd – Malaysia Zurex Corporation – Malaysia
SPC Biodiesel – Malaysia
DXN Oleochemicals  – Malaysia
PT Vision Renewable fuels – Malaysia
Natural Fuel – Australia PME Biofuels – Australia
Mission NewEnergy Limited – Australia
Sterling Bioduels – Australia
Biofuels Corporation – United Kingdom
Greenergy – United Kingdom
BP International – United Kingdom
D1 Oils –United Kingdom
EDF Energy – United Kingdom
WHEB Biofuels – United Kingdom
Cargill – USA
BioFuel Merchants (BFM) – USA
BioX Group – Netherlands
Costal Energy limited – India
ED&F Man Biofuels – France
BioDiesel Oils – New Zealand
Neste Oil – Finland
OKQ8 – Sweden
ECO Solutions Co – South Korea
Rainbow Energy Corporation – Japan
Biopetrol Industries – Switzerland

AND OUR PASSIVITY !!!!!

Directed by: Patrick Rouxel
Sound design and mix: Simon Apostolou
Music: Frédéric Sanchez del Rio
Foleys: Xavier Drouault
Colour grading: Cendrine Vincent
Technical supervision: Yoann Copinet
Graphic artist: Lise Fischer
Saxophone: Xavier Trombini
Voices: Eugénie Selin, Vanessa Cadasse, Sandra Gengoul

Please leave a reply below if you’ve any thoughts on the film.
Posted by Michael Horsnell

To view the Great Trees of East Devon Website click here

View the videos below.

The Farway Yew

The Salcombe Regis Thorn

The Bicton Monkey Puzzle Tree

The Whimple Wonder

The Phear Park Lucombe Oak

The East Budleigh Mark Tree

The Great Oak at Upton Pyne

The Ginkgo Tree Presented by Sidmouth Men of the Trees and planted by Councillor Arthur White

The Maidenhair Jurassic Tree Ginkgo Biloba Presented by Sidmouth Men of the Trees at the Knowle in Sidmouth Devon

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf from the Jurassic Tree Presented by Sidmouth Men of the Trees at the Knowle in Sidmouth Devon

Monterey pine Pinus radiate at the Knowle in Sidmouth Devon

Kaieteur Tree Planting fund

During National Tree Week in November 2009 Kaieteur Tree planting fund organised a campaign to give trees to local schools. It was to help enhance the grounds of the school, allow some children to become ‘tree guardians’ and help to celebrate the United Nations International year of biodiversity 2010

Sidmouth All Saints Infants

The campaign raised a total of £356.60 with generous donations from East Devon Carbon management programme overseen by Councillor Graham Brown

Sidmouth in Bloom

The Vision for Sidmouth transition town group

Along with many customers of local businesses giving generously.  It helped that the Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce supported the campaign

St Nicholas C of E Junior

In January 2010 5 local schools benefitted with a large collection of native tree saplings, along with several apple trees and blueberry bushes.

Sidmouth All Saints Infants

Sidmouth Infants School

St Nicholas C of E Junior School

St. John’s School

Sidmouth College

Sidmouth Infants School

Sidmouth in Blooms theme for this year as set out by the RHS Britain in bloom 2010 is ‘Local Roots’ Their campaign is gathering momentum for a medal attempt in this year’s competition, making the most of Sidmouth’s rich history, they are eagerly requesting volunteers to offer a few hours of their time.  Contact Sidmouth in Bloom 01395 579965

Trees for the Byes Campaign

Kaieteur is organising the next local tree campaign ‘Trees for the Byes campaign’ collecting to add trees to the local beauty spot, The Byes in Sidmouth Devon. Please help by donating here.

The planting of trees is one of the best long term solutions to increasing biodiversity. To help celebrate 2010 International Year of biodiversity you can buy tree saplings from kaieteur here, or donate to help us plant them on your behalf here.

Further reading:

Download a PDF copy of East-Devon-District council draft carbon management plan

Download a PDF copy of Sources Of Information for RHS Britain in bloom theme for 2010 local roots sidmouth

Free trees and educational resources can be discovered on the woodland trust tree for all website.

Posted by Michael Horsnell

How fungi - mushrooms - mycelium can help save the world

Fungi or mushrooms are the fruiting body of the mycelium network.

Fungi decompose and absorb a huge variety of nutrients and elements. In doing so they produce fertile soil, naturally carry out the process of carbon capture and with there symbiotic relationships with many plants and trees also help lock even more carbon into the plant structure, by helping them grow quicker.

The mycelium spreads out through the soil and other organic materials to help breakdown and assimilate compounds. In fact mycelium grows into such an intricate network, left untouched by human intervention fungi can become the largest organisms on this planet.

Photo source – A beautiful picture of amethyst deceiver (Laccaria amethystea)

The complex network of mycelium often works symbiotically, sharing the micro nutrients it has produced with the trees and plants which have produced carbohydrates through photosynthesis (something fungi cannot achieve). Mycelium also shares symbiotic relationships with bacteria, sharing valuable chemicals.

TED

The guru of fungi, Paul Stamets presents this TED talk, putting forward excellent evidence of how valuable to the earth these organisms are.

Follow Paul Stamets on twitter here @PaulStamets

Paul Stamets website fungi.com

An interview with Paul Stamets by mother earth news

Trees grow on Mushrooms and natural carbon storage techniques

Chris Rhodes highlights an important fact in his blogpost  March 22, 2009 ( which can be read here )

He points out that plants which have mycelium surrounding their root structure when young, establish and grow with better vigour because of their symbiotic relationship. The mycelium acts as an extension to the root system with obvious benefits.

So Tree saplings being prepared for reforestation projects would benefit enormously if the natural partnering fungi can be attached at an early stage. Leading to improved growth in the tree and therefore storage of carbon, whilst the mycelium itself helps to lock up huge amounts of carbon in the soil.

Chris has also summarised some of Paul Stamets work in this blog post

Carbon Storage

The Department of Ecology at Lund University, Sweden has a project looking at how mycelium helps store carbon in the soil. This highlights the many benefits of leaving naturally formed soil structure wherever possible.  Details of the project can be viewed here.

Mycoremediation

Mycelium plays a huge part in the cleaning up of pollutants we produce in our modern lives. The process is often called Mycoremediation. Mycelium with symbiotic relationships with bacteria can break down substances which can be toxic if left unchecked.

This is an excellent description of how fungi can create fertile soils.

Examples of Mycoremediation in the Amazon.

video clip – A Solution to Pollution – Mycoremediation in the Ecuadorian Amazon

A definition of Mycoremediation from www.celsias.com

‘Many species of mushrooms are actually powerful bioremediators, natural organisms that help break down pollutants. They colonize contaminated soil, and then secrete enzymes that break down the offending chemicals into nontoxic components. The result is clean soil and lots of mushrooms.’

London Olympic 2012 have been using bioremediation processes to clean land. See this link.

‘The bacteria, fungi and other microbes will completely clean this soil without any waste being taken to landfill as part of the green, high-tech clean up of the Olympic Park.’

To buy the best book on fungi look no further than the kaieteur web site

Or for a free preview see it here on google.  Page 82

Help plant trees, please donate to the kaieteur tree planting fund

To find out more about fungi from the BBC breathing places have a look here

Posted by Michael Horsnell

Please take time to leave a small comment / reply below

Reforestation

Saturday 5th December 2009 saw a world record attempt organised by BBC Breathing Places

The world record for trees planted in 1 hour by 100 people or less was wiped out at Gransha Park, along the River Foyle in Northern Ireland.

A committed few, planted 26422 trees in 1 hour with pop star Nadine Coyle helping out. That’s an average of 264 trees each person in one hour!

BBC Breathing Places Treeoclock world record & Northern Ireland World record BBC report

At that rate with collective effort:

If half of the American military planted trees for 1 hour 192 million trees would get planted

If half of the Chinese military planted trees for 1 hour 454 million trees would get planted

If half of the UK population planted trees for one hour 8 billion trees would get planted

If half of the USA population planted trees for one hour 40 billion trees would get planted

If half of the Indian population planted trees for one hour 155 billion trees would get planted

If half of the Chinese population planted trees for one hour 176 billion trees would get planted

If half of the world’s population planted trees for 1 hour 883 billion trees would get planted

Kaieteur Tree Planting Fund

Here in Sidmouth, East Devon we did manage a leisurely 100 tree saplings being planted by the local Transition town group for Sidmouth, vision group volunteers and members of the Sidmouth in bloom committee at the beautiful local Harcombe hill Living Woods as reported by the Sidmouth Herald

Download a PDF copy of the article in the local Sid Vale newspaper here.

A recent collection during this year’s national tree week 25th November until 6th December, organised by Kaieteur in aid of the Sid Valley Trees for Schools Campaign saw £356.60 collected to distribute tree sapling to local schools. Thanks to everyone that donated, this varied from 1p to £100.

3 big donors were East Devon District Council Carbon management team, Sidmouth in bloom committee and the Sidmouth vision group. We will be distributing the trees after the Christmas break.

Please donate here towards our next tree planting campaign ‘trees for the byes’ to help keep The byes in Sidmouth green.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said “The creation of a thousand forests are in one acorn”

Professor Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and HSH Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco are overseeing the United Nations Billion tree campaign with 9 billion trees pledged to be planted.

Professor Wangari Maathai really is the queen of tree planting as she shows in the amazing documentary: Taking Root which highlights much of her work with the Green Belt Movement

To buy your own tree sapling as a beautiful gift or to plant out yourself click here.
Posted by Michael Horsnell

Please take time to leave a small comment / reply below