Imagine if every school motivated their matriculants to plant Trees For Bees in celebration of passing from one part of their life’s journey to the next, perhaps as a ritual marking this passage?
Recently the Philippines passed into law that every graduate had to plant 10 trees before they can graduate. And while that is a very effective means of ensuring the sustainability of the concept, there is no reason why we don’t start small and create and sustain a program like this voluntarily. Its a great idea, for the bees and other pollinators, for climate change, for water, for our environment in every way.
The idea is to formalise a program in your school that establishes the ongoing sustainability of planting trees. And The Bee Effect would like to recognise these schools as a #BeeSmartSchool.
If 1000 of our matriculants planted 10 Trees For Bees that would equal 10 000 trees a year. If 10 000 school leavers planted 10 Trees for Bees we would be planting 100 000 trees a year. Our schools could help plant millions of trees.
Interestingly the Phillipines have applied their graduation ruling to elementary schools, students graduating from high school and too their college graduates. In combination their target is to plant 175 million new trees per annum in a drive to offset the incredible deforestation plaguing their country.
“The Philippines is one of the world’s most severely deforested countries with total forest cover dropping from 70 per cent to just 20 per cent during the 20th century. Illegal logging remains a problem for the country and the lack of trees in some areas has exacerbated the risk and the impacts of floods and landslides.” Independent UK.
Rural and Urban Greening
Our schools can take their lead from the Philippines and plant up indigenous trees and plants with our bees and other pollinators in mind in denuded areas in our cities, like city parks or military bases, our street verges and the middle sections of our roads; in rural areas, on community lands, river banks both flowing and dried up (when tree roots establish, they start drawing water back up to the surface and over time surface water returns with tree canopies protecting). There are so many spaces that could do with greening. We particularly like the idea of schools in the area of mines planting up lands left to grasses that previously homed trees and diversity that drew pollinators and local wildlife; partner up with your local environmental groups and farmers whose land has been devastated by mining, and see how your school can support the rehabilitation of these barren lands.
Set up an ongoing matriculant tree planting program and become a #BeeSmartSchool. Click here to find out more.
Schools need not necessarily scout for planting locations, they can also link up with local organisations that are reforesting on various projects, like Greenpop and Food & Trees for Africa. Support their urban greening and reforestation projects, and by working with established organisations with programs in place one can streamline the school’s program and underpin the sustainability needed.
Whether your school elects to plant 1 or 10 trees per matriculant, plant Trees for Bees and have a positive effect on the impact of deforestation and urbanisation.
Wondering what trees are great for honey bees in your province? Click here and select your province to find trees for bees.
Forests are amazing because they supply most our oxygen, they are the habitat for wonderous diversity in plants and animals, a great carbon sink drawing in carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas and major contributor to climate change, they filter water and they moderate temperatures. They are the lungs of our earth.
Support and grow a forest wherever you are. Every tree we plant is life. And trees planted with bees and pollinators in mind is #BeeCentric.
Love honey bees? Click here and join our Bee-Beautiful Moments Facebook Group and post your beautiful honey bee pictures, in hives, on flowers, in the air and everywhere. If your honey bee is on a flower tag #BeeBeautifulMoments and we will tell you what the #BeePlantValue in nectar and pollen is so you know why honey bees luv ‘em!
Celebrate nature and success with an ongoing ritual of tree planting that will aid the needed urban greening and rural reforestation in our country.
