Earlier this year I interviewed for a job which was
basically planting trees. A huge, massive undertaking by a charity, to plant trees to create a new broad-leaved woodland, stretching across the middle of
England. To replace what once was, to create new habitat, to releaf England,
and to help mitigate against the effects of climate change, flooding, CO2
emissions, and also to make new spaces for people to explore.
I didn’t get the job, but I did get inspired to do something
similar.
I wrote a bit about this on my Instagram for #30DaysWild
this year:
“Slowing down and weeding the herbs, looking at the oak baby on its first steps to living, and knowing what I do now may be present on this earth for hundreds of years to come, sort of makes this life bearable.”
With this in mind, to celebrate turning 30, I decided to
plant a tree. One tree soon became two. Then six. One each for me, my partner, and for my nieces & nephews. The
plan was to plant conker trees, however, when I was walking in a park last week
I found the biggest, juiciest, most solid sweet chestnuts I’ve ever found, so I
decided to plant them too!
I now have 12 trees, ready to start growing. They are just
in little pots with compost, and gravel to act as a mulch. These pots are just
to start them off and get them growing; I will pot them up when the time comes.
There are two each, all labelled and dated.
Hopefully they will all grow and will travel with me as I move
through life and relocate. They may be planted somewhere, they may remain in
pots. Who knows? Hopefully they will outlast all six of us and be here for
hundreds of years.
