As we need transportation for soil, seeds, seed balls and saplings in Maharashtra and Gujarat, Earth Reforest System bought a used Jeep. The transfer papers for the Jeep are currently being processed by the authorities and will be ready within a month. After this we will be able to drive the vehicle on Maharashtra‘s roads. We purchased an additional battery for the case of break down. I was already practicing driving with a friend in Pune‘s city traffic and also on the highway.
We have bought a heap of soil from a farm for our tree nursery. The soil will be filled in small plastic bags together with a seed to grow the plants. Soil is also needed for making seed balls. Apurva Soni is helping us with this in the afternoons.
Apurva making seed balls
The translation of the book „Secrets of the Earth“ is now ready in Gujarati language and translations into Hindi and Haryani language are under way.
Translation in progress
Secret of the Earth - Cover
A Video CD with this story as an animation is also being prepared and will be ready in about two weeks, so small kids can enjoy watching an it can be used for study purpose. It will go along well with our „One Student – One Tree“ campaign.
Image courtesy www.indiatogether.org / Shree Padre
Amai Mahalinga Naik, an illiterate farm worker who used to harvest coconuts as a freelancer dreamed of his own plot of land. One farmer satisfied with Amai’s work helped him to get two acres of barren land on a hilltop from the government. When Amai got the land nothing was growing there and there was no water. Against all odds and ignoring all the doubts of neighbouring villagers that he would ever succeed, he started to develop the plot using his own hands, intelligence and experience. Amai’s strong belief in his dream, hard work and resilience in spite of a few set backs brought about the fruit of his labour: a lush green garden with abundant water and own cows. The surroundings to Amai’s green oasis are still barren, but people flock in to get Amai’s advice – he has become a role model and was even awarded for his labour.
How about trying what the sound designer and composer Diego Stocco did: Spending a sunny afternoon out in the garden and composing and recording a piece of music played on a tree! It’s quite interesting, how many different sounds one can create with a tree. What do you think: did the tree enjoy this playful afternoon as much as Diego did?
This is a very informative and inspiring video from the website of Project GreenHands (http://www.projectgreenhands.org), an action-driven organization committed to developing a hands-on approach that can be easily replicated by other rural communities worldwide. Project GreenHands (PGH) was established by Isha Foundation as a grassroots ecological initiative in Tamil Nadu. Through its activities it aims to inspire people around the world to appreciate the true value of trees and the vital role that they play in our environment.
Drawing extensively on community involvement and large scale volunteer participation, the Project aims to plant 114 million trees within 5 years, which is an additional 10% to the existing level of tree coverage in Tamil Nadu.
Africa’s Sahel has been on the front line of the much discussed global warming trend for the past 30 years or more. What is undeniable is that the droughts are getting worse as the weather gets more extreme.
To fight this trend the leadership of Eritrea, one of the world’s smallest, newest, most underdeveloped countries, started universal, community-based water and soil conservation along with reforestation.
So they did it again: 126′000 Trees have been planted in Eritrea during a community based reforestation program. They do it every Year! High school students constructed about 2,500 cubic meters of embankments and over 109,000 terraces, in addition to the planting of 22,000 different types of tree seedlings and the digging of about 800 meter-long canal for the installation of water pipelines during a Summer Work Program.
Every summer all the high school students in the country spend six weeks building these walls and planting trees. The army, mainly composed of the youth doing their national service, is the main contributor to these efforts, building most of the micro dams and being continuously engaged in soil conservation and reforestation.
When the Italians first colonized Eritrea over a 120 years ago, 30 percent of Eritrea was covered by forests. At the time of independence in 1991, less than 2 percent of Eritrea was forested. Today Eritrea is producing 55% of it’s own food consumption thanks to irrigation from these installations and the percentage of own produce is continuosly increasing.
One simple, heartfelt and beautifully designed message will surely inspire the hearts of people – and that’s exactly the place where most things for the better of our planet can happen.
The creator of this contribution is the New York artist Sam Wedelich. You can discover more of her life and work by visiting her website – it’s worth it!
The Neem Tree (Margosa Tree, bot: Azadirachta indica) grows everywhere across India and it is revered as a sacred tree, as people have always benefitted tremendously by it. The Flowers of the Neem Tree are offered to god in religious rituals and are eaten on the Hindu New Year . The Neem Tree is one of the most significant plants in Ayurveda, the traditional indian medical system. It is referred to as “the village pharmacy” in India, because of it’s many beneficial properties. The leaves, the stem bark and the oil from the seeds are used for various curative purposes. While Neem oil is not being applied internally, it has shown to be one of the best natural topic treatments for any kind of skin ailments. Tea and extracts made from leaves and bark have proven to be highly effective antibacterials, antivirals, antifungals and they act antioxidant and anti-inflamatory. Further Neem has a stimulating effect on the immune system, it’s an excellent blood detoxifier and its bitter properties are showing good results in the treatment of diabetic conditions and in liver troubles. Beyond that it is reported that chewing several neem leaves daily will not only make a good prevention against malaria, but also act as a contraceptive – not only in women, but in men too! Still today, many villagers in India use a small branch from the neem tree as a tooth brush: they chew the stick until it becomes fibrous at the end and then brush their teeth with it. It leaves your oral cavity and your teeth clean and fresh and in best health.
In traditional organic farming Neem has always been appreciated as a very effective ingredient in foliage spray for pest control and the remaining cake from pressing the seeds for oil extraction has been used as manure to enrich the soil. Fresh twigs from the Neem Tree have been used in houses to keep mosquitoes and flies away and dry leaves have been added to grains and pulses for extended storage. For this reason you will always find a Neem Tree nearby any house in India or by the side of a farming plot.
The Neem Tree is also very climate tolerant. It can grow in tropical and subtropical conditions alike – even in arid areas and in places with very high temperatures as its roots are reaching deep into the ground for water.
If you want to find out more about Neem, you can google for the terms “Neem”, “Margosa” or “Azadirachta Indica” or you can visit this Website with a lot of interesting information.
This Impressive Banyan Tree you can find in the heart of the City of Pune, on Jangli Maharaj Road in the compound of the Pataleshwar temple. This remarkable rock cut Shiva Temple probably dates back to the eighth century. The saint Shri Jangli Maharaj came here to rest in peace and his name implies that he was the emperor of the woods that were then predominant here (Jangli – Jungle, Maharaj – King). If you ever make it to Pune, you could visit this place for a break from the bustle of the city. Don’t forget to pay tribute to the tree that welcomes you on the way into the complex and that might have witnessed a good portion of the hstory and greeted a good many pilgrims too.
This balloon hovering over Mullumbimby, Byron Bay/Australia, has been photographed by the food alchemist Clive Lawler who transforms Nuts and Seeds into the most delicious foods on earth (contact Clive or visit the 2die4 Live Food Homepage).
A small meditation practice:
1. click on the picture to enlarge it
2. look at the picture and imagine yourself inside the car of the ballon
3. now close your eyes and feel how you are hovering over the forest, feel the sensation of the wind on your skin.
4. with your inner eye observe the surroundings, watch everything – breathe the breeze, listen to the sounds and feel your heart throbbing with joy!
5. Become aware that this underneath is your world, your planet and that you are part of it!
6. stay as long up there as you wish or return any time you like – the ballon will always be there to enter when you close your eyes!
The Neem Tree (Margosa Tree, bot: Azadirachta indica) grows everywhere across India and it is revered as a sacred tree, as people have always benefitted tremendously by it. The Flowers of the Neem Tree are offered to god in religious rituals and are eaten on the Hindu New Year . The Neem Tree is one of the most significant plants in Ayurveda, the traditional indian medical system. It is referred to as “the village pharmacy” in India, because of it’s many beneficial properties. The leaves, the stem bark and the oil from the seeds are used for various curative purposes. While Neem oil is not being applied internally, it has shown to be one of the best natural topic treatments for any kind of skin ailments. Tea and extracts made from leaves and bark have proven to be highly effective antibacterials, antivirals, antifungals and they act antioxidant and anti-inflamatory. Further Neem has a stimulating effect on the immune system, it’s an excellent blood detoxifier and its bitter properties are showing good results in the treatment of diabetic conditions and in liver troubles. Beyond that it is reported that chewing several neem leaves daily will not only make a good prevention against malaria, but also act as a contraceptive – not only in women, but in men too! Still today, many villagers in India use a small branch from the neem tree as a tooth brush: they chew the stick until it becomes fibrous at the end and then brush their teeth with it. It leaves your oral cavity and your teeth clean and fresh and in best health.
In traditional organic farming Neem has always been appreciated as a very effective ingredient in foliage spray for pest control and the remaining cake from pressing the seeds for oil extraction has been used as manure to enrich the soil. Fresh twigs from the Neem Tree have been used in houses to keep mosquitoes and flies away and dry leaves have been added to grains and pulses for extended storage. For this reason you will always find a Neem Tree nearby any house in India or by the side of a farming plot.
