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At the age of sixty-five, I have begun to look at the horizon a little differently. I realize that the most important things I have ever done aren’t the ones that bore fruit immediately, but the ones that are still just ‘shoots’: ideas, children, and trees that will only reach their full glory long after I’ve walked my last forest path.
There is a Greek proverb that says, “A society grows great when old people plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in” (yes, I changed it from ‘men’ to ‘people’; we run women’s empowerment groups so let’s be inclusive!) That proverb really speaks to me. The things we do that really matter only do so because they have a lasting effect. Planting a tree can have an effect over many years, and a bigger effect than just providing shade.
We encourage Kenyan farmers to plant the best trees for them. Not what we think should work, but what will help them the most. Often, these will be fruit or nut bearing trees, but sometimes they will be trees that create a windbreak, or have deep roots to find water where the land is dry. I went on a permaculture course a few years ago, and the teacher said that when a person takes on a new piece of land or makes the decision to “do permaculture”, they should use the maxim, “don’t just do something, sit there.” No, that’s not a typographical error, it’s a great principle. Before we do anything, take a beat… sit there and observe. This maxim can hold true for many things in life. When it comes to planting trees, however, there is also the understanding that the best time to plant a tree is fifty years ago, but the second best time is now.
The mango trees that our donors paid to be planted 10 years ago are just getting into their stride when it comes to producing fruit. There are documented specimens in India that are over 300 years old and still yielding fruit – that’s long enough for my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren to be still eating from them. Even for cashew trees, which only live for 50-60 years, it will be the great-great-grandchildren who will crack open those last nuts and benefit from the shade of a tree planted when I was sixty-five.
This is the final day of our Awareness Week, but for a tree, a week is barely a heartbeat. As we reach the sunset of this year’s #TreesAreTheKey Awareness Week, my hope is that we don’t leave our appreciation for the canopy behind. Let this week be the ‘shoot’ that grows into a year-round awareness.
For just £2.50, you can plant a tree through Word Forest. It is a small sum for a life that might span centuries, but it is a profound way to participate in a future you will never see. Whether it becomes a windbreak for a Kenyan farm tomorrow or, amazingly, could yield a harvest for a child in the 23rd century; it starts with a single decision today. Will you plant a bit of shade for the future?
Simon West and The Team