national interest into generationtrees project

There has been a long silence in the regular blogging. Sorry :(.

Generation trees has however not stopped enhancing biodiversity and natural beauty in this corner of the world. Many more invasive plants have been cleared and more native trees have been planted since last blog. We are now at more than 7,400 Trees planted!

Nick planting his trees to offset his flight to Europe.

Glorious flowering of one of the many tee trees planted on Generationtrees land

 We had more participants chipping in and buying trees to be planted here for commemorating dear ones passed away, or celebrating a life achievement. 

Label for 9 pohutukawa trees planted for Valentina by Silvia B.

 Luca came from Italy on October 2023 and stayed with us as a wooffer; before leaving he planted his trees to offset his flight !

Luca planting his trees to offset his flight from Italy

A group of 20 girls from all over the world hosted at a the Whangarei Girls High School came to plant trees to offset their flights from Europe and Asia into NZ! All our efforts join together to sprint up the process of re-forestation and carbon absorption in this corner of the planet.

International students from Whangarei Girls High School planting trees to offset their flights

 At the beginning of the year Silvia appeared on a New Zealand nature magazine, Forest and Bird, with an article entitled ‘I restored a native forest’ (https://www.forestandbird.org.nz/resources/i-restored-native-forest), where she tells how she came to work  on this land and why. Following the article she got interviewed on Radio New Zealand (https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/the-weekend/audio/2018922785/silvia-pinca-rewilding-pine-forest-into-native-bush) to explain what and why is happening on Generationtrees.

Drone image of part of the regenerating land with new green growth instead of logs and destruction

Anyway, we are now harvesting the result of our ongoing efforts and tasting the pleasure of seeing a new forest literally taking space, horizontally as well vertically. In some places I walk in the shade, which is marvelous, since only 5 years ago there were logs and slash on the ground and invasive plants (creepers and tall weeds) all over.

High diversity in the regrowth

At the end of last year we also received a visit form a commission of forest conservation experts from the Queen Elizabeth II Trust. They came to asses Nick’s land and to have a look at Generationtrees reforestation project. Both of these assessments were planned to decide if these properties could be locked into a perpetual covenant, which is like a natural reserve, where no harvesting, no cutting, no construction will ever be able to take place. Nick’s bush passed the test and is now on a perpetual preservation plan! Generation trees growing forest is “on probation”, meaning that we have 5 years to continue the job and upgrade this young ecosystem to a real protected forest. The commission was so impressed with the already advanced stage of regrowth that they cut in half the normal time lag for a reforestation project, which is usually 10 years!

It is a very, very rewarding feeling walking among an impressive diversity of ever-growing trees and we would like to share this excitement with all of you, at least in pictures. But if you ever come to this corner of the planet, please stop for a visit to hug your own trees and stay overnight.