He who plants a tree plants hope

I've known that quote for a long time now but didn't know who to attribute it to.  I found out that it comes from Lucy Larcom, a 19th century American poet.  I don't know much more about her but the quote has stuck in my mind for a long time.

I came across it again recently after I noticed a very short news piece about Tree Day in Macedonia. I've never been to Macedonia and doubt that I ever will. Nonetheless, I am intrigued about the country, rich in ancient culture and obviously greatly concerned about its ecological future.  The article that I read was about the whole nation being given the opportunity to take a few days off work for the sole purpose of planting trees. To me this gives an idea into the Macedonian way of thinking, and I approve. Another quote is "He who loves plants loves others".

I wholeheartedly approve of this idea for several reasons.  First of all, perhaps, is that I am a horticulturist.  I am trained in the profession with a degree from one of the best Universities in the US and practised it for a number of years. Most of it is gone now, having migrated to other climes and other circumstances.  Nonetheless, I'm a tree person.

Another reason is that, not as a naturist, but simply as a human being, I recognise that trees are essential not only to our existence, but to our psyche as well.  As a naturist I appreciate the whole of nature.  I don't hug trees or eat only organic food and my horticultural experience was commercial.

Getting back to the subject, I learned from my SL Macedonian friend, Milan Karas, that in the past few years there has been about 38 million trees planted.  Macedonia has a population of approximately 2 million people so that makes 19 new trees per person, more or less. Part of the incentive behind this is to reforest parts of the country that have been devastated by fires but I understand that the idea has spread to other Baltic countries.

The idea isn't new, of course.  There are Arbor Day celebrations all over the world but I doubt that currently any other celebration has the real impact that it appears to in Macedonia.