This week’s Editor’s Diary is about planting trees and the importance of never giving up!
I’ve written before about my love of trees, and my desire to see many more of them planted to help mitigate climate change.
That’s why, after the first lockdown, I decided to take action.
Together with some like-minded friends, I set up a community group. The aim was planting trees in our local park. Though it’s very beautiful, it has lost many of its trees in recent years to storms and disease.
However, these plans did not meet with universal approval. There are lots of people out there who don’t like trees! Which came as a surprise to me, I must admit.
Many objections were put forward at a public meeting. And at times we did feel a bit disheartened.
It’s difficult to maintain your enthusiasm in the face of negativity, and it looked as if our plans might never meet with approval.
We didn’t give up, though, convinced we were doing the right thing.
And this week, our determination paid off!
Our local council had heard of our campaign and got in touch with a spectacular offer.
Not only would they supply 46 eight-feet-tall young trees, they would plant them in our chosen location. How could we say no?
The trees were planted last week and already look as if they’ve always been there. I took a walk up to visit them a day or two later and felt quite moved by the sight.
My little town now has 46 new trees that future generations will walk beneath. That feels like a tree-mendous success story to me!
Angela Gilchrist I am the former Editor-in-Chief of “The People’s Friend” magazine. My passions include cats, Highland ponies, good books, vegetarian food and long walks in the Scottish countryside. My favourite place to get away from it all is the magical Isle of Skye.
