I’m so grateful to be able to participate in the Trees for Tomorrow event organised by Greenpeace Malaysia supported by SEEDS Malaysia on 24 Aug 2024. Being able to give back to nature and the community is something very meaningful to me, especially when deforestation is a serious issue now in the world.
When I arrived at the event venue, I received a warm welcome from Greenpeace staff and volunteers and was given an opportunity to write up and share why I chose to support Greenpeace. The idea was very simple, because we only have one planet, so if our nature and environment is screwed up, nothing will survive, which for me is very important!
After a delightful breakfast, we were welcomed with an opening speech by Greenpeace and SEEDS Malaysia, followed by a safety briefing. Then it was time for the main event—tree planting!
Mr. Razak from SEEDS Malaysia explained to us about the steps to plant a tree, including why the plant needs to be planted slightly above the ground, how the mixture of soil and sand and compost works, and why we needed to put mulch (some dried grass) around the tree after, to ensure that the plants have more chance to live and grow.
As a city girl who grew up in the heart of the city, I really appreciate this chance to plant something myself, even though it requires getting my hands dirty and screaming when I see some bugs in the compost (haha!). Also thanks a lot to Mr. Razak’s family, who are also a part of the SEEDS Malaysia team as they patiently answered all my questions – I learned so much about plants, even some species which I’d never even heard of before!
In total, I’m proud to have planted 6 trees and plants, including a pink guava tree, rambutan tree, calabash (bottle gourd) tree, okra (lady finger) plant, gardenia plant, and Thai basil plant. While also learning that there is a plant called peanut butter fruit plant – how interesting!
After the planting, Mr. Razak led a sharing session about the food forest concept that he used, and the multi-layers of Miyawaki Method. I absolutely loved learning about how we can grow food sustainably while restoring nature. It’s such a powerful and practical way to help the environment. It all makes sense as we can now grow something, not only to help the environment, but also provide food for us, while restoring nature – an idea which I love so much.
Lastly, we were treated with a very nice lunch, and some nice goodies bags. I left feeling like I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and had a lot of fun. Between my busy day-to-day IT job, participating in an event like this is the least I can do for the environment. I look forward to the next event—whether as a participant or a volunteer—to do even more.
Greenpeace’s top priority is protecting existing virgin forests, as they are irreplaceable ecosystems. While replanting efforts are important, they must be done responsibly, using local species and avoiding monocultures. We oppose greenwashing practices where companies plant trees to offset emissions without addressing the root causes of environmental damage. Our stance is to protect virgin forests first while promoting effective, sustainable reforestation practices that truly support conservation.
Ceres Soh Giok Hian, a Greenpeace donor since 2018 based in Kuala Lumpur.
*Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely that of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Greenpeace.
