Hello WCAFI world!

The youth are our future, plain and simple.  This is about a cool presentation, which will eventually create more clean air.

The Ontario Nipissing Early Years Center is a place for children six years old and under, and their parents and caregivers, to take part in amazing programs and activities together.  They have a wide variety of interesting topics, all of which help to educate youth.

The WCAFI was lucky to get an opportunity to be one of those events, by giving our “Clean Air Workshop.”  I presented to this group of enthusiastic youth and their parents about Climate Change, the benefits of trees, and the WCAFI.  They even got Clean Air Tree Kits!  The coolest part about this workshop, and why it will be memorable, is that this is the youngest group to grow Clean Air Trees!

A special thanks to the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority for sponsoring the kits for this workshop.  We will be keeping up with these young Clean Air Pioneers, and their trees, and can’t wait to see the bright new growth sprout!

Until next time

Hello WCAFI community!  Lately I have been focusing on stories of initiative around the world, and I have one more tale today!

This one is about a very inspiring individual who believes that trees are the future, and decided to make a random act of kindness around his community.  His name is Elwyn Behnke, a logger that is very eco aware.  He planted Butternut trees around North Bay, Ontario at public places such as the Ministry of Natural Resources office.  He also gave away 100 saplings for other people to plant around the area!  So why did this start?

Elwyn’s career as a logger has some very cool mottos.  His dad started his company (Behnke Logging and Trucking LTD.) in 1949, and Elwyn took over in 1980.  Elwyn is hoping to pass this tradition to his son.  His logging company cuts renewably, “only cutting down what they plant.”  This is logging like farming, providing a greener planet so they will always have lumber!  Elwyn also wants the Butternut trees to thrive because he used them in carpentry when he was in high-school, and would like to see it commonly used today.

One of the cool parts of giving out the Butternut trees to many people is the fact that it will influence and educate the community about the protection and preservation of the Butternut tree.  Each person will nurture and grow these trees as their own and will increase the Butternut tree`s survival rate.

The Butternut tree has been rapidly decreasing in population in North America, due to a disease called Butternut Canker.  The Canker fungus is believed to have come from outside of Canada.  This disease is an uncontrollable nuisance throughout the range of the Butternut, which slowly cuts off nutrients to first the tree’s crown, then down to the tree’s roots.  The tree becomes exposed to the disease through insect wounds, buds, and openings in the bark, providing multiple entries for the fungus.  The tree’s nuts may become infected, which would cause the sapling to die early.   One of the ways the Canker is being combated are hybrids such as Butternut combined with English walnut.

How do you spot the Canker?  Look for black sooty patches, or in the spring look for black ooze coming out of holes in the bark.  They will have their crown die first, and then start having the die off go lower and lower.  The canker’s themselves are diamond, sunken in, brown or black patches.

The Butternut tree (Also known as White Walnut) is valued by carpenters for their softness, colour and varying texture, and is very useful.  It is now listed as a Species at Risk in Ontario, and an Endangered species in Canada.  Animals such as squirrels eat the Butternut, as the nut is an important food source.  First Nations also use the nut for cooking, hair dressing, leather making and polishing tools. The Butternut tree has a 75 year life span.  The Canker disease was noticed in Canada in the 1990’s.

Elwyn has taken a huge step just by simply planting some trees.  This inspires me and shows that anyone can make a huge difference, whether the outcome is saving a species or educating youth. 

So get out there, and be inspired!

Hello WCAFI world, the future is looking bright for tomorrow’s leaders because of one worldwide group called Global Vision. 

So what is Global Vision?  It helps the youth of the world ages 16-25 to get out and speak to their fellow youths, and gives them the opportunity to talk to delegates from other countries.  Go to http://www.globalvision.ca/news to learn more about it. 

I was lucky enough to present at the conference, talking about the initiatives WCAFI is taking.  I also handed out Clean Air Tree Kits to every person that was there.  There is a lot to learn from these inspirational people and there is a lot to learn from their presentations based on topics of the upcoming G8. 

The Minister of Industry Tony Clement and Director General of the Summits Management Office Sanjeev Chowdhury were present at the Bracebridge conference, as well as local business owners and of course, Junior Team Canada.  By the way, Junior Team Canada is the name for the group of students who are the future leaders, and they are given the option to move on.  This may sound big, but it is only step one. 

There are 4 steps, each getting progressively more challenging and more important.  Well, in this process you get to meet inspirational youth, the Prime Minister, and other youth delegates from across the WORLD!  The Global Vision team is very important to the leaders of the future, and they have a motivational team.  I would like to thank Amy and David for letting me present at the conference.  If you are a leader, try to find a Global Vision conference.  It may be the best thing you ever do!  

MacKenzie Willis   

P.S.  To all the wonderful people I met at the conference, I would love it if you could write back and comment!

WCAFI world, the youth are being empowered, and inspired to make a difference.  The United Nations has declared August 2010-2011 the International Year of the Youth, inspiring youth influence on local, national, and global levels.  That isn’t the only opportunity that has been presented to us.  This year has also been deemed the United Nations’ International Year of the Forests!  It is a relatively new program launched on Feb. 2.  What an opportunity!  Anyone can organize an event that promotes or encourages others based on one of these two initiatives.  Check out the great public events.

If you haven’t taken the Clean Air pledge, now is the time to do so.  As United Nations say, it is “Our Year, Our Voice,” so we can make a difference on a worldwide scale!  If you want to share with the WCAFI community how you are making a difference, you could send in a really cool outline on your initiative.

UPDATE: The United Nations’ Billion Tree campaign is still going strong!  With 12,718,917,782 trees pledged, and 11,333,617,951 trees planted, that is one initiative that will go on for a long, long, long time.  If you haven’t registered your tree on the  Plant for the Planet website yet, now is a great time to do so! 

So what is the WCAFI doing for these two great United Nations’ initiatives?  In December 2010, I was honoured to receive the Ward Smith Environmental Youth Award from the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority in recognition of my work with the WCAFI.  This honour included a cash donation to continue our work educating youth on the environment and creating more clean air.  The WCAFI decided that it would be really cool to do a double bonus: give back to the community and empower the youth!  The WCAFI and North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority have been discussing different ideas to improve the local environment, and developing a Clean Air Workshop to educate  youth and get them growing!  This was an amazing success, which took place on the March Break during the North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority’s Enviro Camp.  The age range was 6-12 years old, and some of these cool youth wanted to get involved with the WCAFI and learning about the environment!  This shows that there are people out there that want to get involved, they just need to be inspired!  So get out into the world, and become empowered.

Also, I would like to thank Alexandria, an amazing youth who helped out with the Clean Air Youth workshop, and had previously helped her class grow Clean Air Tree Kits!

Keep on inspiring!

Root 1

Planting For The Planet, By The Planet

WCAFI community, we have to face the facts.  It is nearing Christmas and we have to know something that is essential to clean air.  ... ... ...

Oh right, well, the truth is...   WE NEED TO SHOW IT!  Yes, if you register your tree kit on our map, that is one good way to show your initiative, but there is another way, with an organization you probably know.  The United Nations!  If you have seen the logo for the 'Plant for the Planet' on the Clean Air Tree Kits, then you know about it.  The U.N. Environmental Programme originally started it at the target of 1 billion trees planted worldwide.  If you go to the home page it now says that they are going 10+ billion trees planted strong, with 12+ billion pledges, and with a new 13 billion tree goal.

November 8^th, 2006.  This was the date that the Billion Tree Campaign launched its initiative inspired by Professor Wangari Maathai, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.  She is the founder of Kenya’s Green Belt Movement, which has planted more than 30 million trees in 12 African countries since 1977.  It was her that replied when a corporate group in the United States said they were planting a million trees, “That’s great, but what we need is 1 billion trees!”

Now remember, we don’t register your trees onto the Billion Tree Campaign, just the ones we plant under the ‘you plant, we plant’, so if you want your tree on another worldwide scale, register on the link above.  It is pretty amazing that you are either way helping the United Nations in fulfilling their goal, one tree at a time. 

Placed under the patronage of Professor Wangari Maathai and His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, the Billion Tree Campaign is raising awareness of the inter-dependence between humankind and the planet’s ecosystems, as well as the linkages between tree planting and climate change mitigation, the restoration of biodiversity, air and soil quality and food security.

And you thought you just wanted to plant a tree!!!

Root 1

Well WCAFI community, it has been done.  The G8 MY SUMMIT Forest has been planted!  If you look on the Clean Air Map, there are three different plantings on Haiti by the WCAFI.  The one named Jacmel is our very own forest on behalf of MY SUMMIT 2010.  If you don’t remember, or are new to the community, you can go to the MY SUMMIT blog, or click on more details in the Jacmel pop-up. 

So if you are wondering about why it has taken so long, we can say that we were trying to give the trees their wonderland.  The planting had to be done during optimum planting conditions, so we were trying to give our earth savers the best a tree can get.  There were 2000 trees in this plantation, enough for every global youth delegate and world leader at the G8 and G20 summits, and then some.  I also have to thank the Global Vision delegate that donated the $50 towards this; unfortunately this person will remain nameless because I had such a good time I forgot to write down his name.  This is my way of giving thanks, and supporting the young leaders of tomorrow.  I may be updating with news of co-ordinates and pictures, but we have to give it time because of the situation in Haiti.  I unfortunately couldn’t be there as I originally said due to these circumstances, but it makes me eager for the future when one of my extraordinary goals is completed with style. 

Thanks to all the amazing people who helped get me here: Minister Clement, Anthony Rota M.P., Mr. David Pierce, Terry, Amy, and Jake Clifford, Andy Pothecary our Managing Director for organizing it, Trees for the Tomorrow for planting it, and all the inspiring people I met at Global Vision. 

Keep on leading the world forward everybody.

Hello Clean Air Pioneers!  I have been following a certain trend in my last few blogs, each getting closer to the topic of this very monumental blog.  May I introduce: The Moringa Tree!

…Wow, it’s a tree, and a tree with a strange name at that.  Why should we care about it?  FOOD SECURITY IS WHY.  The Moringa tree is short of being magic, because of its nutritional values to humans.  For instance, a 100 gram portion of fresh Moringa leaves has 7 times more Vitamin C then the same amount of an orange!  Here are some other examples of the nutritional value of the Moringa tree:

- 4 times more vitamin A than 100 grams of Carrots;
- 2 times more proteins and 4 times more calcium than 100 grams of cow milk;
- 3 times more iron than 100 grams of Spinach;
- 3 times more potassium than 100 grams of Bananas.

It is crazy, isn’t it!  Some farmers fry the leaves and add them to traditional dishes for their taste.  Think about this too: If you harvest the leaves (which have the most nutrients), then the tree will still be alive to create more leaves and more nutrients!  The leaves can be consumed fresh, cooked, or dried.  Moringa leaves retain their nutrition when dried, so you can make powder and use it to add nutrients to anything .

                The Moringaceae flowering plant family has 13 species in its family.  The most widely known species Moringa Oleifera (Drumstick Tree) originates from the foothills of the Himalayas in India.  The other species come from around the world, from such places as Kenya, Africa, and Madagascar. 

                The Moringa Tree also can make animal fodder for farmers, so you can have natural animal feed.  Also, the seeds of the Moringa can be used as a natural water filter!  It will clarify water, but not all bacteria.  So if there is a stream that has dirt and grime in it, the seeds will clean it out and make clear water.  That is why in various countries without the means to use U.V. filters or other technologies, some of the locals use Moringa to help manage their water source.  Since the Moringa is also drought resistant, it will survive in more climates and benefit more people.

The Moringa tree does all this, and it provides extra food security in the areas where it is planted!  The tree is the most nutrient rich species in the world!  So why isn’t the public using Moringa Trees?  Tell me why, because I can’t figure it out!  There is someone I know that is using Moringa trees: the WCAFI!  Our tree planting projects in Haiti are using Moringa trees (as well as other species) in their fields of Clean Air producers, and are taking one more step in making our planet greener, safer, and cleaner!

Got Clean Air?

R0OT 1

Hello ForestNation community, I have an exciting fact to tell you: trees do more than you think.

For example, did you know that they can benefit agriculture? This method is called agroforestry, and I will tell you all about how ForestNation is making the most of our commitment.

So what is agroforestry? Simply explained, it is trees interplanted with crops. Now that might sound strange to you, but it actually benefits the crops, making them grow faster and grow bigger. How is it not magic? Well, here is the process:

The farmer interplants the crops and trees throughout his field. They both start to grow.

As the trees grow, it puts out roots that expand and die.

The dead roots decompose, which adds extra nutrients to the soil.

Fungi speed up decomposition, and when the roots are gone, the fungi die too, adding further nutrients to the soil!

Now, this may sound strange, can't we just use artificial fertilizers and pesticides? Well, the natural agroforestry techniques actually provide a wider range of nutrients than artificial supplements. This also saves the farmers from buying fertilizers, which will help the farmers conserve money.

Trees are really important for life. They add shade for hot days, they can provide natural windbreakers and property lines, and they help  regulate localized climate.

ForestNation wants to make a huge difference, and this brings us to what we are doing in regards to agroforestry and food security. One of our partners, Trees for the Future, has partnered with farmers in Haiti to try to help with food security in the area. So with some of the purchases of Tree Kits, we will plant trees in farm fields! Some examples are the Moringa oleifera, Leucaena leucocephala, and Catalpa longitissima. Talk about 2 for 1!

Here is an example of the fertility of the agroforestry cornfield in Haiti…

© TREES FOR THE FUTURE (www.plant-trees.org)

…versus a corn field (still in Haiti!) with fertilizers.

© TREES FOR THE FUTURE (www.plant-trees.org)

As you can see, the first one clearly has bigger corn.

Do you know any agroforestry farmers in your community, or if you use trees for more than landscaping and cleaning the air? Write back!

Got Clean Air?

Root 1

To learn more about our efforts, check out http://www.forestnation.com/en/About-us/Planting-Locations/location.aspx?location=Haiti

Hello WCAFI community,

I have been having a great, hot, and clean air summer. How are your summers going?

Well, my adventures to promote initiative have taken a wonderful turn. Thanks to North Bay M.P.P. Monique Smith, 13 Nipissing Riding group representatives were lucky enough to meet the Queen of England, through an event called the Celebration of Service. Some of the other groups that were represented at this event were the Red Cross, First Nations, and the Girl Guides. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II honoured volunteers who have made the province a better place in a ceremony at Queens Park, Toronto, Ontario which is located in front of the Ontario legislature, where I happened to be on July 6th. You know I always bring a Clean Air Tree Kit or 5 where ever I go, so while we were being briefed on protocols when meeting the Queen, the Clean Air Tree Kits (2) were given to her assistant for the Queen to receive later. The tree kits the Queen received were different, one was a Canadian globe, and the other one was specially made with a coir pellet and pot, and United Kingdom Scotch pine seeds. So, after the briefing, our group headed down to the lobby, where an hour later I actually got to meet Her Majesty Elizabeth II, even if it was brief. She asked me if I had planted a lot of trees, and I said that I had been raised to plant. Also, I got to meet Ontario’s Premier Dalton McGuinty, who thanked each of us for coming. I wasn’t the only one who got to meet Her Majesty though! My new friend Kate got to hand flowers to Queen Elizabeth II! Altogether, this experience is one of my best, so don’t think you can’t ________ (put dream here); because all you need is a little initiative and a lot of heart.

Pictured above: Mackenzie Willis (AKA Root 1) and First Nation Chiefs

Pictured above: Kate Smith and her flowers for the Queen

Pictured above: Mrs. McGuinty, Prince Philip, Monique Smith, M.P.P., Queen Elizabeth II, Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty

Pictured above: Mackenzie Willis (AKA Root 1) and the Canadian Girl Guides

Pictured above: Minister Smith invited a group of Nipissing residents to join in this special occasion. They included: Anita Spalding, Bill and Madeleine Eisen, Jack Burrows, Marguerite Martel, Mary-Lou Rainville, George Onley, Lana Mitchell, Jim Marmino, Mackenzie Willis, and Kate Smith

Got Clean Air?

ROOT 1

Hello WCAFI community, and what a 2 days I have had.  New people, guest speakers, negotiations, it was all part of G8 MY SUMMIT 2010. 

It is a huge concept, so stay with me.  Youth delegates ages 17-25 come from the G8 countries (Japan, Canada, United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Russia, and Germany) to the host Summit country (this year it was Canada hosting the G8) to meet, discuss the topics of the G8,  as well as getting to experience the natural wonders of the Muskokas.  Each of the G8 topics was introduced by an expert guest speaker, and the negotiations that follow after which delegates use to communicate their ideas to the G8 leaders through a communiqué.  There are 2 delegates from each country (in most cases), they each take part in different negotiation sessions.  As the day went on these world youth met the other delegates and established a worldwide bond as they laugh together, presented together, and learned together.  The delegates and youth ambassadors first met in Port Sydney Ontario, just outside of Huntsville, where the G8 Leaders were also discussing the same four topics.  Eight youth delegates were chosen to personally meet the Leaders and hand deliver the Youth My Summit Communiqué.  After enjoying a closing concert featuring many incredible local artists, the delegates traveled to Toronto and where they were joined by the G20 Youth Delegates.

So that is the basis of the whole shadow summit, but the real details are below. 

On June 24, I arrived at the Trillium Resort in Port Sydney, awaiting the wonders ahead.  The preliminary room was set up with the microphone and translators, and all we needed was the delegates.  There were Clean Air Tree Kits for all of them too!  As the delegates started to arrive via coach bus, the whole event began.  The first guest speaker, Mr. Norman Inkster, talked about terrorism and nuclear proliferation after opening remarks.  He is the former president of INTERPOL, and was responsible for 21,000 employees.  Between speakers there were breaks, where delegates refreshed, and where they received their own Clean Air Tree Kit and learned about the WCAFI.  After the break it was back to negotiations while the next preliminary session happened.  The remaining topics and expert speakers were food security, spoken by David Stevenson, Director of Policy, Planning, and Strategy for the United Nations Food Programme, maternal and child health, spoken by Dr. Jean Chamberlain Froese, founder of Save the Mothers, and climate change, spoken by Dr. Shelia Watt-Cloutier, Director of Human Development and Gender Equality, Canadian International Trade Canada.    

The delegates didn't just learn: they saw nature!  The international delegates got to go kayaking in Clearwater Lake, see deer and other wildlife, go sightseeing on a ship, and listen to various music at a local talent concert!  If that isn’t already great, a special group of delegates traveled to the G8 Summit in Huntsville to personally present the communiqué that the youth delegates carefully put together for the leaders.  We were honoured to have a special meeting with the Governor General, Michelle Jean.  The Governor General invited all the delegates (130 of us) to speak openly about global matters.  It was a special privilege for me to speak to the Governor General of CANADA and present her with a Clean Air Tree Kit of her own. 

It was inspiring to meet all the youth delegates and make new friends.   I would like to thank the Minister of Industry, the Honourable Tony Clement, Terry Clifford and Global Vision for support of youth initiatives and creating this opportunity to bring together the voice of youth around the globe.  The G8 MY SUMMIT 2010 is great for youth to get out, make international bonds, and learn how to make a difference.

To learn more about Global Vision and to find a training seminar near you visit: www.globalvision.ca

To join the youth dialogue visit:  www.myglobalvision.com

To learn what the WCAFI is doing about food security, go to http://wcafi.org/en/tree-planting/Haiti

Root 1

...cuando éramos WCAFI (ForestNation Foundation es el nuevo nombre para WCAFI)

Todos tenemos consciencia ecológica, pero son pocas las herramientas tangibles que tenemos a disposición para ponerla en practica.

Hemos creado campañas que ayudan a cumplir la RSC (Responsabilidad Social Corporativa) de las empresas, ofreciendo el Tree Kit a las mismas para llevar a cabo plantaciones y desarrollo a quienes más lo necesitan en el mundo a través de sus campañas de promoción internacional.

Ahora en España, estamos lanzando nuestro primera gran campaña gracias a la adquisición de veinticinco mil Tree Kits por parte de la Fundación Repsol, para ser donados en los circuitos de Moto GP y además de la plantación de cuatro mil árboles durante las celebraciones del campeonato en los  cuatro circuitos españoles.

Gracias a esta acción, este año se plantarán 29.000 árboles en Haití y se desarrollará un proyecto social, agro-forestal sostenible para ayudar las familias haitianas y a la reconstrucción del país que ha sufrido el desastre natural mas grande registrado en la historia. Cada árbol da sombra, alimento y educación a toda una familia en el mundo en desarrollo.

La primera actividad de la campaña tendrá lugar este 29 de abril en el circuito de Moto GP de Jerez, donde se celebrará el primer acto de plantación, está previsto que al acto acudan el Consejero Delegado de Dorna Sports, El Presidente de la FIM, la Alcaldesa de Jerez, el representante de la Fundación Repsol y un piloto de Repsol.

Para el domingo 2 de mayo, día de la carrera, se espera la visita de por lo menos ciento veinte mil aficionados al motociclismo donde tendrán la oportunidad de conocer y participar en la campaña de Aire Limpio y ayudar a la reconstrucción de Haití.

Los Tree Kits serán donados y todos los fondos irán destinados a la campaña en Haití, los donantes tendrán un Kit por cada donación que hagan y podrán plantar sus árboles en su casa, jardín o bosque local de su provincia.

Cada Kit tiene un código PIN único y especial con el cual los donantes podrán registrar sus árboles en nuestro red mundial y poder ubicar su árbol en el mapa de plantación mundial.

WCAFI se siente orgulloso de ser parte de este evento tan especial.  ECO&CO es una iniciativa de Cache Events, que con el motivo de impulsar la práctica del concepto de la sostenibilidad, nos ha escogido como event parnter.

La Sostenibilidad consiste en satisfacer las necesidades de la actual generación sin sacrificar la capacidad de futuras generaciones de satisfacer sus propias necesidades. Para esto existen distintas prácticas que favorecen al medio ambiente, plantaciones masivas de árboles para regenera la bio-diversidad, acciones sociales de cooperación al desarrollo, tratamiento y uso consciente de las aguas y hasta reciclaje adecuado de material electrónico en desuso. 

En esta ocasión ECO&CO te invita a un evento por La Sostenibilidad para que tengas la oportunidad de poner en práctica tu consciencia ecológica, podrás donar tu móvil en desuso y recibirás un kit de árbol de WCAFI con todo lo necesario para hacer crecer tu árbol. En tu kit de árbol hay un código especial que podrás registrar en nuetra web www.wcafi.org y colaborar con los proyectos agro-forestales de los ocho países en desarrollo en los que tenemos nuestras plantaciones.

Las aportaciones de ECO&CO irán destinadas a un centro de investigación al medio ambiente ICTA. 

El evento tendrá lugar este jueves 23 de septiembre a las 19:00 en el Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I. Av. Diagonal 661-671 Barcelona, 08028.

Mas información en el blog de ECO&CO: http://www.cache-events-eco.blogspot.com/

Todos tenemos consciencia ecológica, pero son pocas las herramientas tangibles que tenemos a disposición para ponerla en practica.

WCAFI (World Clean Air Forest Iniciative) es una empresa social con sede en España, avalada por el Programa de Medio Ambiente de Las Naciones Unidas, y cuyo objetivo es limpiar el aire que respiramos, hacer frente al cambio climático y luchar contra la contaminación, plantando árboles en el mundo, creando proyectos agro-forestales y ayuda social para las familias en los países en desarrollo.

Para eso ha creado una herramienta tangible que ayuda a cumplir con su objetivo: El Clean Air Tree Kit, es una esfera fabricada con biopolímeros 100% biodegradables, contiene en su interior todo lo necesario para hacer crecer un árbol.

WCAFI ha creado campañas que ayudan a cumplir la RSC (Responsabilidad Social Corporativa) de las empresas, ofreciendo el Clean Air Tree Kit a las mismas para llevar a cabo plantaciones y desarrollo a quienes más lo necesitan en el mundo a través de sus campañas de promoción internacional.

Ahora en España, WCAFI lanzará su primera gran campaña gracias a la adquisición de veinticinco mil Clean Air Tree Kits por parte de la Fundación Repsol, para ser donados en los circuitos de Moto GP y además de la plantación de cuatro mil árboles durante las celebraciones del campeonato en los  cuatro circuitos españoles.

Gracias a esta acción, este año se plantarán 29.000 árboles en Haití y se desarrollará un proyecto social, agro-forestal sostenible para ayudar las familias haitianas y a la reconstrucción del país que ha sufrido el desastre natural mas grande registrado en la historia. Cada árbol WCAFI, da sombra, alimento y educación a toda una familia en el mundo en desarrollo.

La primera actividad de la campaña tendrá lugar este 29 de abril en el circuito de Moto GP de Jerez, donde se celebrará el primer acto de plantación, está previsto que al acto acudan el Consejero Delegado de Dorna Sports, El Presidente de la FIM, la Alcaldesa de Jerez, el representante de la Fundación Repsol y un piloto de Repsol.

WCAFI y La Fundación Repsol tendrán una carpa de cien metros cuadrados con un stand donde se presentarán los Clean Air Tree Kits para donar al público durante las carreras.

Para el domingo 2 de mayo, día de la carrera, se espera la visita de por lo menos ciento veinte mil aficionados al motociclismo donde tendrán la oportunidad de conocer y participar en la campaña de Aire Limpio y ayudar a la reconstrucción de Haití.

Los Clean Air Tree Kits serán donados y todos los fondos irán destinados a la campaña en Haití, los donantes tendrán un Kit por cada donación que hagan y podrán plantar sus árboles en su casa, jardín o bosque local de su provincia.

Cada Kit tiene un código PIN único y especial con el cual los donantes podrán registrar sus árboles en la red mundial de WCAFI y poder ubicar su árbol en el mapa de plantación mundial.

Al registrar su árbol el donante crea su propia micro web automáticamente dentro de la pagina de WCAFI y el usuario podrá hacer todas las consultas sobre el crecimiento de su árbol, compartir fotos de su plantación con otros usuarios del planeta, recibir información documental y avances del proyecto en el cual a participado y de su bosque local y así colaborar una gran campaña educativa de consciencia ecológica y Aire Limpio a nivel mundial.

Toni Argueta.

Landmark Group of builders a ForestNation partner marked the start of its campaign to plant 10,000 trees on Saturday by giving away ForestNation tree growing kits to attendees of the Home$aver event Edmonton, Canada.

The Home$aver Event is part of The City of Edmonton’s CO2RE program, a community-wide initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Edmonton (www.edmonton.ca/co2re). It also supports The Way We Green, Edmonton’s environmental strategic plan (www.edmonton.ca/thewaywegreen).

The Landmark Group's tree kit is a house shaped kit containing all you need to plant and grow your own tree at home and for every kit ForestNation will plant another tree in a developing country. The house shape links The Landmark Group's industry sector, its commitment to sustainability and The City of Edmonton’s Home$aver event in a neat little package that visitors could take home as a memento of the event and as a way of getting directly involved in sustainable issues. 

Students from 5 schools in Alcañiz in Spain planted 300 trees in the Motorland race circuit to help improve the environment.  The trees were given to the circuit as part of last years campaign where with Fundacion Repsol where we gave 1000 trees to each MotoGP circuit in Spain, and planted 29,000 tree in Haiti.  Hopefully we'll see more of these trees being planted this year.

Hello WCAFI world!

The youth are our future, plain and simple.  This is about a cool presentation, which will eventually create more clean air.

The Ontario Nipissing Early Years Center is a place for children six years old and under, and their parents and caregivers, to take part in amazing programs and activities together.  They have a wide variety of interesting topics, all of which help to educate youth.

The WCAFI was lucky to get an opportunity to be one of those events, by giving our “Clean Air Workshop.”  I presented to this group of enthusiastic youth and their parents about Climate Change, the benefits of trees, and the WCAFI.  They even got Clean Air Tree Kits!  The coolest part about this workshop, and why it will be memorable, is that this is the youngest group to grow Clean Air Trees!

A special thanks to the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority for sponsoring the kits for this workshop.  We will be keeping up with these young Clean Air Pioneers, and their trees, and can’t wait to see the bright new growth sprout!

Until next time

Hello WCAFI community!  Lately I have been focusing on stories of initiative around the world, and I have one more tale today!

This one is about a very inspiring individual who believes that trees are the future, and decided to make a random act of kindness around his community.  His name is Elwyn Behnke, a logger that is very eco aware.  He planted Butternut trees around North Bay, Ontario at public places such as the Ministry of Natural Resources office.  He also gave away 100 saplings for other people to plant around the area!  So why did this start?

Elwyn’s career as a logger has some very cool mottos.  His dad started his company (Behnke Logging and Trucking LTD.) in 1949, and Elwyn took over in 1980.  Elwyn is hoping to pass this tradition to his son.  His logging company cuts renewably, “only cutting down what they plant.”  This is logging like farming, providing a greener planet so they will always have lumber!  Elwyn also wants the Butternut trees to thrive because he used them in carpentry when he was in high-school, and would like to see it commonly used today.

One of the cool parts of giving out the Butternut trees to many people is the fact that it will influence and educate the community about the protection and preservation of the Butternut tree.  Each person will nurture and grow these trees as their own and will increase the Butternut tree`s survival rate.

The Butternut tree has been rapidly decreasing in population in North America, due to a disease called Butternut Canker.  The Canker fungus is believed to have come from outside of Canada.  This disease is an uncontrollable nuisance throughout the range of the Butternut, which slowly cuts off nutrients to first the tree’s crown, then down to the tree’s roots.  The tree becomes exposed to the disease through insect wounds, buds, and openings in the bark, providing multiple entries for the fungus.  The tree’s nuts may become infected, which would cause the sapling to die early.   One of the ways the Canker is being combated are hybrids such as Butternut combined with English walnut.

How do you spot the Canker?  Look for black sooty patches, or in the spring look for black ooze coming out of holes in the bark.  They will have their crown die first, and then start having the die off go lower and lower.  The canker’s themselves are diamond, sunken in, brown or black patches.

The Butternut tree (Also known as White Walnut) is valued by carpenters for their softness, colour and varying texture, and is very useful.  It is now listed as a Species at Risk in Ontario, and an Endangered species in Canada.  Animals such as squirrels eat the Butternut, as the nut is an important food source.  First Nations also use the nut for cooking, hair dressing, leather making and polishing tools. The Butternut tree has a 75 year life span.  The Canker disease was noticed in Canada in the 1990’s.

Elwyn has taken a huge step just by simply planting some trees.  This inspires me and shows that anyone can make a huge difference, whether the outcome is saving a species or educating youth. 

So get out there, and be inspired!

Hello WCAFI world, the future is looking bright for tomorrow’s leaders because of one worldwide group called Global Vision. 

So what is Global Vision?  It helps the youth of the world ages 16-25 to get out and speak to their fellow youths, and gives them the opportunity to talk to delegates from other countries.  Go to http://www.globalvision.ca/news to learn more about it. 

I was lucky enough to present at the conference, talking about the initiatives WCAFI is taking.  I also handed out Clean Air Tree Kits to every person that was there.  There is a lot to learn from these inspirational people and there is a lot to learn from their presentations based on topics of the upcoming G8. 

The Minister of Industry Tony Clement and Director General of the Summits Management Office Sanjeev Chowdhury were present at the Bracebridge conference, as well as local business owners and of course, Junior Team Canada.  By the way, Junior Team Canada is the name for the group of students who are the future leaders, and they are given the option to move on.  This may sound big, but it is only step one. 

There are 4 steps, each getting progressively more challenging and more important.  Well, in this process you get to meet inspirational youth, the Prime Minister, and other youth delegates from across the WORLD!  The Global Vision team is very important to the leaders of the future, and they have a motivational team.  I would like to thank Amy and David for letting me present at the conference.  If you are a leader, try to find a Global Vision conference.  It may be the best thing you ever do!  

MacKenzie Willis   

P.S.  To all the wonderful people I met at the conference, I would love it if you could write back and comment!

WCAFI world, the youth are being empowered, and inspired to make a difference.  The United Nations has declared August 2010-2011 the International Year of the Youth, inspiring youth influence on local, national, and global levels.  That isn’t the only opportunity that has been presented to us.  This year has also been deemed the United Nations’ International Year of the Forests!  It is a relatively new program launched on Feb. 2.  What an opportunity!  Anyone can organize an event that promotes or encourages others based on one of these two initiatives.  Check out the great public events.

If you haven’t taken the Clean Air pledge, now is the time to do so.  As United Nations say, it is “Our Year, Our Voice,” so we can make a difference on a worldwide scale!  If you want to share with the WCAFI community how you are making a difference, you could send in a really cool outline on your initiative.

UPDATE: The United Nations’ Billion Tree campaign is still going strong!  With 12,718,917,782 trees pledged, and 11,333,617,951 trees planted, that is one initiative that will go on for a long, long, long time.  If you haven’t registered your tree on the  Plant for the Planet website yet, now is a great time to do so! 

So what is the WCAFI doing for these two great United Nations’ initiatives?  In December 2010, I was honoured to receive the Ward Smith Environmental Youth Award from the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority in recognition of my work with the WCAFI.  This honour included a cash donation to continue our work educating youth on the environment and creating more clean air.  The WCAFI decided that it would be really cool to do a double bonus: give back to the community and empower the youth!  The WCAFI and North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority have been discussing different ideas to improve the local environment, and developing a Clean Air Workshop to educate  youth and get them growing!  This was an amazing success, which took place on the March Break during the North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority’s Enviro Camp.  The age range was 6-12 years old, and some of these cool youth wanted to get involved with the WCAFI and learning about the environment!  This shows that there are people out there that want to get involved, they just need to be inspired!  So get out into the world, and become empowered.

Also, I would like to thank Alexandria, an amazing youth who helped out with the Clean Air Youth workshop, and had previously helped her class grow Clean Air Tree Kits!

Keep on inspiring!

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