michael lambe

Some time ago I was looking for a copy of The Man Who Planted Trees, intending to give it to a friend as a going away present. If you’re not familiar with this book, it is a delightful fable by Jean Giono about an Alpine shepherd who, over a period of many years, manages to transform the land in which he lives by planting and tending to many many trees. It is one of my favorite stories and I thought it would make a nice present… Anyway, searching for it on the net I came across this book, which is not a fable but the true life story of a lady who planted and who is indeed, still planting many millions of trees:

“Unbowed” is the autobiography of Wangari Maathai, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and the founder of the The Green Belt Movement. In her book she tells of growing up in a small rural community in Kenya, during the 40’s and 50’s when it was still under British colonial rule, about her own experiences of the Mau Mau Rebellion, about Kenyan independance and then the long struggle for democracy during the years of President Moi’s brutal regime. In 1977 she began the The Green Belt Movement a simple idea that grew and grew and has transformed the life of millions of Africans. Relentless logging for private profit had brought many problems to ordinary Kenyan people; soil erosion, the drying up of water sources and a lack of firewood and fruit. Distressed by the environmental destruction of her once fertile country Wangari Maathai began the organization that would provide funding and training for rural women to restore their local environment through the planting of trees. They have since planted 30 million trees in Kenya alone and the Green Belt movement has gone international, working in many other African countries too. Wangari Maathai was also an outspoken advocate for multiparty-democracy during the time of the one-party state and was imprisoned and attacked on several occasions. However, after many trials she is today a member of parliament and assistant minister for the environment! This wonderful woman is an inspiring example of hope; hope that the world can be a better place if we just do our best. Here’s a nice quote from her on the subject of trees:

“Trees have been an essential part of my life and have provided me with many lessons. Trees are living symbols or peace and hope. A tree has roots in the soil yet reaches to the sky. It tells us that in order to aspire we need to be grounded, and that no matter how high we go it is from our roots that we draw sustenance. It is a reminder to all of us who have had success that we cannot forget where we came from. It signifies that no matter how powerful we become in government or how many awards we receive, our power and strength and our ability to reach our goals depend on the people, those whose work remains unseen, who are the soil out of which we grow, the shoudlers on which we stand.”

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Apropos of nothing, there’s a fresh review of Sunshine Cafe up on Deep Kyoto today, for those who are interested…