#YearoftheTree2023

Each One Teach One

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 Today share what you have learned about trees with someone else. This might be chatting to them, or sharing on social media. Talk especially to children, to get them excited to learn about trees and to commit to growing and looking after them. Each one Teach one!

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Loving Creation

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands Isaiah 55:12 This week is ‘Tree Appreciation Week”. Take time to appreciate and learn about the trees around you On the way to work or shops, try to identify as many trees as possible. . Ask others to find out what kind they are and google them to find our more about them At the end of the week, choose your favorite one, and take a picture with you hugging the tree. Upload on social media #202tree

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Church Garden

They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. Isaiah 65:21 Today take a walk to the Church with some other members who are interested in or already take part in greening/gardening at the church. Here are some questions to think about. What is your source of water? Could you improve it – perhaps look at a water tank or grey water? What is already growing? How healthy does it look, does it need more water, fertilizer, TLC? Are there any invasives that should be taken out? Or water guzzling aliens that could be replaced? What additional space could be used for trees, plants or vegetables?What resources do you need (people power/ equipment/compost/seedlings) draft a budgetCould you put in a compost pile? Start small and take one idea at a time. Take the ideas to your priest or parish council , get a team together and do one action -then you can build from there Here is a lovely idea you might want to consider: Create a wildlife ‘hotel” Fill a frame with hollow canes (e.g. sections of bamboo, elder or hogweed, bricks with holes, pinecones, straw, etc.) Pack together lots of different sized holes which bees and other invertebrates will use. Provide a wide shallow dish in a shady place for water which birds can use. Create a wood pile using different sized prunings or sections of felled trees. Add to it whenever you can. https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/biodiversity#na

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Tasty Indigenous Food

And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD Ezekiel 34:27 Try to experiment this Lent! Lose the junk food and try out some recipes made from local products. Indigenous cuisine is food based on products obtained from native species of a specific area. There are traditional recipes but also some modern recipes to try! Africa’s staple diet – Mealie meal: Did you know this is not indigenous to Africa? Mielie meal, comes from the Portuguese milho. It was originally brought to Africa from the Americas by the Portuguese. Sorghum on the other hand is indigenous to the continent’s savannas and there is archaeological evidence in the Sahara of the use of sorghum dating back 8,000 years. Sorghum is as nutritious as maize and has high drought tolerance. This makes it a resilient option for farmers to plant under changing climatic conditions. Ask your Granny! Talk to the older generation and ask about vegetables, especially greens that they eat traditionally. many of these can be harvested for free as they grow. Share your findings with others and start a conversation on social media! Reference:https://theconversation.com/amazing-ting-south-africa-must-reinvigorate-sorghum-as-a-key-food-before-its-lost-185552#:~:text=It%20is%20indigenous%20to%20the,sorghum%20dating%20back%208%2C000%20years.

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Bees, Bees, Bees

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Psalm 19:10 Learn about bees and other pollinators. Why should we care? Pollinators provide about one of every three bites of food we eat. Do you like honey? How about almonds? Raspberries? Peaches? Avocados? Pumpkins? Bananas? Thank a pollinator. We might not starve without them, but a plate of food would be a lot less palatable. Nearly one-third of our food supply depends on insect pollination, most of which is accomplished by bees.. And while it’s true that some plants are wind-pollinated, many fruits, nuts and vegetables rely on pollinators. About 70 percent of all flowering plants depend on pollinators. The fruits and seeds that result from insect pollination feed nearly one-quarter of all birds and mammals. But pollinators are not only critical for the production of food; they are also essential to most terrestrial ecosystems. Bees aren’t the only pollinators. The list of pollinators is long and includes hummingbirds, moths, wasps, beetles, bats and butterflies — just to name a few! Butterflies spread pollen as they travel from flower to flower, feeding on nectar. They tend to prefer flat, clustered flowers which provide a helpful landing pad. Pollinators are rapidly disappearing. Why are bees and other pollinators in decline? Native bee populations are at risk from habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, pesticides, pests and disease. You can help bees (and other pollinators)! Plant a pollinator garden with native flowers that bloom across different seasons, and offer nesting areas to help bees thrive. Referencehttps://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news/7-things-you-should-know-about-bees-and-other-pollinators

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