Arbor Day – trees, planning, creative thinking

“The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit. “- Nelson Henderson

Last Tuesday was Arbor Day in the Philippines. Though it is celebrated on different dates in other countries, Arbor Day is celebrated every June 25 in the Philippines pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 643 and Republic Act (RA) 10176. Some government agencies and schools celebrated the day by planting seedlings in several locations across the country. Arbor Day was first celebrated in Nebraska in the United States in 1872 by the planting of more than one million trees. Arbor means tree in Latin and Arbor Day is supposed to celebrate the value of trees in our communities. Unfortunately, Arbor Day seems mostly forgotten nowadays and eclipsed by the more famous Earth Day.

Planting more trees should be a no-brainer. Trees provide oxygen, improve air quality, mitigate the effects of climate change, conserve water, preserve the soil, help prevent floods, and support wildlife. As such, there is a call to encourage more people especially the younger generation to increase their participation in tree planting activities. There is even a House Bill recently filed that would mandate graduating students to plant trees before graduation. Other than stressing the importance of trees to our environment, encouraging or mandating students to plant trees can also be a good opportunity to teach our kids some important values and skills.

Protecting what is important

Other than emphasizing the need to plant trees, Arbor Day is also a good way to teach our kids the value of protecting what we already have. In recent news, there have been several stories of trees being cut down to give way to roads and structures. Students must be encouraged to care about the trees we have now. Arbor Day is a good time for teachers to emphasize that planting trees will not help if we keep cutting them down. I once met a teacher who taught kids that trees are like loved ones who give their all for us but end up neglected and abused. Apparently, when concepts are framed in the now famous “relationship goals” mode, our kids seem to understand it better.

Planning ahead (long term planning)

Planting trees properly involve long term planning. Factors such as timing, weather, location, type of trees, and possible conflict with development must be considered before planting trees. In April of this year, a study revealed that 41% of Filipino millennials do not make plans that extend for more than one year. In short, many of our kids lack long term planning skills. With tree planting activities, teachers can use the exercise to encourage students to think long term. When I was working in a city government, I remember a school principal who made her students plant trees along a road that was slated to be expanded by the Department of Public Works and Highways. I had to make them realize that maybe it would be a better idea to plant trees elsewhere. There are also types of trees which do not help the environment or give any practical benefit. As such, kids can be taught the value of end-goal thinking. Kids can be taught to always begin with the end in mind.

Creative thinking

The internet is abuzz with Filipinos reacting to our students’ dismal failure in the recent scores of our students on creative thinking. Creative thinking refers to the ability to come up with new solutions to problems and look at issues from different angles. There is a tree in the Anonas, Quezon City area located in the middle of the street. It has never been cut because of stories that ancient beings curse those who try and cut it. In a class I once taught, a student once suggested that people should spread these myths around other old trees to scare people and prevent them from cutting the trees. Now, that is creative thinking that can be learned in connection with protecting trees.

Planting and protecting trees can teach our kids many life lessons. Let us teach our kids to plant trees. This is about their future.

This is my oblique observation.

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in the foregoing article are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) or any other office under the Presidential Communications Office.