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by Clara Courtauld
Lamma Island is a popular escape from the city. With beaches, countryside trails, pagodas with panoramic views and plenty of seafood restaurants, it’s a great place for a little R&R. But on 30th May, rather than the island looking after us, it was our turn to look after the island, by planting trees on its hillsides.
It was strange to be trekking through Yung Shue Wan at 9am on a Saturday morning knowing that unlike the rest of the ferry’s passengers off for a day of relaxing, we would be putting our green fingers to use and getting stuck in landscaping in the hot sunshine.
But today tree planting is more essential than ever before. With scientists and academics loudly attributing the trouble our planet is in to climate change, global warming and pollution, trees are nature’s way of absorbing much of the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and turning it into oxygen.
For Earth Champion Bobsy, co-founder of Able Charity and Save the Human, it was all in a day’s work. A total of 17,000 trees have been planted since Able and their volunteers planted the first saplings in April 1997.
In May, it was the turn of the Earth Champions Foundation, a newly formed society in Hong Kong that highlights the environmental forerunners in the community and runs community events to bring them together, to organize the day. Three different charities were brought together by Earth Champions event organizer Clara Courtauld: Earth Champions including Pathfinder Bobsy, Able Charity and 28 youths and their team leaders from Youth Outreach.
One of Earth Champions’ priorities is to include the next generation in learning about and looking after the environment. This is just one of the projects they are including Youth Outreach on, to give the city-based teenagers an opportunity to learn about indigenous trees, spend time in nature, and explore surroundings very different from their usual urban jungle.
Annual tree planting expeditions to Lamma forest have involved schools, businesses and other charities in the past. “This allowed us to engage the wider community in the process and to raise awareness about the plight of our environment through direct participatory action,” said Bobsy.
“When first we embarked on this project, I had a preconceived notion of what tree planting would entail,” said Clara. “Digging holes, sprinkling compost, popping in the tree and on to the next − the Lamma forest would be doubled by the time we were through. But tree planting is not for the faint hearted; it’s hard work, requiring gallons of sweat, but it is incredibly rewarding.”
The tree planters targetted hillsides where fires or natural sparcity have resulted in bare slopes. “There was even more inspiration for the creation of this forest after a massive fire in October 1998, which was started by one careless family attending their grave,” said Bobsy.
While the city-based kids weren’t used to such dirty, sweaty work, they all made a great effort. “Even the youngest enjoyed the programme,” said social worker Cat Lam. “They were tired, but they enjoyed it. It’s good for the youngsters to learn to protect the environment.”
The 208 new trees now taking root, thanks to the efforts of Youth Outreach’s energetic teenagers and other volunteers, are Hong Shu or incense trees, whose fragrance greeted sailors in times gone by, and therefore gives Hong Kong its name.
Bobsy, with the help of Ecopreneur Dr Merrin Pearse, ensured everyone learnt a lot about Lamma Island, tree planting and nature in general. With all the trees in the ground the group headed back to base camp, sweaty but happy, for a hearty lunch. Social worker Tong Chi-chung was delighted with his group. “The chance is unusual and unforgettable for them. In the future we would like to participate in more nature activities.”
Holistic Asia editor, Peter Lloyd, is an ordained minister from 
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