Tree Day

Tree Day poster

LET’S PLANT A TREE FOR PEACE

Peace is one of the most precious of human values.  We hear each day of the misfortunes that befall people because of wars and acts of terrorism. Sometimes we think that we cannot do anything about it, but our lives depend upon the attitude we adopt. That is why it is important that we, ourselves, make a simple gesture for peace. We should also remember that peace on Earth depends on whether we are able to preserve our natural resources and environment for future generations.

Tree Day is a project that Klub Gaja has been carrying out since 2003. It is a national and international action for planting trees on October 10 every year with an accompanying program for ecological education. The project is based on local activity, primarily of the youth, as well as the representatives of various institutions, local communities, local government, business, and non-government organisations. Since 2007 Tree Day is organising in connection with UNEP “Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign”. Our initiative was presented in UNEP “The Billion Tree Campaign Album”.

In 2010 with broad public participation, we planted 43138 trees, which were entered into the UN One Billion Trees for the Planet campaign database. School students in Poland collected  268 tons of scrap paper. 43362 people participated in the program, including school children and young people from various types of educational facilities, field education centres, as well as local communities, public agencies, local governments and business.

Our message: Let’s plant a tree for peace has reached 35 countries all over the world. The trees for peace were planted in Poland, Argentina, Iceland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Columbia, Scotland, England, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, India, and other countries. In many places of the world, Tree’s Day does not solely mean the action of planting trees for peace, but also other numerous projects for the protection of the natural environment, co-operation, and tolerance.

Each of us can plant a Tree for Peace or help in the promotion of this idea. The easiest way to do it is to send the information, the poster or the leaflet to a befriended school, an institution, or a person in any corner of our planet. We hope that each year we shall be more numerous and we shall plant more trees! For Peace!

Please send us also your reports of the actions, photographs, and newspaper cuttings. Our address is Klub Gaja, 43-365 Wilkowice, ul. Parkowa 10, Poland, e-mail: klubgaja@klubgaja.pl.

Klub Gaja is a leading independent civil society organization dealing with environment protection and animal rights in Poland. It was founded by Jacek Bożek in 1988. Klub Gaja’s mission is to protect our planet Earth as well as preserve the natural behavior of our environment for us and generations to come.

With very best wishes,
Yours sincerely
     
Jacek Bożek                                                                        
President Klub Gaja,
Polish Ashoka Fellow

News from Tree Day 2010

20 thousand trees in one minute!
On December 12th 2010 in Peru will take place an amaizing event.  Earthwalker, Paul Coleman will lead an initiative to plant twenty thousand (20,000) trees in One Minute on this day in the city of Lima. Involved are a local organization Vidas Verdes, six Municipalities and their Mayors, and 40,000 local people. This is an effort to get into the Guinness Book of World records and through the attention this event will bring, the aim is to mobilize the people of Peru to action in the face of Climate Change.

See the speech of president Klub Gaja, Jacek Bożek for the participants of planting trees in Lima

Kenya

Dear Jacek Bożek,

Im glad to inform you that i received the posters and bulletins about your programme. The entire peace club was really excited. We had the posters up on campus and the posters created a buzz around campus and people were asking questions so we talked to them about your organisation and your initiatives.

We managed to plant 70 trees on the 10th of October. We had planned on planting more trees but there was a shortage of water at the area we had gone to plant but we plan on adding more trees soon.We also talked to the youths and the local communities on the importance of  environmental conservation and we also helped clean the environment.

Your Sincerely
Peace Council Vice Chairman
Njoroge Caleb

Kenya Methodist University

Nairobi Campus

Students Welfare-Peace Council Club

Japan

Hello, I am Konomi Kikuchi. Earthwalker Paul Coleman's wife.

Paul received invitation from your organization to join your campaing and we invited our friends to join TREE DAY campaign. 

So we would like to report you that our friends in Okinawa planted five trees including one grape fruit tree and four guava trees. 

Here is the link to my blog including photos.

http://happeninghere.ning.com/profiles/blogs/101010-tree-day-peace-for

Thank you for your inspiration and good work

Go well

Konomi Kikuchi

Earthwalker, Paul Coleman: http://www.earthwalker.com Ambassador of Culture of Peace Initiative, United Nations-designated Peace Messenger Initiative. Co-Founder Celebration Earth: http://celebrationearth.ning.com

Klub Gaja is participating in the events that accompany the UN Climate Change Conference COP 15 in Copenhagen.  From December 7th till December 11th, at the invitation of the capital city government of Denmark, we will present 'Kolejka Poznańska' in front of the Bella Center (where the Conference will take place).

And on the main plaza in front of the Copenhagen City Hall, we will distribute several thousand envelopes with the main message:  Sow the seed for a good climate. In the envelopes there will be the oak seeds from Puszcza Białowieska.

The oak seeds (żołędzie), certified by the Forest Reproductive Material Office in Warsaw, could be planted not only in the forest but also in the garden or in the park. On the inside of each envelope there will be a detailed care instruction for the seed and additional instruction how to grow a tree. The seed selection is not random. The oak seeds have to be sown in December, and Puszcza Białowieska is one of the last natural forests in Europe with its primeval character intact. It is a ground for the  Białowieża National Park. It is protected and from 1979 it is on the World Heritage List UNESCO.
 
The sculptures from the happening The Lonely Tree - Lonely People, by Agnieszka Gradzik and Wiktor Szostalo will be installed in front of the City Hall in Copenhagen. The last time they were presented was at the COP 14 in Poznań, in 2008. This time the line in front of the tree will be extended by new figures created from different tree branches. Nevertheless, scenario remains the same-the happening is an attempt to show the drama that could be possible in many places around the world  if we will not stop the climate changes.

The installation will be created near Hans Christian Andersen's statue. The new figures who will line up in front of our tree and were not present in Poznań's installation correspond to characters from Andersen's stories. Everyday, at  one o'clock Klub Gaja will be performing a happening to encourage the passers-by to join the symbolic line in front of the tree. 

At the Conference in Copenhagen, the representatives of more than 190 countries should come up with the agreement following the Kyoto Protocol. In our opinion, in these happenings and the events that accompany the Conference, the presence of the 'regular' citizens is essential. Because, they are the people to whom we appeal, for whom we created educational environmental programs.

We are hoping to succeed in Copenhagen!

The activities of Klub Gaja in Copenhagen contain two programs: Tree Day and Helping the Animals-We are Protecting the Climate. 
The partners in the events organized by Klub Gaja in Copenhagen are: the State Forests, Ashoka, LeasePlan and Partnership for Climate.

I Won’t do Hackwork

Beata Zamlewska-Pałyga interviews Jacek Bożek, founder and president of ecological organization, Gaja Club.

Beata Zamlewska-Pałyga: Do you believe in the concept of ecological culture?
Jacek Bożek: No, culture is culture. I realize that such a classification encourages better understanding and it caters to the social need for labelling ideas. I know that ecological culture is a popular concept, but I’d rather discuss the influence of ecology on culture.

B.Z.: So you don't want the projects that have been initiated by you or the Gaja Club to be termed as ecological culture actions, but you are familiar with this terminology?
J.B.: Yes, but I think it's down to linguistic difficulties. The concept of ecology or working for the Earth appeared recently. Please note that the Gaja Club is one of the oldest ecological organizations in Poland, but it was started only 22 years ago. During that time, we have been able to make a mark in the world of culture, but we owe this success to the contemporary trends which popularized the term ‘ecology’ in politics and business... practically everywhere. This change was facilitated by a global community movement which became a mainstream trend.
Let me give an example. I was recently asked to give a lecture in a school. The principal said: “I would like to introduce the key ecologist in Poland.” A few seconds later, he decided to rephrase what he had said: “Well, maybe the most popular media ecologist in Poland.” This situation illustrates the changes taking place in Poland. Only 10 years ago, the word ‘ecologist’ didn’t mean much, but today we have a field of study known as media ecology. This term is now popularly used in everyday language. 15-20 years ago, the term ‘ecological culture’ would probably be understood as some sort of an alternative movement. Today, we have this huge cultural melting pot where ecology was thrown in to address business and economic changes that are taking place in an effort to protect our natural resources. Concepts such as nature, animal rights and environmental protection have found their way into pop culture, rock songs and statements made by celebrities. Famous people often make public statements like: I don’t eat meat because I want to protect animals, I drink coffee that was produced with respect for the environment and the people involved in the process. Such statements are multiplying, but I don't think they fully embody the concept of ecological culture. This concept exists, but it hasn’t yet reached Poland. Let me cite an example from Australia where I was invited by The Rainforest Information Centre in Lismore. What I experienced there could be truly defined as ecological culture. Beginning with the morning cup of coffee, the way they dressed and travelled, those people really showed concern for how their life activities impacted on the natural environment. When shopping for food, I would bring my own jars and packaging to put butter or honey in.

B.Z.: When was that?
J.B.: 15 years ago. When I came back, I developed a habit of always carrying my mug. I would take the express train from Bielsko-Biała to Warsaw, and when coffee was served, I would take out my mug so that I wouldn’t have to use a disposable cup. I stirred up some commotion, and yet this kind of behaviour would be absolutely normal in Australia. But in Poland, I was a freak. I didn't want to be a freak, so I stopped carrying my mug. Poland needs time to adopt such far-reaching changes.
I travel a lot, and finding good vegetarian food is often a problem. In Australia, there are not only vegetarian but also vegan restaurants along the motorways. Why? Because this kind of culture is in demand.

B.Z.: Do the happenings staged by the Gaja Club fit the definition of ecological culture?
J.B.: As a team of people working for the Gaja Club, we try to exhibit a certain attitude whenever possible: we drive to all events in one car; most of us are vegetarians; we pay attention to what we wear, what type of tea and coffee we drink, etc. Still, we are not radicals, we only do what is within our power. Do our happenings fit the definition of ecological culture? I guess so, but I see it a bit differently. We stage events that tackle an important social issue, namely ecology. A happening addresses, for example, the problem of endangered species, but is it really art? If someone says that this is an ecological happening, but not a highly successful one, then it simply means that I haven’t done my best. And that’s all there is to it.

B.Z.: The Gaja Club has initiated a certain trend referred to as Art for Earth. What does it stand for?
J.B.:  Gaja Club’s Art for Earth Association is an ecological and cultural undertaking. In our efforts, we rely on various forms of art to address social issues, but I have to admit that working with artists is no piece of cake. They are highly demanding people, but we try to make the most of this relationship to show that we are mostly interested in the creative process. Above all, we need very skilled artists or else the resulting “art” could only do harm. When organising a happening for several hundred people, we have to clearly state our message. The event has to be thoroughly planned from the beginning to the end. Most importantly, the event should never be an outcome of hackwork.

B.Z.: Let's get back to art...
J.B.: Art is a medium. Grotowski used to say that art can take us into the realm of spirituality, literature, etc. Art explains many things. Ecological happenings, like the events organised by the Gaja Club, explain the world, they carry a message.

B.Z.: So with this approach, ecological culture is a way of shaping green attitudes?
J.B.: Yes, and those attitudes can give rise to an entire ecological culture in the future. This culture is born in selected places in the world. If the people of Bielsko-Biała were able to change their attitudes so that every other person rides a bike to work, we would witness the birth of an ecological culture in the form of high quality cycle paths that are used by thousands of people. But for the time being, this is not an ecological culture, it is a collection of individual attitudes.

B.Z.: What are the greatest obstacles to popularising ecological attitudes?
J.B.: Culture in itself. Culture is a barrier, but this could change if the issue is addressed by schools, churches, state institutions and the media. The first harbingers of political change are out there, such as the environmental summits held in Poznań and Copenhagen. There are also civic movements, businesses are beginning to look for innovative solutions. The point is to initiate change via various channels. Let me give another example. British celebrity chefs agreed to use the term ‘free-range chicken’ in all public statements concerning chicken. Let’s hope that in a few years’ time, consumers will demand solely free-range chicken, and that battery hens will be a thing of the past. Every change begins with words –  this is where a new culture is born.

B.Z.: How do these changes affect Polish businesses?
J.B.: Polish businesses’ approach to ecology varies subject to the company’s management culture. If managers have an open mindset, they will be more observant than other people. Large corporations often implement green policies that are imposed by their top management. Such companies often turn to the Gaja Club for assistance. But if the impulse for change comes from the top, it is unlikely to deliver the anticipated benefits because the employees will not be motivated, and they will not get personally involved.

B.Z.: Still, isn't this attitude better than complete ignorance?
J.B.: No. We, the change navigators, search for true partners who do not resort to CSR or PR measures to improve their image. We get plenty of offers from businesses, but we accept a very small number of proposals because we expect our partners to understand the need for change. PR experts often think that money opens all doors. This is not true. Ecological culture is about initiating social change, not improving a company’s image. Despite all appearances, managers and business owners are fully aware of that.

B.Z.: Where should the change process begin?
J.B.: We have to start by answering the following question: what benefits will follow from changes in the organisation’s culture that promote ecological attitudes? We have to find a method for introducing pro-environmental changes in the company that will deliver measurable benefits. Long-term investment in production and the process of changing employees’ attitudes will pay off. At the beginning, this will not deliver measurable results, but will be an investment in people and the future.

B.Z.: What if the company produces biscuits that come in five wrappers, therefore generating five times more waste? Shouldn’t the relevant social change begin with minimizing the amount of waste?
J.B.: No, because the company will lose clients. Businesses are not set up to save the world, their prime objective is to make money. If a company becomes more green than enterprising, the people responsible for those changes will lose their jobs. It will take some time before businesses are ready for such a change: they will begin by saving paper, water and using alternative means of transport. But first, they have to develop a readiness for change. 

B.Z.: …which begins from the inside.
J.B.: Exactly. The manager will notice the company’s wasteful practices. He cannot begin the change process from the production stage unless he comes up with an economic solution that is also highly attractive for the client. But if the impulse for change does not come from inside, the decision has to be imposed by the top management.

Tree Day 2009

LET’S PLANT A TREE FOR PEACE

October 10th 2009

Peace is one of the most precious of human values.  We hear each day of the misfortunes that befall people because of wars and acts of terrorism. Sometimes we think that we cannot do anything about it, but our lives depend upon the attitude we adopt. That is why it is important that we, ourselves, make a simple gesture for peace. We should also remember that peace on Earth depends on whether we are able to preserve our natural resources and environment for future generations.

Tree Day is a project that Klub Gaja has been carrying out since 2003. It is a national and international action for planting trees on October 10 every year with an accompanying program for ecological education. The project is based on local activity, primarily of the youth, as well as the representatives of various institutions, local communities, local government, business, and non-government organisations. Since 2007 Tree Day is organising in connection with UNEP “Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign”. Our initiative was presented in UNEP “The Billion Tree Campaign Album”.

In 2008 with broad public participation, we planted 73700 trees, which were entered into the UN One Billion Trees for the Planet campaign database. School students in Poland collected 270 tons of scrap paper. 61400 people participated in the program, including school children and young people from various types of educational facilities, field education centres, as well as local communities, public agencies, local governments and business.

Our message: Let’s plant a tree for peace has reached 35 countries all over the world. The trees for peace were planted in Poland, Iceland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Columbia, Great Britain, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, India, and other countries. In many places of the world, Tree’s Day does not solely mean the action of planting trees for peace, but also other numerous projects for the protection of the natural environment, co-operation, and tolerance.

Each of us can plant a Tree for Peace or help in the promotion of this idea. The easiest way to do it is to send the information, the poster or the leaflet to a befriended school, an institution, or a person in any corner of our planet. We hope that each year we shall be more numerous and we shall plant more trees! For Peace!

If you want to get Tree Day poster and leaflet in English please contact with us. Please send us also your reports of the actions, photographs, and newspaper cuttings. Our address is Klub Gaja, 43-365 Wilkowice, ul. Parkowa 10, Poland, e-mail: klubgaja@klubgaja.pl.

Klub Gaja is a leading independent civil society organization dealing with environment protection and animal rights in Poland. It was founded by Jacek Bożek in 1988. Since 2004 it has a status of an organization of public benefit.

With very best wishes,
Yours sincerely
     
Jacek Bożek                                                                        
President Klub Gaja,
Polish Ashoka Fellow

Tree Day publication - read

Please feel welcome to download the e-version of Positive News with article Let's Plant a Tree for Peace Every October 10th featured on page 20.

Tree Day program in the year 2008 - 2010 is supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area a nd Norwegian Financial Mechanism, and also Republic of Poland budget within the Non-Governmental Organisations Fund.  Financed through The National fund for Environment Protection and Water Management.

         
Cooperating Partners:

Centrum Informacyjne Lasów Państwowych (National Forests Information Centre), whose colaboration includes program promotion, participation of Lasy Państwowe (National Forests) representatives in the events related to the October 10th inauguration, as well as material (seedlings) and teaching assistance (field classes and activities). Lasy Państwowe is a Tree Day Program Strategic Partner since 2003.

Skógræktarfélag Grindavíkur (The Forest Nursery Club in Grindavik), Iceland - colaboration involving local implementation of Tree Festival experience and good practices in the community of Grindavik will include study visits and participation of representatives of the Icelandic organization in the Polish inauguration on October 10th, 2008, as well as implementation of the Tree Day Program and tree planting action in Iceland in 2009.

Partners of Tree Day Program

LeasePlan, Troton, Eco Service,  Comarch, Ashoka Innovators for the Public, Skógræktarfélag Grindavíkur (The Forest Nursery Club in Grindavik), Iceland

Let's plant a tree for peace 2008

Peace is one of the most precious of human values.  We hear each day of the misfortunes that befall people because of wars and acts of terrorism. Sometimes we think that we cannot do anything about it, but our lives depend upon the attitude we adopt. That is why it is important that we, ourselves, make a simple gesture for peace. We should also remember that peace on Earth depends on whether we are able to preserve our natural resources and environment for future generations.

Tree Day is a project that Klub Gaja has been carrying out since 2003. It is a national and international action for planting trees on October 10 every year with an accompanying program for ecological education. The project is based on local activity, primarily of the youth, as well as the representatives of various institutions, local communities, local government, business, and non-government organisations. Like last year, Tree Day 2008 is organising in connection with UNEP “Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign”.

In Tree Day 2007 took part 57,388 people from Poland and abroad - schools, environmental NGO’s, Town Councils, Education Centers, Local Forest Councils, local communities, business and others. We planted 36,236 trees, which were included in the UNEP One Billion Trees for the Planet Campaign database. Our initiative was presented in UNEP “The Billion Tree Campaign Album”.

Our message: Let’s plant a tree for peace has reached 35 countries all over the world. The trees for peace were planted in Poland, Iceland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Japan, Great Britain, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, India, and other countries. The Ashoka Foundation, as well as ecological organisations and human rights organisations, has responded to our appeal. In many places of the world, Tree’s Day does not solely mean the action of planting trees for peace, but also other numerous projects for the protection of the natural environment, co-operation, and tolerance.

Each of us can plant a Tree for Peace or help in the promotion of this idea. The easiest way to do it is to send the information, the poster or the leaflet to a befriended school, an institution, or a person in any corner of our planet. We hope that each year we shall be more numerous and we shall plant more trees! For Peace!

If you want to get Tree Day poster and publication in 4 languages (Polish, English, Spanish, Icelandic) please contact with us.

Please send us also your reports of the actions, photographs, and newspaper cuttings. Our address is Klub Gaja, 43-365 Wilkowice, ul. Parkowa 10, Poland, e-mail: klubgaja@klubgaja.pl.

Klub Gaja is a leading independent civil society organization dealing with environment protection and animal rights in Poland. It was founded by Jacek Bożek in 1988. Since 2004 it has a status of an organization of public benefit. The mission of Klub Gaja is to protect our planet Earth and to preserve the natural environment and biodiversity for ourselves and the future generations.

With very best wishes,
Yours sincerely:
     
Jacek Bożek                                                                        
President Klub Gaja
Polish Ashoka Fellow    

****************

Billion Tree Campaign to Grow into the Seven Billion Tree Campaign

Grassroots Initiative Hits Two Billion Mark—Target Raised to Over One Tree Per Person by Crucial 2009 Climate Convention Meeting

Nairobi, 13 May 2008 – A unique worldwide tree planting initiative, aimed at empowering citizens to corporations and people up to presidents to embrace the climate change challenge, has now set its sights on planting seven billion trees. It follows the news, also announced today, that the Billion Tree Campaign has in just 18 months catalyzed the planting of two billion trees, double its original target.

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, said today: “When the Billion Tree Campaign was launched at the Climate Convention meeting in Nairobi in 2006, no one could have imagined it could have flowered so fast and so far. But it has given expression to the frustrations but also the hopes of millions of people around the world”.

“Having exceeded every target that has been set for the campaign, we are now calling on individuals, communities, business and industry, civil society organizations and governments to evolve this initiative onto a new and even higher level by the crucial climate change conference in Copenhagen in late 2009,” he said.

“In 2006 we wondered if a billion tree target was too ambitious; it was not. The goal of two billion trees has also proven to be an underestimate. The goal of planting seven billion trees – equivalent to just over a tree per person alive on the planet —must therefore also be do-able given the campaign’s extraordinary track record and the s  elf-evident worldwide support,” he added.

The Billion Tree Campaign has become a practical expression of private and public concern over global warming. Tree planting remains one of the most cost-effective ways to address climate change. Trees and forests play a vital role in regulating the climate since they absorb carbon dioxide – containing an estimated 50% more carbon than the atmosphere. Deforestation, in turn, accounts for over 20% of the carbon dioxide humans generate, rivaling the emissions from other sources. Trees also play a crucial role in providing a range of products and services to rural and urban populations, including food, timber, fiber, medicines and energy as well as soil fertility, water and biodiversity conservation.

“The Billion Tree Campaign is UNEP’s call to the nearly 7 billion people sharing our planet today to take simple, positive steps to protect our climate. It is a defining issue of our era that can only be tackled through individual and collective action. I am convinced that the new target will be met – one tree at a time,” concluded Executive Director Steiner.

The Billion Tree Campaign web site with pledges, plantings and news is at

www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign
http://www.worldagroforestry.org/billiontreecampaign/

UNEP News Release 2008/11

Tree Day - Tree Hugger Project in Poznań, Poland

Klub Gaja in the frames of environmental education program Tree Day presented with artists Agnieszka Gradzik and Wiktor Szostalo the Tree Hugger Project during the United Nation Climate Change Conference, 1-12 December 2008 in Poznań, Poland

In International Poznań Fair, Pavilion 5 Klub Gaja presented educational stand and also Tree Day exhibition and film. In schools we made several lectures for young people about the program and the trees protection.

In Poznań we presented also two Tree Hugger instalations. First was called "Lonely Tree - Lonely People. We're all in it together" and was presented on Plac Wolności. Everyday at noon we made here a happening. The instalation invited all passers by to join the line to the lonely tree to feel how it may be if there is only one tree left to hug or to look at. During the conference the hundred of people lined up to the lonely tree. The second instalation was called "Chipko Women - Trees for All" and was presented on International Poznań Fair near the entrance to the conference. Tree Hugger Project partner in Poznań was Poznań City Hall.

Tree Hugger Project is an ongoing work of Environmental art desigend to help us re-descover our relationship with nature at a very personal and intimate level. Made from twigs, branches, sticks, vines and other natural materials, these playful sculptures remind us that we humans are still very much a part of our natural surroundings. Project offers an excellent opportunity to reach out to local communities to demonstrate that standing for the Environment can be done in a fun and no-political way and that contemporary art can be entertaining and make a difference in how we view our world. The authors of Tree Hugger Project are Agnieszka Gradzik and Wiktor Szostalo.

more information about the Tree Hugger Project

http://www.treehuggerproject.com/

Tree Day 2007

LET’S PLANT A TREE FOR PEACE Peace is one of the most precious of human values.  We hear each day of the misfortunes that befall people because of wars and acts of terrorism. Sometimes we think that we cannot do anything about it, but our lives depend upon the attitude we adopt. That is why it is important that we, ourselves, make a simple gesture for peace. We should also remember that peace on Earth depends on whether we are able to preserve our natural resources and environment for future generations.

Tree’s Day is a project that Klub Gaja has been carrying out since 2003. It is a national and international action for planting trees on October 10 every year with an accompanying program for ecological education. The project is based on local activity, primarily of the youth, as well as the representatives of various institutions, local communities, local government, business, and non-government organisations. This year Tree Day is organising in connection with UNEP “Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign”.

Our message: Let’s plant a tree for peace has reached 35 countries all over the world. The trees for peace were planted in Poland, Czech Republic, Colombia, Pakistan, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Japan, Great Britain, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, India, and other countries. The Ashoka Foundation, as well as ecological organisations and human rights organisations, has responded to our appeal. In many places of the world, Tree’s Day does not solely mean the action of planting trees for peace, but also other numerous projects for the protection of the natural environment, co-operation, and tolerance.

Each of us can plant a Tree for Peace or help in the promotion of this idea. The easiest way to do it is to send the information, the poster or the leaflet to a befriended school, an institution, or a person in any corner of our planet. We hope that each year we shall be more numerous and we shall plant more trees! For Peace!

Please send us your reports of the actions, photographs, and newspaper cuttings. Our address is Klub Gaja, 43-365 Wilkowice, ul. Parkowa 10, Poland. Or mail us: klubgaja@klub gaja.pl.

Klub Gaja was founded by Jacek Bożek in 1988 in Poland. The common idea connecting people of Klub Gaja is  protection of the Earth, people and animals. Klub Gaja uses unconventional methods and different artistic forms in its educational activity, workshops and events.

With very best wishes,
Yours sincerely:   
Jacek Bożek                                                                        
President Klub Gaja
Polish Ashoka Fellow  

Tree Day Inauguration: October 10, 2007

Program Funding: Fundusz Inicjatyw Obywatelskich (Civil Inititiatives Fund), Wojewódzki Fundusz Ochrony Środowiska i Gospodarki Wodnej w Katowicach (Provincial Fund for Environment Protection and Water Management, Katowice)

Strategic Partners: Lasy Państwowe (State Forests), UNEP – One Billion Trees for the Planet Campaign

We joined the UNEP One Billion Trees for the Planet Campaign in 2007. In his letter, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme Achim Steiner expressed his warm support for the Tree Day program of environmental education.

Program Partners: LeasePlan, Troton, Eco Service, Ashoka Innovators for the Public Good,

About the Program: The Tree Day is a Klub Gaja environmental education program operational since 2003. It is a Poland-wide and international campaign of planting trees on the day of October 10, accompanied by an environmental educational program based on local activities, in particular those involving children and young people, with the participation of a range of organizations including local governments, central government agencies, NGO's and business sector.

Program Objectives:
* building competence concerning tree planting and protection
* increasing the nation's tree and forest cover
* climate protection
* scrap-paper recycling – waste management 
* enhancing environmental awareness and promoting sustainable development

Activities:
The Tree Day includes activities such as: forest planting, establishing parks and schoolyard gardens, finding monumental trees and history-witness trees, collecting tree seeds, saving horse-chestnut trees, thematical classes and field trips, arts, photography and literary competitions, waste-paper collection.

Results:
In 2007, as part of the Tree Day 5th edition, 36,236 trees were planted. For example, Marzęcice School Complex planted 1,919 trees and 165 shrubs, T. Kościuszko Primary School at Czemierniki planted 400 trees, Community School no. 1 in Września planted  332 trees, children planting trees along with their grandmothers and -fathers, Limanowa County Administration Environmental Centre planted 768 trees. All the trees planted were included in the UNEP One Billion Trees for the Planet Campaign database.

Participants:
57,388 people throughout the country participated in the Tree Day 2007, e.g. Koszalin Town Office enrolled 3,800 participants from 33 educational facilities, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski Town Office enrolled 2,000 participants, Limanowa County Administration enrolled 1,260 children from 24 educational facilities.
* Educational facilities (schools) – 3000
* Other actors – 500, including: environmental NGO's, municipal Departments of Education and Environment Protection, Landscape Parks (Natural Scenic Areas), Environmental Education Centres, Town Offices and 428 Forest Inspectorates  

Participation of the Public:
Invitations were extended to Forest Inspectorates, Parent Councils, local communities and local authorities – village headpeople, local governors, mayors, municipal councillors, members of village and county authorities, municipal Departments of Education and Environment Protection, education inspectors and officers, ZHP scouting organization, Polish Red Cross, Voluntary Fire Brigades, Roman-Catholic parishes, civil society organizations, Rural Housewives Societies, Farmers Associations, Community Centres, local businesses and local media (based on 2007' enrollment cards)

Tree Day 2007 Inauguration – October 10
The Program was inaugurated in Warsaw on October10th – we planted 5 trees in Pola Mokotowskie park. The event was attended by Partners: Anna Darska (UNDP), Sławomir Trzaskowski (Lasy Państwowe), Krzysztof Gierszewski (Troton), Sławomir Wontrucki and Tomasz Matujewicz (LeasePlan), Marcin Adamski and Sławomir Kuczyński (Eco Service), Jacek Jakubowski and Anna Piątasa (Ashoka), premise hosts, invited guests and young people of our cooperating schools. During the ceremony, Tree Day 2007 Partner Certificates were handed in, and a press conference was held. Klub Gaja planted the Tulip Tree – our wish tree where we hanged greetings and wishes for trees sent in from schools all over the country.

Tree Day Abroad:
Tree Day is also celebrated outside Poland. Our call ”Let Us Plant Trees for Peace” reached 35 countries  all over the world in 2007. Trees for Peace in the world were planted in  a number of countries, including Ireland, Scotland, England, the Netherlands, Colombia, USA, Germany and Lithuania.

Tree Day 2007  in the media
* RADIO: a 60-minute programme on TOK FM station featuring Partners; Radio Eska, Anty Radio, Radio dla Ciebie, Radio Planeta, Radio Katowice, Radio Bielsko, Radio Sieradz,
* PRESS: Gazeta Wyborcza, Dziennik Zachodni, Gazeta Stołeczna,  Ogrody, Tomaszowski Informator Tygodniowy, Gazeta Lubuska, Echo Limanowskie, Kurier Mrągowski, Tygodnik Konecki, Echo Stąporkowa, Pałuki i Ziemia Mogileńska, Tygodnik 7 Dni, Głos Gminy Wilkowice;
* TELEVISION: TVP WOT, TVP 3 Katowice, TVP Koszalin, TVP Olsztyn, TVP 3 Łódź, TVK Bielsat
* Internet: our website has 7,500 to 17,500 visits monthly, subscription on our website – 5,500 people

Tree Festival Educational Material
* 3,500 recipients received: a Tree Festival 2006 poster, printed in 4,000 copies, a Trees for Peace poster in 4,000 copies, a Collect Scrap Paper, Save Horses  poster in 4,000 copies, a Tree Festival 2006 leaflet in 8,000 copies, a Collect Scrap Paper, Save Horses leaflet.
* 14 lectures and 2 educational trips were made for schools participating in the program
* 1 environmental arts workshop was conducted, with young people of Gimnazjum (junior high school)  no. 3 in Mysłowice making a sculpture of Pegasus.
* 2 exhibitions were prepared to promote the Tree Festival during the program inauguration in Warsaw and Wilkowice Municipality
* A Report on the Tree Festival 2006 activities was published in 4,000 copies and mailed out to 3,500 groups or individuals in June, 2007
* editing the website www.klubjaga.pl – 7,500 to 17,500 visits monthly, ongoing information was mailed to 5,200 people – a permanent subscription feature on the site 

Tree Day 2007
Magical Tree Award for:

*Marzęcice School Complex for the planting of 1,919 trees and 165 shrubs and for the idea of the Tree of Friendship

*Brodnica Forest Inspectorate for their cooperation with the Marzęcice School Complex

*T. Kościuszko Primary School at Czemierniki for the planting of 400 trees and for involving the local community

*Lubartów Forest Inspectorate for their cooperation with the T. Kościuszko Primary School at Czemierniki

*Community School no. 1 in Września for the planting of 332 trees and for the idea of planting together with grandmothers and grandfathers

*M. Konopnicka Primary School at Leszczyno Szlacheckie for extending protection over 6 monumental trees and developing the Album „Natural Monuments within Bielsk Borrough”.

*Koszalin Town Office for enrolling the biggest number of participants – 3,800 people and getting 33 education facilities (schools) involved

*Limanowa County Administration – County Environmental Centre for the involvement of 24 education facilities, participation of 1,260 children and planting of 768 trees

*Regional State Forests Authority in Kraków for their cooperation and reporting, as well as getting 20 foresters involved

*Aid Association „Ludzie Ludziom” (Humans for Humans) for the planting of 100 trees together with the homeless

*Troton Company for the planting of 5,000 trees and afforestation of the Beskidy mountains

The Billion Tree Campaign Album

In 2007 Tree Day was organising in connection with United Nations Environment Programme" Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign"

See The Billion Tree Campaign Album - Around the world in 80 pages

http://www.unep.org/Billiontreecampaign/informationmaterial/resources/BILLION%20TREE%20LOW%20RES%202.pdf