Just Start Planting – The Man Who Planted Trees
In today’s world that seems to both plant and destroy entire forests in an attempt to combat “climate change”, the message in the short film The Man Who Planted Trees is more important now than ever.
The Man Who Planted Trees Review
For those of you unfamiliar, the film follows a humble shepherd who, with the occasional help of a wayfarer, converts an abandoned civilization that became a barren desert into a lush, pristine, green oasis people flock to nearly a generation later.
Through persistence, the actions of one man in faithful duty restored an entire forest – arguably better than its previous iteration.
The Hidden Message of The Man Who Planted Trees
Last summer, I watched The Man Who Planted Trees in the confines of my dark bedroom one evening.
I have a garden out back, and had developed quite the interest in regenerative agriculture over the past few years since the pandemic – particularly around attempting to grow oak trees.
Although (primarily swamp and pin) oak trees exist in my area, around the blocks surrounding my home it’s simply False Acacia (Black Locust or Robinia pseudoacacia), Catalpa trees (both Northern – Catalpa speciosa, and southern – Catalpa bignonioides), Swamp maple trees (Acer rubrum) and in my yard in particular – there are tons of (invasive) Mulberry trees (Morus alba) that were planted before I was born.
There are also two great Eastern Pine trees (Pinus strobus) that were planted when I was young, which now tower over my home. I’ve been using their shed pine needles for my homemade compost and as mulch for my plants, and trying to pluck up any seedlings to replant that naturally germinate alongside the mother plant from strewn pine cones in an exceedingly vain attempt at propagation.
I also read that Eastern Pine needles can be steeped and made into a potent antimicrobial tea good for your health, but have yet to try that. Honestly, I also heard that the sap could be made into Pine Pitch – I’ve just never scrapped any off to preserve despite pruning the heavier low-hanging tree limbs almost 3 years ago in winter to use as stakes and trellises for my nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, etc.) in the summer garden.
Diatribe on the usefulness of Eastern Pine trees aside, I never realized the importance of simply planting a seed and waiting until watching The Man Who Planted Trees. The film expertly illustrates how nature can heal itself and restore ecosystems – if given the chance.
I saw this practice perfectly when I began companion planting and intercropping species of plants, trees, and flowers. The pest pressure went down to the point that last growing season, I hardly had any issues because beneficial insects like ladybugs and hoverflies showed up on their own accord to snuff out any aphids and other nasties that attempted to destroy my garden.
Likewise, my yard used to have a really bad wasp problem.
I’m talking multiple wasp nests under the eaves of the home and even one year the wasps attempted to make a nest in a hole in the gutters. By planting flowers and letting nature restore its own ecosystem naturally, other predator insects like dragonflies and spiders now drove the magnitude of wasps’ nests off the property.
Even birds that are attracted to the yard because of my berry plants and trees, the flowers, and perch opportunities on my pine branch trellises scoop the wasps up mid-air while flying. This helps to naturally deter the wasp population from getting too big and completely dominating the yard once more.
I would hope that one day, my own efforts could revitalize the area I live in to its former glory that it was once known world-wide for. I hope my cultivation of native plants and nearly-extinct native species can again thrive and become so common place that one could pluck them from the wayside on an evening drive and still have many seeds and mature plants to spare within the population.
I truly believe films like this are important to show the impact a dedicated, humble action can have on our ecosystem and environment – influencing both humanity, the plants, and the animal kingdom in a beneficial way.
But, tell me your thoughts: do you have a backyard garden?
What have you planted that has helped restore your local ecosystem today?
Let me know your thoughts and leave them in the comment section below! Also be sure to follow us for more Gardening Movie Analysis! Until next time ~
“This world is a shadow of the real one”.
❂ Stories From the New World