Growing Together - 100 Fruit Trees for Peace

By Mallika Nair

When you envision a world of peace what do you see? I see green, lush landscapes buzzing with life. I hear the rush of water and the hum of creatures, food growing abundantly, birdsong in the morning, the moon at night. I envision that humans will meet our needs in ways that do not commit violence against earth and all her inhabitants, that our ways are regenerative, that we move in harmony with all of life, that we structure our systems to recycle all the needed inputs and outputs.

We all have a role to play in making this vision of peace a reality – re-imagining economy, politics, agriculture and every segment of our society while doing our own personal healing as well. At a certain point in my life, I got really clear and asked how I could contribute to it all and was given a simple mission: Plant Fruit Trees! I was given a mission to Reforest our Cities, and bring the heart into this sacred task, through song, prayer,art, and the power of the circle. So I've been planting fruit trees, and dedicating them for peace while sharing ancient permaculture wisdom with urban communities.

I run a program, called Growing Together, that holds community circles to plant fruit trees. We work to provide fruit trees and education to people that might not otherwise have access to trees in neighborhoods that are blighted and direly in need of more healthy food, and nature connection. We recognize that certain people and places have been systematically cut off from the basic human rights to food and and a healthy environment and use an environmental justice framework for our work. We work with kids and teenagers to take leadership in planting trees in their own neighborhoods. When things get tough, seeing the joy and pride that these kids take in doing something so positive for their community is what gives me the motivation to keep going. This September we've been planting 100 Fruit Trees for Peace, and we are gathering on the International Day of Peace for a Tree Planting and Dedication and to participate in a global synchronized meditation for peace.

Planting trees is so simple, yet so profound. It's my little piece of building a world of peace. Please join me - if each of us planted 20 trees for 5 years we would reforest the entire Earth to pre-industrial levels. (source: Ecology Action) Having more mature trees would ripple environmental, social and community benefits into every part of our society, and deeply affect our consciousness. I like to imagine that peace starts in the ground, like a seed. Let's humbly kneel down, touch the earth, share a prayer for peace, and each of us cultivate our part of the garden. Peace is happening, she's growing roots every day - we are capable of creating a more beautiful world. Let's do it!

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Mallika Nair is a gardener, yogi and food justice activist. In 2013, at the age of 24, Mallika started Growing Together, a nonprofit program planting fruit trees in Oakland and offering education on permaculture and plants. She has since planted over 500 trees with community groups, focusing on planting with underserved urban communities in the Oakland area. More info at Growingtogetherproject.org.