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This piece was sent in by Paul Taxi of the Peace Tree Walk…

A few years back me and good friend Alan De Boeck were stood upon the banks of the Motueka River in front of my then house in Pokororo. Alan related magical stories of Tree Walking Journeys he had been apart of in Ireland, months long, walking from school to school planting Trees and making merriment… I really, really liked the idea; a seed was sown…

So it was that on October 7th, 2006 the seed germinated at Mountain Valley School, at the base of Mt Arthur/ W hare-Papa in the Graham Valley.   A worldwide collective gathered to set about bringing the concept to fruition in NZ/Aoteoroa. Blessed were we on that first night, a night of Full Moon, we found ourselves under a Moonbow; with Jah’s graces we began a week long journey.

We a Peaceful Rainbow People were walking with prams full of Trees, camping equipment and musical instruments. From school to school with children young and old, planting, sowing, jamming joyfully; “All we are saying is give Trees a Chance”. Children of the light and future, native trees in love of the Mother/Papatunuku, planting 123 Trees, 1 and 2 and 3 and on and on and on. From Mountain Valley, Ngatimoti, Brooklyn, Riwaka, Motueka Kindergartens, Primary Schools,  High School, Lower Moutere and to finish one week later at Riverside Peace Community…

Camping around fire with song and stories hosted by friend news and old en-route, magic, magic, everywhere, 13:20 tuned, each step moves us on, a future dream, an ancient feeling, nomads in high-vis. Over 50kms we did walk, hospitality abounds as we give to the ground. The children dance and sing, teaching us and empowering us, the music astounds, in our unity for Mother Earth we are found…

Brother Matthew, veteran Tree Walker of the Irish Walks is on board with a magical Saz, (a Turkish string instrument) and mini-disc with mic. He recorded a load of the music which we later made into a Double Cd and sold to buy for more trees for future walks.

On the last Sunday of the walk, we go busk at the market, in which the money flowed as the Trees  grow, then the rain came to cause the market an early close, but more important to water the young seedlings;  “Don’t worry about a thing cause’ this little Trees gunna be alright”…

We give thanks and praise to all who were apart of this Dream becoming Reality.

Who are the “Peace Tree Walkers”?

We are a group of volunteers made up of Musicians, Educators and devoted Environmentalists, and anyone and everyone is welcome, for a short time or the whole time. We wish to create awareness about the importance of trees for the climate and the planet, and show peaceful ways of being on this earth. Through the planting of trees, fun, music and dance we can make a positive co-creative change. As an international group we share ways of how we can live and be together in Peace.

We walk and plant native Aotearoa Trees and some Fruit Trees. Our focus is to plant in schools, although we do visit many other places along the route. We push prams loaded  with trees, camping equipment, peace-ribbons (which can be tied to trees with wishes for peace, we especially like the children to make their wishes as we believe the wishes of the children to be the most strong); we also bring musical instruments and anything else that we may need…

In 2006 we walked from the Mountain Valley School, Graham Valley, down the Motueka River Valley, through Ngatimoti, Brooklyn, Riwaka, Motueka and finished at Riverside Peace Community (October 7-15th). We walked for 1 week, traveled about 50km and planted 123 native trees.

In 2007 we walked from Chandrakirti Buddhist Centre through Upper Moutere, Mahana, Mapua, Tasman, Motueka and finished at Riwaka School (October 14-19th). We covered a similar distance over 1 week during which we planted and distributed about 246 trees…

In 2008 we walked from the source of the Riwaka River at the base of the Takaka Hill through Brooklyn, Riwaka, Motueka, Lower Moutere, Ngatimoti and finished at the Mountain Valley School, Graham Valley (May 10-18th). We covered over 70km, planted and distributed over 500 trees and were joined by people from all corners of the globe, a horse and cart and at the most about 30 walkers at one time.

In 2009 we took a break and some of us had babies.

In 2010 we walk again May 15th – 30th .  We will start once more from the Mountain Valley School, Graham Valley (the spiritual home of the “Peace Tree Walk” in New Zealand), then we will head to Ngatimoti School one of the leading environmental schools in the country and true pleasure to visit, then to Woodstock and perhaps a festival, or at the very least some fantastic music, then through the Dovedale Valley, then link  Upper Moutere and Mahana, with another visit to the beautiful Chandrakirti Buddhist Centre, from there we will travel over a hill to Appleby, Brightwater, Wakefield and finish in HOPE (a town but also a destination). This will be the longest walk in both time and distance.

The HOPE is for this concept to be picked up and taken on a full length NZ walk.  The Tree-Lay (like a re-lay), covering the whole length of the country, planting many trees and spreading messages of peace…

Then we may as well continue the W-EARTHWHILE Project around the globe.

Some years ago there was a Rainbow Gathering in County Doungal in Ireland and a man called John Crossan spoke up for his dream of walking and planting trees. He collected aluminum cans for “money for Trees” and with every can he said     “ I Can” and so it was that the Tree Walk had begun. Now the tree has some branches here in New Zealand and others are talking of taking walks to their countries. This is an ongoing project focusing on what we want and having a great benefit to the beautification, education and general enhancement of the planet. Through walking and planting trees we are actively reducing the carbon footprint.

PEACE TREE WALK welcomes any support. Small is beautiful.
Contact us at:

[email protected]

PAUL TAXI  03 528 0374
[email protected]
ALAN DE BOECK
[email protected]
Check out info @ www.communityaction.net.nz/treewalkschedule.htm

PEACE TREE WALK acknowledges those who plant and care for trees year round.
PEACE TREE WALK gives thanks and praises to those who work for peace.
PEACE TREE WALK is a little seed. Come help it grow. One LOVE, One HEART…

P.s. http://soundsfromthespring.blogspot.com/
reveals information and music from 2006’s  “Motueka River Tree-Walk”
and tree-walks in eire-ireland, search and you will find…

Tags: positive news