Increasing the tree nursery

The new nursery next to the old school building

In anticipation of increased demand for tree seedlings since we started our improved cookstove project, we moved the tree nursery in both villages to the school grounds. This greatly increased the available space of the growing area to grow more seedlings.

In the past decade, our gardeners had the plant nursery right next to their respective houses. They could keep a watchful eye on their seedlings, literally in their backyard. But by the same token, space was limited inside the village. Now they get their yard back.

Moving the (tree) nursery to the school, has the additional benefit that the students can be directly involved with growing, tending, and watering all seedlings for the reforestation project. This direct involvement in growing seedlings for our reforestation is in addition to their school gardens, where they grow food to eat. It is our hope that growing and planting trees becomes the norm for our students, if they have been doing it for years in their school.

There is one thing we can’t do much about yet: the weather. Madagascar was at the time of moving the nursery in the school yard still in the dry season (which makes not such great photos).

Seedlings need water, our gardeners assure us, and that with the start of the rainy season seedlings and subsequent tree planting will take off.

Click on the image to watch the reforestation video on YouTube