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HGC PPFF DCNR- PLANTING TREES!
Updated: May 13, 2022
Three years ago I had a vision and yesterday the vision came true! Never in a million years did I think that what I believe in, what I am passionate about, the changes I want, was seen as I surrounded myself with those with the same goals and passion.
Yesterday wasn't JUST about planting trees but it was about helping my Mother Earth with people who also want to take care of her. It was about representing my brand and what it stands for. If you were wondering, YES! I hugged a tree!!!
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Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation reached out to Hippie Girl Collection for the assistance of planting the trees that the Giant Healthy Planet Grant funded. We were in the beautiful Sam Lewis State Park with a couple of the DCNR crew. Sam Lewis State Park is an 85 acre State Park and is the highest peak in York County raised above ground at a whopping 885 foot ridge!
Best place for kite flying ;)
Sam Lewis overlooks the Susquehanna River and has a wonderful hiking path. A hiking path that I had the pleasure of weeding. Did you know that the forest needs weeding too?? Just like your flower bed or garden.
Pennsylvania has a vast amount of invasive species of trees and plants. Our DCNR educator of the group, Kelly, explained what to weed and why. I'm always asking 'WHY?'.
Invasive species of vegetation effects the way birds eat, the bacteria that spreads from tree to tree, to the yucky insects that eat our Native greenery. Basically, invasive plants out compete for resources like food and water and they reproduce rapidly. Disease carriers like ticks love Barberry, an invasive that I was happy to have cut and pulled. Why so many invasives??? Because they're pretty and businesses profit from pretty things. Pretty isn't always better, folks!
I understand that EVERY THING is connected. There really is a 'butterfly effect' in everything. From sharing a smile with someone to pulling out tick invested weeds, so that our Natives grow and bloom healthy. To maybe leading by example so that someone watching can understand what we are tying to do for future generations.
As I conclude my thoughts from this experience:
1. We humans are better than what we think we are. We can do better all the time with everything we do. Everyday. We have the conscious to do so.
2. There are PLENTY of like-minded, goal-minded individuals you can surround yourself with. Find them and stick with them.
3. It is plain as day, to me and my opinion, that climate shifting, disease spreading exponentially and crime rates rising are real as the nose on my face. And with the power of trees and education we can HELP. If we can't change things we can make it better. And better is always better. :)
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