KINDERGARTENS IN THE WILD

Hello All,


browsing online, I recently found out some links regarding kindergartens managed in forests. I thought it was a bizarre idea and I wanted to find out more information about them, so here my discovery...


Forest Kindergartens are defined as a pre-school for kids and the majority of activities take place primarily outdoor. 

Regardless of the weather conditions children are encouraged to stay outdoor and they are free to learn from the nature, their activities are focused on play and explore flora and fauna that surround them, everything with adults supervision. 
As a general rule, usually mornings are spend outdoors and the afternoons indoor.







The most interesting fact is that this innovative educative method seems to have several benefits among children, such as:

*promote language skills and communication; 
*reduce stress level;
*improve the balance, agility, coordination and sensitivity;
*improve attention;
*further more, playing outdoor proved to strengthen the immune system.


Germany embraced this kind of education starting from 1968 and since than kindergartens in the wild increased their popularity, in 2012 they were over 1000.

Please have a look at this super interesting video about the German Kindergarten, you will find further information about the way this structure works and you can see the super excited reactions of kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31eBV6ZTNDQ


Kindergartens education has spread in Canada too, and this Ted video will fascinate you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOngsiy67YY


I really liked this way of teaching as it reminds me when I was young and the time spent outdoor running around with my friends and create our imaginary world made of sticks and fantasy. 
I hope you liked this post and I wish all Europe will embrace this way to educate their children.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_kindergarten

CANADA DISCOVERY PASS 2017

Hello All! 

If your are planning to go on holiday in Canada this year, you better have a look at the below link which entitle to get a Free Pass for the Canadian Park for the whole 2017.



This special promotion has been put in place in order to celebrate the 150 years of the confederation. The pass gives the opportunity to enter National Parks, National Marine Conservation Areas and National Historic Sites across the country.




http://www.commandesparcs-parksorders.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/parksb2c

Also, you can take part in a raffle and win and holiday in Canada!!!

I have already subscribed, wish me luck !!

THE MAGIC OF THE AMAZON BY ANTONIO DONATO NOBRE

Hello folks,

I am super excited about this article. A friend in my Tree Wander team suggested me to have a look at the following speech from TED. It talks about the Amazon, my favourite place on Earth.

In this talk, professor Nobre compares the Amazon to the heart of the world and the water that goes through it as the blood that run in the human bodies. 
He also mentions the biodiversity that populate the forest... very fascinating!!!


I loved this talk and I hope you will find it very interesting too!!

LET'S SAVE OUR PLANET!!

http://www.ted.com/talks/antonio_donato_nobre_the_magic_of_the_amazon_a_river_that_flows_invisibly_all_around_us

WANGARI MAATHAI & THE GREEN BELT MOVEMENT (GBM)

WANGARI MUTA MAATHAI

Wangari Muta Maathai (01.04.1940 – 25.09.2011) was Kenyan internationally known for being an environmental political activist and Nobel prize. She studied in the University of Pittsburgh in USA and at the University of Nairobi in Kenya.

In 1977, Maathai founded an environmental non-governmental organization which concentrated on tress planting,environmental conservation and on the rights of the women: it is called the Green Belt Movement.
In 2004 she was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize for "her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace", becoming the first African woman to receive such a reward. This recognition lead Maathai to be elected as a member of the Parliament as assistant minister for Environment and Natural Resouces untill November 2005.
In 2011 Maathai died.

THE GREEN BELT MOVEMENT

The Green Belt Movement (GBM) was founded by Professor Wangari Maathai in 1977 in order to recover a situation of decadency that was affecting the women of the rural areas of the Kenya. Women were encouraged to work together and their were taught how to grow seeds, plant trees on soil, store rainwater and provide food and firewood and get money from it, in order to overcome the lack of food supply and poverty.

This institution educated the population about protecting the environment, the issues of the deforestation and climate change.

Currently, communities come together to plant trees and as consequence the reforestation is taking place.

The GBM operates in four areas such as: Trees Planting and Water Harvesting,Climate Change, Mainstream Advocacy, Gender Livelihood and Advocacy. 

Trees Planting and Water Harvesting: the aim of this operation is to preserve the biodiversity of the natural environment and re-balance the ecosystem.
Climate Change: the objective is to educate the local communities about the important role that the conservation of the natural environment plays to contrast the climate change.
Mainstream Advocacy: it is meant to contrast the corruption in Kenya but mainly the deforestation which is taking place without any control.
Gender Livelihood and Advocacy: the reforestation of some area already empowered 
local communities to grown their own food and shed their families.

Nowadays, the Wangari Maathai and the Green Belt Movement legacy continue and anyone interested can get involved through work opportunities, internships or volunteering.
Jobs in these areas are aimed to support the local communities and guests are invited to take part in Safaris and experience culture and heritage of the residents.

I believe this is a great opportunity to explore a new culture and lifestyle first hand, especially for students or anyone interested to have a gap from their routine.
Please let me know your thoughts and your experiences if you decide to move over there.

For further and complete information please visit the below websites:

http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/wangari-maathai/biography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wangari_Maathai

ONCE UPON A TIME... A TREE!!

Hello all,

recently I have been contacted by mr Bouygues and mr Mistler who have started a very ambitious project about trees. I am so excited and I want to talk to you about it. 

These gentlemen and a very small team aim to plant trees on their journey from Alaska to Ushuaia (the Southest part of Argentina), the route will cover over 15,000 kilometers all over the west coasts of the Americas.

This adventure will be completed by two hystorical wagons and six mules. The main reason behind this project is raising the notch level of awareness about deforestation, trees reforestation and prevention of illegal logging in virgin forests.

How amazing that sounds? 

Anyone who would like to help along the way or sponsor this initiative can visit the website here below or get in contact with me!!

SUPER GOOD LUCK MR BOUYGUES AND MR MISTLER!! 


Please visit the following website for further information:
http://www.eraseunavezunarbol.com/index_en.html

HOW THE TREES TALK TO EACH OTHER BY SUZANNE SIMARD

Hello All,

please have a look at the following speech by Suzanne Simard. She is a Canadian researcher who discovered that trees talk to each other through underground webs.

I found it fascinating and super interesting!
It will change the way you look at trees!!

Here the link: http://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_simard_how_trees_talk_to_each_other

Let me know your thoughts!!

GARDENS OF THE BAY & VERTICAL FORESTS

Gardens of the bay & vertical forests are two amazing projects that aim to recreate green spaces in urban areas. The first opera is created in Singapore, Asia and the second one in Italy, more precisely in Milan.

SINGAPORE: GARDENS OF BAY

What characterizes Singapore the most is its hot and humid climate. In fact, it is located close of the equator and its climate is tropical/equatorial.This is the reason why the weather is warm and humid all year round and rainfalls occur everyday. The idea behind this plan was to give the opportunity to the citizen to enjoy the outdoor activities a little bit more.

The opera, created by the architect Gustafson Porter, is considered the largest green urban sanctuary. Gardens of the Bay includes an area of 101 hectares situate in the Marina One area. In here, several towers surround the area and visitors can walk through them using Super Groves bridges. In each floor of these towers it is possible to find a variety of waterfalls, pools, ponds, bushes, trees and flowers. Moreover, guests have access to the business area which includes restaurants, cafes, gyms and shops. Among the attractions of the bay there are the flower dome and the cloud forest conservatory.

This project is defined environmentally friendly because it utilizes solar power, sun shading and energy-efficiency ventilation and, most important of all, the rainwater is used for irrigation.

Gardens of the Bay project started in 2012 and it should be completed by late 2016/early 2017.

MILAN: VERTICAL FOREST

Vertical Forest is an idea created by the architect Stefano Boeri intended to change old residential towers of Milan into green towers.

Likewise Gardens of Bay, the Vertical Forest model aims to reforest the urban area of the city ehnancing the quality of life of the citizens. In fact, it is assumed that this green area is able to recreate a micro-climate in which humidity is produced, CO2 absorbed and oxygen produced.

This project transformed two residential towers into forests. In fact in the twin buildings there are planted 900 different trees and over 2000 different plants, it is calculated that it corresponds to 7000 square meters of forest in which birds and insects can find their habitat.

I believe these two projects are fantastic and I hope each city of the world will be inspired and improve its urban landscapes with something similar to this.
At the same time I look forward to visit personally Singapore and Milan to admire this creation first hand.

Anyone going on holiday in one of those destinations, please send me some pictures.

FINAL TIP

LONDON: SKY GARDENS

If you have a chance to pass by London, go and visit the Sky Gardens. This indoor recreation of gardens and rain forest sits right in the heart of the city and it is very exciting.

Please visit the below websites for further and detailed information:

https://www.guidemesingapore.com/relocation/introduction/climate-in-singapore

http://uk.businessinsider.com/singapores-cloud-forest-revolutionizes-green-spaces-2015-11?r=US&IR=T

http://www.leisuremanagement.co.uk/detail.cfm?pagetype=detail&subject=news&codeID=325384

http://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/portfolios/bosco-verticale/

https://skygarden.london/