For Nathan Gregg, this culture and sense of community has an untapped potential to act as a form of rehabilitation. As a former alcoholic in recovery, Gregg’s experience in treeplanting helped him on the road to sobriety. “My sponsor gave me an ultimatum”, he explained. He was given a six month period, during which time he needed to find a place to live, employment, and a way to make his time meaningful. In his newfound workplace, he found all three. “In recovery, the saying is ‘one day at a time’, and in treeplanting, it’s ‘one tree at a time.’” For Gregg, planting trees was an incredibly therapeutic experience, and so the idea took root: “Treeplanting would make a great rehab program.” And out of that was born Treehab, his new project launching for the next planting season in 2021. Tune in to this great interview to learn more about this unique and therapeutic approach to tree planting. 

**For anyone out there who has website design skills-Nathan is still looking for someone to help him get his website going. If there is anyone in the community who would be willing to volunteer their services please reach out to Nathan at [email protected]**

LINKS

Aghelh Nebun links: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cqlFievQyt

https://www.activatorsociety.org/aghelh-nebun-crf.html

Article about Treehab: https://treeworkersindustrialgroup.work/2020/02/27/treehab-a-treeplanters-effort-to-support-recovering-addicts/?fbclid=IwAR1SQr6lmkHVfbZoVBNzrRXJqZ4xz4qC5mmebnLr5R_wFCZs6cZ9uiUcFYo

https://creativehumanizingproject.com/

Website coming-stay tuned!!!!

Some thoughts from Will Stewart that I feel are relatable to every planter right now as they re-enter "normal life". So much has changed since we've been in the bush with the pandemic and the state of our world. He talks about struggles that so many of us are most certainly going through right now. 

Tom Miller is a photographer now working for TenTree, based in Vancouver, BC. Tom planted for 7 seasons in Ontario, spending most of those foremanning. I speak with Tom about his tree planting career in Eastern Canada, as well as how his love for photography started out on the block.  And apparently his Dad just started his planting careers in his 50s, what?! A great interview with an old friend. Check out his amazing work on his website and instagram. Some of his photos are also featured in The Carrying Root Collective photo books, from Episode 18. 

LINKS 

Website www.nomad91.com 

Instagram www.instagram.com/tommymillz

Update from Fayre! These are her thoughts about her first camp move and how things went. We also chat about how things are going for her this season in terms of her body, her goals and her technique. 

I have been sharing some of her photos and updates on the Facebook page, so feel free to go check that out at the link below!

STAY DRY EVERYONE (in BC)!!

https://www.facebook.com/thedirtconfessionsofatreeplanter

The very first planter submission for Thoughts From The Block!!! I was so stoked to receive this from Josy earlier in the week. Ironically enough, she PB'ed the very next day! She discusses struggling a lot with planting numbers, and is so relatable as so many of us do. I know I have been there myself, many many times. 

Would love to continue getting recordings from all of you out there planting right now! I can pretty much work with anything, so even if it is a video send it along to [email protected] ! 

Thanks for the support and may the planting gods be with you...I know its been a wet one out there this season...I'm in it with you all. 

PS. Excuse my air conditioner in the background...it was a hot one today. 

The Carrying Root Collective is a project of Allison Henry and Kelly Zantingh focusing on drawing, video, photography and print-based media. Their work explores interactions between the body and landscape, drawing attention to our collective role in the climate crisis. Through their experience working as tree planters and wildfire fighters, they document the immediate impacts of forestry and wildfires. Capturing the otherworldly and uncanny nature of these areas, their work connects mythologies surrounding the female body to the landscapes of the Anthropocene.

Since having formed in 2016, the collective has participated in several zine and book fairs, including /2 Edition Toronto, Kazoo Fest in Guelph, Ontario and Expozine in Montréal. They have curated two collaborative group exhibitions and participated in several group shows. They have also self-published two volumes of a photography book titled A Fresh Coat of Grit and a New Layer of Dust, a collaborative project documenting the experience of tree planting. The store website is currently not active, but the website still is! 

Check out the new photos series available at the link below! 

LINKS 

https://www.carryingrootcollective.com 

https://www.instagram.com/carryingrootcollective/?hl=en