To mark the International World Water Day, 22 of March, the Young Rangers met with Professor André at their local school to clear old plastic recipients found in the river Guapiaçu along the small village of Guapiaçu. But sadly there had been a lot of rain the previous night and the swollen river was impossible to work in and we adjourned the event to this week.

The second part of the event was to celebrate the 1st year’s anniversary of the Seo Taiji forest with a symbolic planting of 60 trees on the riverside to REGUA land. The Young Rangers is an important programme that involves young students enrolled at school and wanting to take part in a structured one year programme by sharing in weekly lessons, walks, visits and excursions to learn of the importance of the natural world. These kids relay the acquired knowledge to their parents and later as they grow themselves learn to see REGUA as a partner and understand the organization’s mission and approve of its efforts. Planting trees is an easy activity which the kids like to share in.

The area we chose was important as it celebrated the 1st years anniversary of Korean singer Seotaiji Fandom club planting of 5000 trees that was organized by the World land Trust. These trees are already enormous and we received such a warm reception from Korean journalists asking us how we intended to celebrate this mark that the local prefecture came to see what it was all about. We have a picture of Seotaiji in the lodge and all those visiting us ask who the person is. We are all eager to say that this young pop music singer surprised us by choosing to plant these trees far from his home country and inspired us to have his photo and show to all that this was an inspiration for the future. We all need inspirational people to help us with our work. Well done Seo Taiji!

More on Seo Taiji and his fanclub’s support of REGUA here.