1. Planting Trees
Professor Peter Kraftl
Many of us have heard that we need to plant more trees in the UK. Doing so could help reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, create habitats for wildlife, and make spaces for people to enjoy nature.
Although planting more trees might not seem very controversial, it raises questions. In particular, it is assumed that a Britain with more trees would be ‘better’ for the next generations: children and their children. There is also an assumption that today’s children need to know more about trees and ‘treescapes’ (places with trees) to help combat the climate crisis.
However, Peter’s research asks what children themselves think about trees, treescapes and tree planting. Instead of only educating children about why trees matter, it asks what children know about trees, how they interact with them in their daily lives, and why they think they matter.
Peter’s research involved working with children from diverse backgrounds as ‘co-researchers’. Children were trained in different methods from the sciences, social sciences and humanities. They took measurements of trees in their school grounds, interviewed each other about their experiences of trees, and told stories about trees that mattered to them.
Children weren’t only co-researchers but co-designers. Working with the research team and regional tree-planting organisations, they designed and planted trees in their school grounds. Since then, they have been caring for and measuring the trees. Together, we have planted thousands of trees across several schools.
If we want to create places for future generations, shouldn’t we involve them in doing so?
