Category: Environment
Sanja Studio
Ivana Plesa
Ante Starčevića 29
Dubrovnik 20000 Dubrovnik-neretva
+385915564938
ive.plesa@gmail.com
Story
While the forests breathe, so shall we — that slogan of Croatian Forests has always been dear to me. Although, it is a bit inaccurate because most of our oxygen comes from the algae living in oceans and seas. Still, the trees are more tangible and pleasing to the eye and can even be hugged. Algae are also tangible, but their slimy texture does not make them good candidates for hugging.
Unfortunately, despite their beauty and usefulness — if not so much because of oxygen — then because they have various other functions, trees are often the first victims when humans need to expand their living space. Whether it is clearing down a forest for the needs of agriculture or cutting down individual trees in urban areas for another parking space, they are the first to fall.
Trees are much more than individual organisms. They provide habitats for animals and even other plants and fungi. All of those creatures are crucial for the maintenance of our biosphere. Trees also significantly reduce pollution in cities and absorb excess solar energy, keeping the space around them cooler by a few degrees. This feature could come in handy in years of increasingly extreme summer temperatures.
I have integrated ecology into my life, from the most basic of actions such as waste sorting, through the annual cleaning of local beaches with my family. But the most visible contribution to the health of our planet is planting trees. As part of the initiative "Plant a Tree, Don't Be a Stump!" I have been trying to grow as many trees as possible. This year I decided to plant European oak (Quercus robur) because I noticed that these plants are very tough — easy to grow, have deep roots, and can easily survive the hot Mediterranean climate.
I hope these trees grow to and become a living monument of my love for nature.
P.S. The young gentleman in the photos is my son Luka, who helped me grow and plant the trees <3
Timing
I planted the seeds in the fall, nurturing them until their root system developed enough to draw as much moisture as possible from the ground and not succumb to the summer heat. I decided to plant the saplings on the nearby Srđ hill, ravaged by forest fires in recent decades. My friend Lucija who lives nearby promised to visit and water them every few days, helping them survive the summer.
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93.140.191.18 | 30/07/2021