It was a long time ago, that as a teenager the first small seeds of one of my greatest passions were being planted. No pun intended, but from all the way back then, a secret passion that I was not even aware of was growing. That passion would eventually become trees.

As a child, my main obsession was reptiles and amphibians, and it still is today. But without trees, forests, jungles, and intact natural habitats, those incredible creatures simply cannot survive. Trees are the foundation of everything I care about in nature.

In the late 1980s, my best friend in Grades 9 and 10 became obsessed with trees. Everywhere we went, he would quiz me on tree identification. Constantly pointing out the differences between leaves and tree bark, and this and that. At the time, I’ll admit he drove me nuts.

Looking back now, I realize he was planting seeds.

Another memory that stands out happened in 1998 near my farm in Belize. A Royal Palm tree was cut down in the jungle for building material. I remember feeling physically sick watching it fall, because of the massive hole it tore into the forest canopy, knocking other trees down with it. That moment stayed with me.

A few years later, a baby mahogany tree was planted on the farm. The people living there at the time were excited. I was largely indifferent to the experience. I didn’t realize then that this was another seedling moment in what would eventually become a long-term vision, even a legacy.

Meanwhile, that lone mahogany tree on the farm kept growing. Eventually, it began dropping seed pods. Other people living there collected the seeds, planted them in nursery bags, and raised seedlings. Some were planted locally, others given away or sold.

In 2014, I realized my legacy vision was to start a tree farm focused on raising seedlings for rain forest and jungle reforestation in Belize. Mahogany would be both my inspiration and my focus.

The Importance of Trees

I genuinely believe trees solve most (but not all) of the planet’s problems.

Trees:

• Produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, helping regulate the climate
  • Improve air quality by filtering pollutants and dust
  • Provide shade, reducing heat and lowering energy use
  • Prevent soil erosion and improve soil health
  • Support wildlife by providing habitat, food, and shelter
  • Regulate water cycles by reducing runoff and flooding
  • Store carbon, helping mitigate climate change
  • Improve human mental health and well-being
  • Enhance landscapes and increase property value
  • Provide resources such as fruit, timber, medicine, and fuel
  • Reduce noise pollution by acting as natural sound barriers
  • Support biodiversity and ecosystem stability

Sometimes it feels like we complicate this unnecessarily. Planting trees isn’t rocket science; it’s just common sense backed by science.
Now that I’m finally living in Belize full time, I’m determined to see how many trees I can plant.