Building a legacy for the planet

When I decided to become a professional artist part of my aim was to celebrate the unique moments in nature, and in life. Just as every person is unique, each piece of wood is different too, influenced by the weather and conditions when it grew as well as the things that have happened to it since. I often look at an old kitchen table and wonder what tales it would tell, if only it could talk!

I take pieces of wood that are considered too gnarled and knotted for other uses, or bits of furniture that have come to the end of their life, and give them a new start.

Creating beautiful objects that will be treasured for many years and bring a smile to people’s faces is a big part of my legacy. It’s not the only thing I want to do though. It’s important to me to make full use of the resources I have, turning offcuts into smaller sculptures like the hearts and making sure nothing is wasted. I aim to work towards a circular economy. As an artist my part in that is extending the life of the materials I work with.

When I was offered the chance to work with TreeLove I was thrilled because it gave me a chance to complete that cycle. When someone buys one of my pieces through Treelove they are giving a third life to something that was destined to be waste. Not only that, they are helping in the fight against global warming, working towards a more sustainable future for everyone and helping to rebuild the longest nature corridor on earth. Not bad for a little wooden sculpture.

We have this impact because every item TreeLove sells comes with the promise that they will plant indigenous trees in the Amazon’s Araguaia biodiversity corridor. There are many organisations that plant trees but TreeLove has chosen to work exclusively with the Black Jaguar Foundation as they feel they truly have a shared vision. The Black Jaguar Foundation aim to plant 1.7 billion trees and restore the biodiversity of the Araguaia corridor in central Brazil. When they are successful, this huge reforestation project will have created the longest nature corridor in the world.

Nature corridors, or biodiversity corridors, are strips of forested land that connect pockets of untouched nature. Without them creatures become trapped in the small islands of habitat remaining, but with corridors in place they can roam freely. This gives communities of animals the chance to expand, mix and interact with each other as they should. A vital factor in increasing the gene pool and ensuring the survival of the species.

The Araguaia corridor will be 2600 kilometers long and 40 kilometers wide, connecting the Amazon rainforest and the Cerrado savanna. Both of these important ecosystems have seen massive deforestation in the past, so connecting the parts that remain and beginning their reforestation will have a huge impact. From planting empty land with saplings and grass seeds to increasing the density or diversity of existing trees, restoring the rainforest helps to ensure a sustainable future for everyone.

The numbers can seem overwhelming. Over a million hectares each need 1700 trees, of 50 different species. It’s certainly a big task. The good news is that it’s a task we can all get involved with. We can all be a part of this movement and make a lasting difference in the world, today and for generations to come.

It all starts when you buy an MJA Woods gift from TreeLove