The sun was shining and vibes were high as nature lovers danced to music while getting their hands dirty at the Activate Tree Planting festival last weekend.
The three-day volunteer event attracted all ages, who planted more than 3,000 trees on properties in Dalyup, North of Esperance.
Esperance resident Jimena Ramon Montemayor was one member of the “core circle” who organised the event.
She said it was great fun connecting to the earth and learning about the ecological significance of nature in the region.
“Everybody talks about wanting to change the world and building a better future but we were actually doing something to make a better future,” Ms Ramon Montemayor said.
“Everybody was absolutely happy and mind blown – lots of people were saying “I feel like I was meant to be here, I feel like I’ve never experienced anything like this.
“We were planting trees and having fun and sharing and caring and learning from each other.”
In between planting, Ms Ramon Montemayor said the crew participated in several activities, like sound healing and collective dreaming.
“We imagined and dreamed about the future of what the place would look like in a couple of years or in the future when the trees grow,” she said.
The Activate Tree Planting festival has been running for 15 years across Perth and the Wheatbelt.
It was established to restore bushland deforested during Australia’s colonial era when the government forced farmers to clear land upon purchasing a property.
Activate Tree Planting runs three festivals in rural areas every winter.
It was the second year Esperance has held an Activate festival and Ms Ramon Montemayor said they would do it for many years to come.
“It felt like a big tree planting family reunion,” she said.
“Being able to be with my kids, with my family and also friends and like-minded people, all sharing the same views, the same effort, the same energy and putting their hands in the ground and making a change.
“Just imagining that better future and actually doing something towards it, that was my favourite part.”
Core circle volunteer L-A Shibish said some of the more mature trees planted were donated by Esperance Wildlife Sanctuary.
