Finding the motivation to plant again

Javier Torres Espino, from Puerto Rico, has been a part of our Global Tree Initiative’s community since its inception.

We heard again from Javier last week and were delighted to learn about his recent planting story.

Javier started by sharing, “Honestly I find it very challenging to plant a tree. So, don’t underestimate it.” Then, he explained why: a few years ago, he planted and nurtured a bush plant for a long time only to come to it one day and realize it had been removed. According to Javier himself, he got discouraged after that happened.

However, reuniting with old friends inspired Javier once again:

“Last Friday I returned from Florida, USA where I met up with Jacie, Kalden, and Hans. We had a great time! Hans and I spent a lot of time in the car traveling from Miami to Cape Coral, from Cape Coral to Boca Raton, and then back.

From left to right: Kalden, Hans, Jacie, and Javier.

Back in Puerto Rico, I missed his kindness, his humility, and his good sense of humor. I thought that a good way to value our friendship was to dedicate this planting to him.

Hans (left) and Javier (right).

The very first planting I did in Puerto Rico was three Sea Grape bushes on a beach on the coast of San Juan, a while back. Before planting these grapes, I consulted with a friend who is the head of the Coastal Zone Division of the Department of Natural Resources of Puerto Rico. He told me that when you are going to plant at the beach, the most important thing is to choose an area that is already vegetated. So, we found a dune that had some grasses and other Sea Grapes, and in the middle, there was a small Palm tree.

I followed them for a few months, making sure they had water and rooted well. A year later I went to see the grapes and found that someone had removed the entire dune.

It is a beach located in a tourist area and perhaps someone thought that the dune limited the view. Well, the point is that this caused me a little frustration.

The time I spent with Hans helped motivate me. And, what I learned is… if you are going to plant at the beach, look for a vegetated area that does not obstruct the view for the tourists!”

It can, indeed, be frustrating to see trees or bushes you planted being forcefully removed when they look perfectly healthy.

Having this said, going for professional advice was a smart idea to maximize the plant’s survivability. Thank you for highlighting that, Javier!

We hope you remain motivated to plant. As you very well mention, it “is very important to care about coastal erosion”.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation? We hope you don’t get discouraged, either!

Tell us your story at francisca@plantgrowsave.org