Hi there!
The 31st of July is National Tree Day here in Australia. Trees are incredibly important to the overall health of our planet – as the largest plants, trees are responsible for giving off oxygen, storing carbon, and stabilising the soil, among other things. Actively conserving and protecting trees, as well as fighting deforestation is a huge priority, especially given the increasing risk of climate change. We thought we’d commemorate National Tree Day and raise awareness through this adorable Kodama amigurumi pattern. For those who don’t know, Kodama are tree spirits in Japanese folklore, and an adorable iteration of them exist in the Studio Ghibli film, Princess Mononoke. The film has a strong environmental message, which is particularly relevant given ongoing global conversations surrounding environmentalism.
So, what is National Tree Day?
National Tree Day is an initiative by Planet Ark, an Australian Environmental Foundation and not-for-profit organisation. The aim of National Tree Day is to help people, governments and businesses reduce their environmental impacts. The initiative started in 1996 and has grown to become Australia’s largest community tree planting and nature care event. It is a call to action for people to get involved in bettering the planet by getting involved in tree planting events, supporting them, or donating. Since 1996, Planet Ark has facilitated 26 million trees being planted, with the help of 5 million volunteers donating around 10 million hours of their time.
Why are such events important?
Events such as National Tree Day tree plantings are a necessity, as deforestation is reaching crisis levels across the globe. In Australia, only around 50% of forests and bushland remain intact, with the other half being decimated since European arrival. This massive scale deforestation has resulted in major habitat loss for a number of species. Australia holds the world record for the highest number of mammal extinctions. To date 55 wildlife species and 37 plant species have gone extinct in Australia.
How can you help?
National Tree Day is the perfect opportunity to get your hands dirty and actively contribute to a greener future! However, even if you’re not physically getting involved yourself, there are other ways to help out. One option would be to host a planting – get your organisation involved in the cause and learn how to coordinate your own event. Another option would be to join a planting – there are hundreds of community planting events across Australia, and you can search for the nearest ones to you by putting in your postcode and exploring the options in your area.
If you aren’t able to attend an event yourself, you can still get involved this National Tree Day by pledging a tree. This allows you to pledge the seedlings you’ve already planted to be counted in the national tally. You can also donate to Planet Ark. Putting forward a monetary donation is just as valuable in contributing to this great cause.
Want to own / make a tree spirit of your own?
In the spirit of National Tree Day and caring for our environment, if you’d like to purchase your very own adorable Kodama tree spirit plushie, feel free to visit our Etsy store – DandyKnotsCrochet. If you’re a crocheter, please check out the free Kodama pattern from Ami Amour and make your own little Kodama!