There are some folks who are able to live without money, (rare) and even travel through the world without existing on the monetary system. This has always been a dream for me, but not really realistic or at least too far ahead still yet for my capabilities and wisdom of how to make it happen. Fortunately, I do alright with very little, and just try to spend what I have responsibly and with good intentions. As I see how money can corrupt and is it at the roots of most world issues, and it is tempting to leave it, but it can be daunting. I usually rely an the old codes of gift economy, exchanging my gifts for monetary support, volunteering my service, trading systems, and funding. It is a humble lifestyle without excess and luxury that doesn’t always work, and I am still figuring out the mechanics of it all. This brings me to something I have been putting into the works since February…
I’m trying to move from this island (Newfoundland) before the winter hits to go plant trees in Eastern Australia. This is my next big project and I can’t do it alone. I’ve created a fund for anyone who would love to help me. It is hard enough finding work in my own country, as the farming and fishing season is over, and the building year is coming to end. All visas are in place to move to Australia to work with the folks at Timberwolf. Help me in this mission, and support something larger than myself, an effort to bring back native animal habitat and large forest in the surroundings of Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and New South Wales.
The Mission: Travel to Eastern Australia to restore natural forest and create native habitat in both rural and urban areas through large scale reforestation, private land and landscaping.
What for: Any money raised from this will go toward the project. The flight from Canada to Australia, basic hostel accomodations, forestry gear, field specific training, and transportation costs. I am looking to make this happen with a start date during the Australia summer (December-February)
Where: Queensland territory: New South Wales, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne.
Why: Finding public and community support to back me on this objective for planting thousands of trees to restore the balance of a healthy ecological function to Eastern Australia. To help me on my way to complete this job to return beauty to the country, and green spaces to the city, and in the process building a new sustainable example for commercial forestry.
I plan on spending up to 6 months in Australia on this project, in order to plant enough trees to make a noticeable difference. Using modern Canadian tree planting techniques, it is possible to plant 2000-4000 seedlings per day. It is non-invasive to the environment and does not require heavy machinery, or destructive techniques that disturb animal habitation. Instead it is a smart, efficient, and non-confrontational method of planting, using only a shovel, bags, and fertilizer. I can not do this alone, and seek the donations of those who recognize the importance of healing damaged and exploited areas of this earth. For those who read my blog at aferalspirit.wordpress.com you are already familiar with my field of work in permaculture, rewilding and bringing forests back, as well as my documentation of indiginous peoples from my travels.
https://aferalspirit.wordpress.com/category/deep-green/
https://aferalspirit.wordpress.com/category/rewilding/
http://journeyoftheseer.tumblr.com/
I don’t want to just ask for money without giving anything back, and I want to give people the possibility of supporting me if they feel they want to. I will be making a textually narrated photo album with selections from my latest travels, and stories in the coming months to provide to those who would like to own one. I have always wanted to put one of these together, and possibly in the future I can self publish it.
If you like what I’m doing with my life, what I write about, or if I inspire your dreams to come alive, to travel, to take an adventure or you just enjoy reading about my adventures, your energies, thoughts and donations are extremely valued to me.
$10 I will have your name on a personal honor page on my blog of contributors
$50 I will write a personal email to you and mention on blog of contributors
$100 personal email, mention on blog, letters of progress from the work, and digital version of ‘photostory’ album
$200 personal email, mention on blog, letters of progress from the work, photos of the land, & digital version of ‘photostory’ album from travels
$500 personal email, mention on blog, letters of progress, photos from the land, & digital version of ‘photostory’ album from travels, and a handmade gift
I am interested to get involved with travel and culture magazines out there who may want to support this journey too! And I am always happy to hear from you with feedback, insights, or recommendations of places I see myself traveling to next, namely Australia.
Here is a story from a fellow world traveler who wrote and made a video about his tree planting experience in Tumut, Australia, and the link below to my ‘gofundme’page.
:aferalspirit: 