The Badi Blog: Richard St.Barbe Baker, Man of the Trees

Friday, September 18, 2009

Richard St.Barbe Baker, Man of the Trees

Shining Lamp; A Baha'i who served humanity with radiance

From: Brilliant Star Magazine, May-June, 2005, p. 24

Richard St. Barbe Baker, Father of the Trees

From Badi Blog

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/NQLxWLJnuTo7IW-tBBvpEg?feat=directlink

Richard St. Barbe Baker in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1953, ready to plant trees and encourage others to join him.

Did you know that many living creatures need to have at least one-third of their skin to survive?

Richard St. Barbe Baker said that trees and vegetation are the "skin" of the earth. Much of this skin has been destroyed by humans, and Richard was determined to replace it. From the time he was a child, Richard loved trees. He worked in his family's orchard and played in forests near his home in England. In college, he studied forestry.

In 1920, he went to Kenya, Africa, on his first work assignment after college. He found that parts of the land, once covered by great forests, were nearly treeless. The soil was being washed away by rain. Richard decided to plant trees, and grow food in the rows between them. But he needed help. So he did something unexpected for a white person in Africa in those days, because of prejudice against the native Africans—he consulted with the Kikuyu clans.

At first they told him that trees were shaudya mungu —God's business. Richard knew that the Kikuyu people had dances for the planting and harvesting of their crops. He suggested holding a Dance of the Trees. On a hill, 3,000 Kikuyu gathered around a solitary tree for the dance. Richard challenged them to plant and take care of trees. Those who agreed were called Watu wa mitil or Men of the Trees. They called Richard Baba wa Miti, Father of the Trees.

Soon 9,000 men joined in the effort. The land began to heal. The Kikuyu decided to make Richard a member of the Kiama, their council of elders. He was the only white man given this honor.

After returning from Kenya in 1924, Richard became a Baha'i. As he traveled the world for his forestry work, he introduced the Baha'i Faith to thousands of people.

In 1929, Richard was invited to what is now Israel to start a tree-planting effort. There he met with Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Band'i Faith. Shoghi Effendi became the country's first life member of the Men of the Trees.

Over time, the Men of the Trees—which includes men, women, and children—has helped 108 countries and saved trillions of trees.

Richard said he dreamed of "children of all nations planting trees to express their special understanding of the earth as their home . . ." He died at the age of 92 in Canada. The Universal House of justice called him a "DISTINGUISHED DEDICATED SERVANT" and praised his "NEVER CEASING EFFORTS" for the best interests of mankind.

RESEARCH AND PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL MANTLE