Our Community Action Plan: Making Tree Guards

Small things may seem insignificant, but they often carry the power to create big changes. As a Senior High School students, we are tasked with creating a community action plan regarding environmental concerns that need immediate attention.

We divided into three teams, and each team must propose a community action plan. So, we gathered together to brainstorm ideas. We went outside our school to observe any problems that need resolving, and we came up with this idea, “Making Tree Guards”.

We noticed that the biodiversity in our school has few growing trees, and the little trees are often lying down. We observed that many children play in the biodiversity area after lunch, and the trees are stepped on by the children. Some trees may be easily mistaken as grass, and the children may not notice them. Because some of them may not be familiar with these trees, we decided to make tree guards to make them noticeable and to protect the little trees to help them grow. We planned together what tools and materials to use in making the tree guards.

We went to a furniture factory to buy wood, choosing to buy scraps because they are durable and affordable. We also prepared other tools such as a hammer, saw, nails, marker, and paint. Since the scraps were too long, we decided to cut them into two pieces to make stands and bases. As we cut the scraps, we noticed that some were thin, and we feared they would break because the nails we had were a bit large. So, we separated all the scraps into the same sizes and those that were not.

I asked my fellow members to buy new nails that were smaller so that we could use the thin scraps. We helped and cooperated with each other to make the tree guards sturdy by supporting each side with a trigger so that it wouldn’t wobble after we finished making it.

We painted all the tree guards to make them look beautiful and uniform. After painting them, we put our names on each one as a memorable experience from our senior high school life.

After that, we aligned the tree guards together with our names on them and took a picture. If you wonder why there is space between us, it’s because some of my members underwent medical examinations for our work immersion training. We took a picture together and then placed the tree guards around the little trees.

I realized that being part of the community effort to make tree guards was a truly special experience. Honestly, this is my first time we made a community action plan. We never thought that we could make it. That is one of my wonderful journeys that turned out to be much more meaningful than I expected.”
”Working together with my group members on this project not only shielded the trees from harm but also brought us closer as a community.

We laughed, shared stories, and, most importantly, discovered the strength that lies in unity.Creating the tree guards wasn’t just about physical protection; it became a symbol of our shared responsibility for the environment we live in. Each step of the process, from designing to assembling, emphasized the impact of collective action. It was incredible to see how a small project like this could have a positive effect on our community spirit.

I realized that cooperation and unity are the keys to making an action a success. Looking back, this experience taught me that even seemingly simple projects can make a big difference. We may not change or look back at the things that have already been done, but we can change the future.

Be a model and inspiration to everyone not just in school but also in the community. Help preserve our nature so that we can live a good and healthy life.”