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History
of the Society
The name, 'Men of The Trees', dates back
to July 1922, when Dr. Richard St Barbe Baker, a Government Forestry
Officer at the time, encouraged a tribe in the highlands of Kenya
to adopt tree conservation into their culture. The shifting agricultural
methods of the tribe had been destroying the land.
He invited them to perform a 'Dance of the
Trees' and thousands gathered. Dr St Barbe Baker called for volunteers
to form the 'Watu-Wa-Miti', which translated means 'Men of The Trees'
and fifty men were selected. There is still a branch in Kenya planting
many trees each year.
In 1924, Dr St Barbe Baker returned to England,
his country of origin, and formed the 'Men of The Trees' there.
The society has since spread throughout the world and the Queensland
branch was established in 1980 in Brisbane, Australia.
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