One More Tree Foundation

World of Tanks and One More Tree join forces! Together we support beavers

bartoszbuczkowski — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:51:06 +0000

A partnership for beavers

What do beavers and tanks have in common? More than you might think – because at the start of April, One More Tree Foundation is joining forces with Wargaming, the developer of World of Tanks, a game with a community of over 160 million players worldwide.

The partnership is tied to the celebrations of International Beaver Day. For several days, from 1 to 7 April, World of Tanks players can purchase special in-game packages to enhance their gaming experience, customise their machines and unlock unique bonuses. All proceeds from these purchases will help our foundation carry out its environmental initiatives.

A few words about beavers

The European beaver is the largest rodent in Europe and one of the few wild animals that actively reshapes the landscape around it. For centuries it was almost completely wiped out in Poland – by the end of the twentieth century the population numbered just a few hundred individuals. Thanks to reintroduction programmes, beavers today inhabit rivers, streams and wetlands across the country, with their numbers estimated at several tens of thousands. It is one of the greatest nature conservation successes in Central Europe, though few people are aware of it.

The beaver’s role in the ecosystem is hard to overstate. By building dams from branches and mud, beavers slow the flow of water, creating floodplains and wetlands that become habitats for hundreds of species: fish, amphibians, waterfowl, insects and plants. Wherever beavers appear, groundwater levels rise, soil retains moisture and the surrounding forests and meadows become more resilient to drought. In an era of advancing climate change and growing water scarcity in Poland, the beaver does more for water retention than many an engineering project – and does it completely free of charge.

Supporting beaver populations is an investment in the entire ecosystem, not just a single species. Every floodplain created by a beaver dam is a hub of biodiversity that radiates outwards into the surrounding area. Research shows that areas inhabited by beavers have significantly higher species diversity than similar areas without them. The beaver is what is known as a keystone species: its presence or absence changes the entire ecosystem in a way that is disproportionately large relative to its numbers. Every action in favour of beavers – whether protecting their habitats, raising public awareness or supporting organisations involved in river restoration – therefore contributes to the broader health of nature.

More details

Every World of Tanks player who purchases selected in-game add-ons between 1 and 7 April (11:00 CEST) will, in addition to receiving them, directly support the work of One More Tree Foundation. The funds raised will go towards action in the field:

Reforestation of areas near beaver habitats
Clean-up of riverbanks and wetlands inhabited by beavers
Environmental education workshops for children

Players therefore have a unique opportunity to make a real difference to our work without leaving home, combining fun with purpose. Beavers have been building dams for hundreds of years – this time, let’s build something for them!

For more information, visit the official World of Tanks website.

Where does the soil in your garden come from – the story of soil from rock to fertile ground

bartoszbuczkowski — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:54:24 +0000

History lies beneath our feet

When we reach down and pick up a handful of soil from the garden, we are holding something that took thousands, and sometimes millions, of years to form. It is not simply “dirt”. It is a complex, multi-layered structure in which the history of climate, vegetation, animals and geological processes is recorded: everything that happened in this place long before any of us arrived. Soil is one of the most underappreciated natural resources on Earth, more complex than water, harder to restore than a forest, and absolutely essential to life as we know it.

Most of us treat soil as a backdrop. Something to walk on, to plant things in, and to fertilise from time to time. Yet one centimetre of fertile soil takes hundreds of years to form. Its loss, through erosion, paving over or agricultural degradation, is a process that is practically irreversible on a human timescale. Understanding where soil comes from and what creates it changes the way we look at it, and perhaps the way we treat it.

Everything begins with rock

At the foundation of every soil lies the parent rock. It might be granite, sandstone, limestone, shale or loess, depending on the geology of a given place. This rock is the starting point, but in itself it is not yet soil. For it to become something capable of sustaining life, it must pass through a long process of weathering: breaking down into ever finer particles under the influence of water, frost, temperature and chemistry.

Mechanical weathering is the effect of physical forces that break up rock without altering its chemical composition. Water seeps into cracks in the rock, freezes and expands, splitting the rock from within. Daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations cause minerals to alternately expand and contract, eventually leading to their disintegration. Wind carries grains of sand that abrade the rock surface like sandpaper. This is slow, unrelenting work by the elements, whose effects are measured in millennia.

Chemical weathering occurs in parallel. Rainwater, mildly acidified by carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reacts with the mineral components of the rock, altering their structure and leaching out certain elements. Organic acids produced by plants and microorganisms accelerate this process. In this way, clay minerals and other compounds form from the parent rock, and these will later become the foundation of soil structure.

When life enters the picture

The mineral material alone, however finely broken down, is not yet soil in the ecological sense of the word. The pivotal moment comes when the first biological colonisers appear: organisms capable of living in an almost lifeless environment and beginning to transform it.

The pioneers are usually lichens and mosses. Lichens, being a symbiotic combination of fungi and algae, can establish themselves directly on bare rock, secreting acids that accelerate its chemical weathering. When a lichen dies, it leaves behind the first, microscopic layer of organic matter. On this, moss can take hold, retaining more water, creating a more humid environment and adding another portion of organic material when it dies. Layer by layer, over decades and centuries, primary soil builds up in this way.

In time, higher plants appear, and with them an entire soil ecosystem: bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, earthworms, millipedes, mites and dozens of other groups of organisms. Each participant processes organic matter, mineralises nutrients, creates soil structure and influences its properties. The earthworm, pulling leaves deep into the soil and excreting digested matter, is literally a builder of soil. A single earthworm processes several grams of soil per year, and the earthworm population in one hectare of meadow can weigh more than a herd of cattle grazing on the same area.

Humus – the heart of fertile soil

The key component of fertile soil is humus, also called organic matter. It is a dark, spongy substance formed by the decomposition of dead plant and animal material by microorganisms. Humus is not the same as compost: it is more thoroughly processed, more chemically stable and far more durable. It can persist in the soil for hundreds, even thousands, of years.

The importance of humus to soil is hard to overstate. First, it is a reservoir of nutrients: nitrogen compounds, phosphorus, potassium and trace elements that plants can draw on gradually, as needed. Second, it improves soil structure: it makes clay less compacted and more permeable, and helps sand retain water. Third, humus is one of the most important long-term stores of carbon. The soils of the world contain more carbon than the atmosphere and all terrestrial vegetation combined. The degradation of humus-rich soils releases this carbon back into the atmosphere, which is one of the underappreciated mechanisms driving climate change.

Building humus is a slow process requiring specific conditions: regular input of organic matter, adequate moisture, appropriate temperature and a rich biological community. Destroying it takes considerably less time. Intensive tillage, monoculture farming, overuse of synthetic fertilisers and removal of leaf litter: each of these practices accelerates the breakdown of humus and the degradation of soil.

Soil profiles – a vertical cross-section through history

If we were to cut through the soil vertically and examine the cross-section, we would see distinct layers, known as soil horizons. Each layer has a different colour, texture and composition, and together they form what is called a soil profile: a record unique to each place, encoding the history of the processes that occurred there.

The uppermost layer, just at or below the surface, is the humus horizon. It is the darkest, biologically richest and most fertile. It is precisely this layer that determines the productivity of the soil, and it is precisely this layer that is the thinnest and most vulnerable to degradation. Beneath it lies the eluviation horizon, where water carrying mineral components leaves characteristic traces. Deeper still lie the mineral accumulation horizons and, finally, the parent rock from which everything began.

Reading a soil profile is like reading an ice core or the growth rings of a tree. Each layer says something about the conditions that prevailed in the past. Geologists, soil scientists and archaeologists can extract from such a profile information about ancient climates, vegetation and even human activity going back thousands of years.

Polish soils – a record of glaciations and winds

Polish soils have their own history, deeply marked by the last glaciations. The glacier that covered much of the country several tens of thousands of years ago left behind specific materials: boulder clays, glaciofluvial sands and gravels. When the glacier retreated, vast, vegetation-free plains were exposed, across which the wind scattered fine loess dust. It settled in layers across the south of the country, forming the basis for some of the most fertile soils in Poland: the chernozems and loess alluvial soils of the Lublin Upland and Lesser Poland.

In the north of the country, sandy soils and podzols dominate: less fertile, more acidic, characteristic of dune areas and outwash plains. In river valleys, alluvial soils formed: young, regularly replenished by river floods, and the foundation of Polish riverside agriculture for millennia. In hollows where water accumulated and stagnated, peat and bog soils developed: stores of carbon and valuable habitats, today largely drained and degraded in Poland.

This diversity of soils is both a richness and a challenge. Different soil types require different agricultural and forestry practices, different tree and plant species, and different conservation strategies. A one-size-fits-all approach to such a varied resource is one of the mistakes whose consequences we feel most acutely in the context of Polish soil degradation.

Forest soil versus urban soil

Not all soil is equal, and the difference between the soil in an old forest and soil in a city is striking. Forest soil is a structure shaped by millions of years of evolution: rich in humus, full of biological life, aerated by roots and the tunnels of organisms, moist and permeable. The forest litter, a layer of leaves, twigs and dead wood on the surface, is the soil’s natural protection against erosion, desiccation and extreme temperatures.

Urban soil is often its opposite. Compacted by foot and vehicle traffic, stripped of litter, cut off from natural organic matter, and frequently contaminated with heavy metals and petroleum derivatives. Urban trees grow in such a substrate like pot plants in too small a pot: they can survive, but they do not have the conditions for full development. This is the source of the short lives of urban trees, their susceptibility to disease and the difficulty they have in taking root.

Restoring health to urban soil is one of the most difficult but most important tasks in the context of cities’ green infrastructure. It requires not only the addition of organic matter and a reduction in compaction, but a fundamental change in the design of urban space: one that gives soil and roots room and conditions to function. One More Tree Foundation takes this context into account when planning every planting event in urban spaces, selecting species and locations so that trees have a genuine chance of long-term growth, not just an impressive start.

Soil is not a renewable resource – at least not on our timescale

One centimetre of fertile soil forms, depending on conditions, in anywhere from one hundred to one thousand years. Meanwhile, intensive wind and water erosion, driven by deforestation and poor agricultural practices, can destroy that same layer within a single decade. According to FAO estimates, more than one third of the world’s soils are considered degraded, and the pace of degradation far exceeds the pace of natural regeneration.

This means that soil is a resource we treat as renewable, even though it is not, at least not on a human timescale. The protection of soil should be taken as seriously as the protection of water or air. Practices that degrade it, such as deforestation, excessive tillage, monoculture and paving over land, have consequences whose repair will take generations.

Trees are, in this context, the soil’s key allies. Roots maintain its structure and protect it against erosion. Leaves create litter that nourishes the microbiome. Dead wood and roots build channels for water and air. A forest is not merely a collection of trees: it is a machine for building and protecting soil, operating on principles that humanity is only beginning to fully understand.

A handful of soil, thousands of years

The next time we pick up a handful of soil from the garden, a forest or a nearby park, it is worth pausing for a moment to imagine what is hidden in that seemingly ordinary clump. Minerals from rock that weathered over centuries. Organic remains of plants and animals from dozens of generations. Billions of living organisms, most of them invisible to the naked eye. Traces of a climate that prevailed here thousands of years ago. And a particular arrangement of all these components that makes exactly what grows here grow here, and nothing else.

Soil may be the most underappreciated wonder of nature. It does not dazzle like the ocean, does not impress like mountains, does not move us like an ancient forest. But without it, none of those things would exist. It is the foundation on which all terrestrial life stands: patiently built by nature over millions of years, and asking of us only one thing, that we stop taking it for granted.

Environmental Workshops at Primary School No. 7 in Gliwice | March 27, 2025 | Green Pulse of Silesia

oliwia — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 13:07:17 +0000

Soil on the tables, soil on hands, probably some on the floor too – but on that day, the most important soil was the one in the pots, where, on March 27, students of Primary School No. 7 in Gliwice replanted plants with their own hands.

The workshops were held as part of the Green Pulse of Silesia program – a long-term educational and environmental initiative carried out by the One More Tree Foundation and Stellantis Philanthropy, part of the global automotive group Stellantis.

A small plant, a big lesson

During two workshops with first-grade classes, involving a total of 38 children, each of them planted either a peace lily or a fern. These plants not only look beautiful on a windowsill, but also help improve indoor air quality and increase humidity.

What mattered most, however, was something more than just planting. It was an opportunity to talk with children about nature in a simple and hands-on way – what soil is, why plants need light and water, and how greenery affects the air we breathe every day. At this age, such experience speaks far more than any school textbook.

Why it’s worth starting early

Habits and beliefs are formed early. A child who plants a plant with their own hands and then watches it grow builds a completely different relationship with nature than one who only reads about plants.

It is no longer just theory, but something tangible – something you can care for and feel responsible for.

Environmental education from an early age is an investment whose effects become visible over time – but they last. Children who understand how ecosystems work and the role plants play grow into adults who make more conscious decisions – at home, at school, and at work.

Green Pulse of Silesia in schools

The workshops in Gliwice are part of broader Green Pulse of Silesia activities. We operate not only in the field, but also in schools, because we know that real change begins with education. Each planted plant and each conversation about nature is a small step toward a world where caring for the environment becomes something natural.

We would like to thank Primary School No. 7 in Gliwice for their hospitality, and our strategic partner – Stellantis Philanthropy – for their support.

Creating a Pocket Forest in Katowice | March 25, 2025 | Green Pulse of Silesia

oliwia — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:08:24 +0000

Can a forest be pocket-sized? It may not fit in your jacket – but it can definitely grow in the heart of a city.

On March 25, at Graniczna Street in Katowice, we planted as many as 700 native trees, creating a pocket forest in the city center. The event took place as part of Green Pulse of Silesia – a long-term educational and environmental initiative carried out by the One More Tree Foundation and Stellantis Philanthropy, part of the global automotive group Stellantis.

Shovels in action

Students from the Private School Complex in Katowice worked side by side with Stellantis volunteers. Shovels went into motion, holes appeared one after another, and trees that have grown in Silesia for centuries were planted into the ground – silver birch, red oak, Norway maple, small-leaved lime, hornbeam, European larch, and black pine.
700 trees in just a few hours – that was enough for a forest to begin to exist.

A small forest, big impact

A pocket forest is not just planting trees – it is restoring an ecosystem.
The method developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki involves planting trees very densely, in carefully selected combinations of species that naturally support each other.

This competition for light and space allows trees to grow up to 10 times faster than in traditional plantings.

But rapid growth is only one of the effects. A forest created using this method builds a fully functional ecosystem from the very beginning – with biodiversity, rich soil, and a network of relationships between plants, insects, and microorganisms.

In urban areas, this is especially important: such a forest absorbs CO₂, lowers the surrounding temperature, retains rainwater, and becomes an island of biodiversity among concrete and asphalt.

A typical urban planting – a few trees in neat rows – cannot achieve the same effect. In a few years, the place where we stood with shovels will become a thriving forest.

A lesson in the field

This was a lesson in ecology that cannot be taught in a classroom.

Planting a tree by hand, discussing why native species matter, and understanding how a forest ecosystem works – these are experiences that stay with you.

This is exactly what Green Pulse of Silesia is about – education through action, in direct contact with nature, in a place that will become a living proof of what we achieved together.

We would like to thank all participants for their fantastic work, the City of Katowice for preparing the site, and our strategic partner – Stellantis Philanthropy – for their invaluable support.

Spring tree planting. Why timing matters and how to do it right

bartoszbuczkowski — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 17:08:18 +0000

Spring is the second window, not the only one

In the popular imagination, planting trees is associated with spring. Not entirely accurately – autumn is an equally good moment, and in many cases an even better one. But spring has its own undeniable advantages and its own rhythm, which is worth understanding before we put a spade in the ground. Not every spring day is equally suitable, not every species will respond in the same way to a spring start, and not every soil is at the same point in its awakening. Spring tree planting is more than a gesture towards nature – it is a carefully planned action that either gives a tree an excellent start or condemns it to a struggle for survival from its very first weeks.

Understanding why timing matters so much begins with understanding what happens to a tree immediately after it is placed in the ground. A new tree – regardless of whether it comes from a pot or is a bare-root sapling – must immediately begin to establish contact with the soil. The roots must grow, absorb water and build relationships with soil microorganisms. This requires energy, and energy requires the right conditions: an appropriate soil temperature, availability of water and the absence of extreme weather. Spring provides these conditions – but only within a specific, fairly narrow window of time.

When exactly to plant – the spring window in practice

The spring planting window opens when the soil thaws to an adequate depth and reaches a temperature above approximately five degrees Celsius. Below this threshold, roots are practically inactive – they do not grow, do not absorb water efficiently and do not establish contact with the soil’s microbiota. Planting into soil that is too cold means planting into a dormant, unresponsive substrate, which exposes the young tree to water stress before it has had the chance to take root.

At the same time, the spring window closes relatively quickly. Once a tree begins to push out leaves intensively, all its energy is directed upwards – towards the crown, photosynthesis and shoot growth. This is a poor moment for planting, because the tree has no reserves to simultaneously build a root system and sustain a developing canopy. In practice, this means that for most deciduous species the spring planting window closes the moment buds begin to swell visibly and start to open. Before that – yes. After that – it is decidedly better to wait until autumn.

In Polish climatic conditions this window typically falls around the turn of March and April on the lowlands, and somewhat later in upland and mountain areas. It is narrower than many people think – often lasting only two to four weeks. Spring planting therefore requires readiness: the tree, the tools and the plan should be prepared in advance, not improvised on the first warm weekend.

Bare-root plants versus balled-and-burlapped trees

One of the most important choices in spring planting is the form in which we purchase the tree. Bare-root saplings – without soil around the root system – are cheaper, lighter and easier to transport. But they require planting at a very specific moment: before the tree breaks into growth. Once the buds begin to open, a bare-root sapling loses its spring opportunity. Every day of delay brings greater stress to the plant, whose roots are exposed to air without the ability to absorb water.

Container-grown trees or those with a root ball are considerably more flexible in this respect. The soil around the roots protects them from desiccation and thermal shock, and the entire root system is preserved in continuity. Such trees can be planted throughout most of the growing season, though here too early spring or autumn yields the best results. The main requirement is ensuring adequate watering after planting – the root ball in the container is often drier than it appears, and integrating it with the garden soil takes time and moisture.

The choice of sapling form should be dictated not only by price, but above all by a realistic planting schedule. If we know that planting will take place before the buds begin to swell – bare roots are excellent. If the timing is uncertain or planting is planned for somewhat later – it is worth opting for a balled tree, which allows more time to act.

Soil preparation – the work that determines the first years

The quality of the soil and the way it is prepared have a greater influence on the survival of a young tree than the planting moment itself. The soil should be a living, aerated structure, capable of retaining water but free of waterlogging. The planting hole should be wide enough – at least two to three times wider than the root ball – and not necessarily very deep. Width matters more than depth, because most active roots develop horizontally, close to the surface.

The excavated soil is worth enriching with compost or humus, but in moderation. Soil that is too fertile in the immediate vicinity of the roots means the tree has no incentive to grow further into the surrounding substrate. The roots then remain in a comfortable “pocket” of rich soil rather than exploring the wider space and building the extensive system that will serve the tree for decades. The goal of soil preparation is not to create luxury for the roots, but to encourage expansion.

It is also worth paying attention to what occupied that spot previously. Soil from an old tree of the same species may contain pathogens or allelopathic substances that will impede the new tree’s start. Compacted soil – for example after a construction site – requires mechanical loosening over a large area before it becomes useful for roots at all. These preparations are ideally carried out in autumn or early winter, so that in spring one can act swiftly and at the right moment.

How to plant – step by step without mistakes

The act of planting a tree is one whose errors reveal themselves only after several years – which makes them particularly treacherous. The most common and most serious mistake is planting too deep. The point where the trunk transitions into the roots – the so-called root collar – should sit at or just a few centimetres above the soil surface. Covering the root collar with soil leads to bark rot and the gradual decline of the tree, which may look healthy for several seasons before suddenly beginning to die.

Equally important is avoiding air pockets around the root ball. The roots must have direct contact with the soil, because only then can they absorb water and establish relationships with microorganisms. When backfilling the hole, it therefore helps to firm the soil in layers and water generously – water helps the soil fill every gap around the roots. The first watering after planting should be very abundant, regardless of how moist the soil was before planting.

Staking – propping a young tree with a post – is a topic that divides horticultural opinion. Research indicates that trees which sway slightly in the wind build a stable root system more quickly than those held rigidly in place. If staking is necessary due to wind or location, it should be low and loose – the root system must have freedom of movement, even if the trunk is lightly stabilised. Firm, high staking with a tight tie is a mistake all too often inflicted on urban trees.

The first weeks after planting – a critical time

Spring can be deceptive. A few warm, sunny days in March or April can make planting seem like a simple task with an automatically happy outcome. In reality, the first four to eight weeks after planting are the time of greatest stress and greatest vulnerability for a young tree. The root system is not yet well established, the canopy is beginning to draw water and minerals, and the soil can dry out rapidly during spring droughts, which in Poland are becoming increasingly frequent.

Regular watering during this period is an absolute necessity, even if the tree belongs to a species considered drought-tolerant. Drought tolerance applies to trees with a well-developed root system, not to saplings in their first season after planting. As a rough guide: a newly planted tree should receive between ten and several dozen litres of water every few days during dry spells, while in rainy weeks regular monitoring of the soil condition is sufficient. Mulching – laying bark, straw or another organic material around the base of the trunk – greatly helps to retain moisture and simultaneously protects the roots from overheating.

The experience gathered by One More Tree Foundation across dozens of planting events confirms that it is the care after planting – not the planting moment itself – that determines whether a tree looks healthy after a year or needs to be replaced. Planting is not the end of the process; it is its beginning.

Which species to plant in spring and which prefer autumn

Not all trees respond in the same way to spring planting. Deciduous trees from hardy, fast-growing species – birches, poplars, willows, alders – do excellently with a spring start, because they build new roots quickly and tolerate temporary water stress. Slower-growing species that require better stabilisation before their first season – oaks, beeches, limes, maples – can also be planted in spring, but they demand more attention and more regular watering.

Conifers are a separate category. Most coniferous species – spruces, firs, Douglas firs – do better with autumn planting, when they can take root before winter without the stress caused by summer drought. Pines and larches are more flexible and tolerate a spring sapling provided the site is not dry and sandy. Yews, monkey puzzles and thujas almost invariably prefer autumn. When it comes to tree species intended as a permanent feature of the landscape – rather than a quick green infill – matching the timing to the species is an investment that pays dividends over the next several decades.

Spring planting as an act of mindfulness – and an invitation to act

Planting a tree in spring has a dimension that goes beyond gardening and ecology. It is an act of synchronisation with the rhythm of nature – a choice of the moment when the soil and the plant are ready to work together. It requires observation: has the soil already thawed, are the buds still dormant, have the rains been sufficient? It requires patience: waiting for the right moment rather than acting at the first hint of warmth. And it requires continuity: watering, observing, responding.

These same principles – mindfulness, patience and long-term thinking – lie at the heart of every action carried out by One More Tree Foundation. For years we have been organising spring planting events in collaboration with local communities, local authorities and companies that want to act for the environment in a real and measurable way. Every event is preceded by an analysis of the site, selection of species suited to the local ecosystem and a post-planting care plan. Because we know that a tree is not a one-off gesture – it is a long-term commitment that begins with one decision made at the right moment in spring.

We also organise spring planting events as team-building experiences for companies – in the form of employee volunteering that combines genuine ecological action with relationship building within the team. It is one of the most authentic CSR activities a company can undertake: employees leave the office, plant trees side by side, talk differently than they would at a desk, and return with the sense that on that day they did something that will outlast them. Not as an entry in a sustainability report, but as a tree growing in a specific place – one that in a decade or two will provide shade and shelter for wild species.

If you would like to plant trees with your team this spring, with your local community, or simply as a private individual who knows that this moment is right now – get in touch with us. We will help you choose the location, the species and the timing, and we will make sure that every tree planted gets the best possible start. Spring does not last long. Trees last considerably longer.

Every tree begins with one right day

Spring gives us a short, precious window. The soil is ready, the tree is still dormant but slowly waking to life. It is precisely this moment – not too early, not too late – that is the best starting point for a new tree. Understanding what is happening at this moment in the soil, in the roots and in the entire ecosystem transforms planting from a mechanical activity into conscious participation in a process that will continue long after a single spring. Trees planted today with full knowledge and commitment will provide shade, oxygen and shelter when we have long since forgotten what the day of their planting looked like.

Planting 200 Trees in Osobowicki Forest in Wrocław on March 20, 2025

oliwia — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:11:58 +0000

The first day of spring is the perfect moment to do something good for the environment. On March 20 in Wrocław, in the Osobowicki Forest, we planted 200 sessile oak saplings together with the Strefa Zieleni Foundation.

200 trees for a great start to spring

An 11-person group took part in the activity, showing strong commitment and teamwork. Thanks to good organization, the work went smoothly, and each sapling was planted with care. Proper soil preparation, correct root placement, and attention to detail significantly increase the chances of healthy growth.

Although the trees are still small today, they will become part of a larger ecosystem. They will help retain water, improve air quality, and create habitats for many plant and animal species.

Why did we choose sessile oak?

Sessile oak is one of the key native tree species in Poland. It is well adapted to local climate conditions, resistant, and long-lived, making it ideal for restoring and strengthening forest ecosystems.

Oaks play an important ecological role. They can support hundreds of species, from insects and birds to fungi and lichens. In this way, a single tree becomes part of a complex network that supports biodiversity.

Planting native species is especially important, as it strengthens natural ecosystems and helps maintain their balance.

Working together matters

Tree planting may seem simple, but it requires knowledge, precision, and attention. Every step influences how well the tree adapts and grows in the coming years.

Working in a small group allowed for effective cooperation and focus on quality. It shows that even a small team can make a real difference.

An investment in the future

The effects are not immediate, but they are long-term. Over time, the new trees will support biodiversity, improve air quality, and positively impact the local microclimate.

This is also an important step toward greener spaces and a healthier environment for future generations.

Thank you to all participants – you did an amazing job!

“Forest in a Jar” Workshop with the University of the Third Age at the University of Economics in Katowice | March 20, 2025 | Green Pulse of Poland

oliwia — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:52:17 +0000

Can a forest fit inside a jar? It turns out it can – along with its entire micro-world.

This is how we launched Green Pulse of Poland – a project by the One More Tree Foundation, carried out with its strategic partner, Stellantis Philanthropy, part of the global automotive group Stellantis. This new initiative expands the activities known from Green Pulse of Silesia, this time on a nationwide scale.

The first meeting, which officially opened Green Pulse of Poland, took place at the University of the Third Age operating at the University of Economics in Katowice. The workshop brought together not only U3A participants, but also university students.

A forest under glass

During the “forest in a jar” workshop, participants created their own closed ecosystems. Layer by layer, small forest micro-worlds came to life – with soil, plants, and natural balance enclosed in glass.

In a practical way, we demonstrated how an ecosystem works – what drives the water cycle, the role of soil and microorganisms, and why balance between all elements is essential for its functioning.

Forests on a micro and macro scale

The workshop was accompanied by a discussion panel, where we talked not only about biodiversity and the importance of forests, but also about corporate responsibility, CSR activities, and Stellantis’ green energy transition.

The forest in a jar proved to be a great starting point for a broader conversation about how nature works on a larger scale. We discussed forests and their role in the climate, biodiversity, insects, and the complex relationships that sustain ecosystems. We also shared examples showing that many ecological solutions can be implemented not only in forests, but also in cities and our immediate surroundings.

A green beginning

The workshop in Katowice marked the first stage of Green Pulse of Poland. In the coming months, the project will expand to different regions across the country.

Planned activities include field actions, the creation of green spaces, biodiversity-supporting initiatives, and educational workshops – including new formats such as “gardens of good thoughts” and STEM classes for children and youth.

We hope that all these activities will show that caring for the environment can take many forms – and that everyone can find their place in it.

Phenology – the art of reading nature’s own calendar

bartoszbuczkowski — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000

What phenology is and why it matters

Nature never operates in a vacuum. Every phenomenon – the first flowering of hazel, the return of swallows from Africa, the nocturnal concerts of frogs on waterlogged meadows – is written into the rhythm of the year with a precision no clock can match better than the ecosystem itself. This rhythm is the subject of phenology: the science that studies seasonal biological phenomena and their dependence on environmental conditions, primarily temperature, sunlight and rainfall. Although the word sounds technical, phenology is in essence the art of attentive observation – and one of the oldest ways in which humans have tried to understand the world around them.

Phenology as a scientific discipline has its roots in the eighteenth century, when naturalists began systematically recording the dates of plant flowering, bird arrivals and the first appearances of insects. But the practical dimension of this knowledge was present much earlier – farmers for centuries observed the flowering of blackthorn as a signal to sow grain, while fishermen planned their catches according to bird migrations. Nature was a calendar, and its phenomena were its hands.

Today phenology is gaining new and very practical significance. In the era of climate change, seasonal natural events are shifting in time, drifting apart from one another and destabilising relationships between species that have been synchronised for thousands of years. Observing phenology is therefore not merely the pleasure of a nature enthusiast – it is one of the most important ways of monitoring the health of ecosystems.

How nature measures time

No organism has a built-in calendar, but every organism has mechanisms that allow it to respond to signals from its environment. For most plants and animals, three parameters are crucial: temperature, day length and the availability of food resources. The combination of these factors determines when a tree will break its buds, when an insect will emerge from its pupa, and when a bird will decide to embark on a journey of several thousand kilometres.

Plants make use of what is called vernalisation – a process in which a certain dose of winter cold is a necessary precondition for subsequent flowering. Without the appropriate biological “thawing”, the biological clock does not start, and the plant does not move into its generative phase. This is a protective mechanism that prevents a warm spell in the middle of winter from triggering premature growth. Only the combination of winter and spring – cold followed by warmth – gives the correct starting signal.

Animals use similar mechanisms, but with greater flexibility. Migratory birds respond primarily to day length, because this is the most predictable astronomical signal. Insects, by contrast, are strongly dependent on temperature – which is why their appearances are more variable and harder to predict. It is precisely insects, including essential pollinators, that have become one of the most visible barometers of phenological change.

Phenophases – the language of nature that can be learned

Phenologists use the concept of phenophases: characteristic, recurring stages in the life cycle of organisms. For trees, these include bud break, flowering, leaf development, autumn colour change and leaf fall. For birds – arrival, nest building, hatching of chicks and, finally, departure. Each phenophase is a clear, measurable moment in time that can be noted and compared across years.

Observing phenophases requires no specialist equipment or biological training. It does, however, require regularity and attentiveness. It is enough to note when the cherry tree in a nearby garden flowered this year, or when the cuckoo was heard for the first time in the season. When such observations are collected over many years, they form data series that reveal more about the local climate than any report from a meteorological station.

In Poland, phenology is systematically observed by the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, which operates a network of phenological stations. Data from these stations show, among other things, that over the past few decades spring in Poland has advanced – the first phenological events now occur on average several to over ten days earlier than in the mid-twentieth century. This is a change that is visible to the naked eye, if one knows what to look for.

Desynchronisation – when nature’s calendar begins to fall apart

One of the most troubling phenomena observed by phenologists is desynchronisation – the loss of synchrony between events that for thousands of years were closely linked. A classic example is the relationship between tree flowering and the activity of pollinating insects, or between the hatching of insect larvae and the peak feeding period of nesting birds.

Imagine a great tit that raises its brood at a specific time so that the chicks have access to the maximum number of oak caterpillars. This timing was precisely calibrated over hundreds of generations to coincide with the peak appearance of larvae on oak leaves. When spring advances, oaks leaf out earlier, caterpillars appear earlier – but the birds, responding mainly to day length, do not advance their breeding at the same pace. The result is a mismatch: the chicks hatch when the peak of larvae has already passed. For the birds, this means poorer survival of offspring.

There are dozens of such relationships in an ecosystem. Flowers and their pollinators, predators and prey, parasites and hosts – every pair evolutionarily tuned to a shared rhythm. Climate change is writing new music, but not all species are able to retune at the same pace. Desynchronisation is one of the mechanisms through which climate change destabilises biodiversity even in places where the temperature itself does not yet seem dramatically high.

Trees as phenological archives

Trees are exceptional participants in the phenological calendar – and at the same time its archivists. Dendrochronology, the analysis of annual growth rings, allows scientists to read from a tree trunk the history of weather conditions spanning dozens or even hundreds of years. Wide rings indicate good growing seasons; narrow ones mark years that were cold, dry or burdened by pests.

The study of tree rings is one of the most important climate proxies available to scientists. Thanks to them, we can compare the current pace of change with the natural climate fluctuations that preceded the industrial era. The results of these studies are unambiguous: the current rate of change has no precedent over at least the past thousand years. Trees remember this – we have their testimony written in their wood.

The phenophases of trees are also particularly well documented, because trees are a permanent feature of the landscape, easy to observe and unable to move from one place to another. Phenological observation networks are based largely on trees – poplars, birches, ashes, horse chestnuts – whose annual cycle is easy to follow and important for assessing the health of the local ecosystem.

Phenology in the city: a different rhythm, different challenges

The city is a distinct phenological world. The so-called urban heat island means that temperatures in the centres of large conurbations are on average a few degrees higher than in the surrounding countryside. The result is an accelerated phenological rhythm: trees leaf out earlier, flower earlier, and autumn arrives later than beyond the city limits.

This fascinating phenomenon has its darker sides, however. Urban trees that flower earlier are more exposed to damage caused by late frosts, which in Poland can occur even in May. Earlier leafing also means a longer period of exposure to urban drought, which is increasingly problematic in the warmer months. Furthermore, urban insects may not be able to keep pace with the accelerated rhythm of plants, disrupting local ecological networks.

Observing urban phenology also allows the detection of invasive species that adapt to urban conditions better than native plants. Small balsam, Canadian goldenrod and tree of heaven can exploit the warm microclimate of cities, displacing native flora and disrupting local phenophases. Tracking when and how quickly these species flower is an important element of ecological monitoring of urban greenery.

Citizen phenology – science in which everyone can take part

Phenology is one of those disciplines in which data gathered by non-professionals have genuine scientific value. A single observer says little. Thousands of observers from across the country create a mosaic that reveals regional differences and long-term trends. This is why citizen science projects focused on phenology are actively supported by scientific institutions around the world.

In Poland, several initiatives exist which anyone can join as an observer. They require regular recording of basic phenomena: the dates of first flowering of selected plants, the first appearances of specific insects or birds. The data are sent to a central database, where scientists analyse them alongside other observations. Every record has value, because every place has its own slightly different microclimate and ecosystem.

Observing phenology also changes a person’s perspective on nature. When we know what to look for and when, a forest ceases to be a uniform backdrop and becomes a vibrating rhythm of structures and relationships. This is the shift that One More Tree Foundation seeks in its educational programmes – a move from passively admiring nature to actively understanding it. In this sense, phenology is a perfect tool: concrete, requiring regularity, yet accessible to everyone.

Phenological change as an indicator of climate crisis

Phenological data from recent decades constitute one of the most compelling pieces of evidence for the reality and pace of climate change. In Europe, the flowering of spring plants has advanced by an average of several days per decade. Bird migrations are changing their routes and timing. Alpine plant species are shifting to ever-higher elevations in search of appropriate temperatures. Coral reefs are experiencing bleaching episodes at increasingly shorter intervals.

These changes are not abstract statistics – they are visible in nature here and now, for anyone who knows what to look for. The advancement of spring by two weeks over half a century is an enormous change from the perspective of evolution, which operates on a timescale of thousands of generations. Ecosystems do not have time to adapt – which is why, instead of evolution, we see stress, extinction and species reshuffling.

In this context, trees are a particularly important indicator. Long-lived, rooted in one place, unable to flee from change – they are literally on the front line. At the same time, judging by phenological data, they respond to climate change more visibly than many other organisms. Monitoring their cycles is therefore monitoring the condition of the entire system.

What we can do with this knowledge

Phenological awareness is not merely academic. It translates into very concrete actions – both at the individual and institutional level. In gardens and parks, species whose phenophases are spread out over time can be planted, ensuring a continuous supply of food for insects throughout the entire season. In cities, greenery can be planned so that its rhythm is as close to the natural one as possible, rather than being purely aesthetically appealing.

At the level of environmental policy, phenological data should be treated as a key indicator in environmental impact assessments. Road investments, land drainage schemes, deforestation – each of these interventions alters local phenophases and can destabilise ecological relationships that are not visible at first glance. Measuring these changes is a prerequisite for conscious ecosystem management.

Initiatives such as One More Tree Foundation, through tree planting and environmental education, indirectly support the phenological resilience of ecosystems. Every tree planted is another participant in the phenological calendar, another element of the network, another anchor for species dependent on specific plants. Restoring trees means restoring rhythm – in a very literal sense.

Phenology teaches humility

Perhaps the most important lesson of phenology is a lesson in humility. Nature operates according to its own rules, worked out over millions of years of evolution, and no human plan or timetable can replace that internal logic. We can observe it, understand it and – to some extent – protect it. But we cannot replace it.

When we watch hazel buds breaking in February, or hear the first song of a starling in March, we are participating in a process that has been going on far longer than any human institution. Phenology reminds us that we are part of this network, not its operators. And the attentiveness with which we approach the seasonal phenomena of nature is a measure of how well we understand our place within it.

Riparian Forests – Where Trees Meet Water and Why This Relationship Determines the Health of the Entire River

michalinadrozdz — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:24:54 +0000

If we were to point to one of the most life-saturated places in our climate zone, we would point to the strip of greenery stretching along a river. Not the decorative lawns planted with weeping willows we see in parks. I mean a true riparian forest – dense, multi-layered, damp, full of sounds, scents and organisms we won’t encounter anywhere else. A forest that floods regularly, and instead of dying from the water – thrives because of it.

Riparian forests were undervalued for a long time. They were drained, cleared, converted to farmland, or rivers were simply regulated so that natural floods ceased to exist, and the forest without flooding slowly dried out. Today we know that was a mistake, and a costly one. Without riparian forests, rivers fall ill, we lose the ability to naturally retain water, and the biodiversity of riverside areas declines at a rate that is difficult to recover. Understanding what actually happens at the interface between tree and river is one of the key elements of modern nature conservation.

What a Riparian Forest Actually Is

A riparian forest is not simply a forest growing near water. It is a specific ecosystem that developed under conditions of regular, seasonal flooding. The soil here is wet, often anaerobic, and the plants that grow here had to develop special adaptations to survive. Many species form special root structures that allow them to breathe even when their roots are submerged. Other species dormant in the soil wait for a flood like a starting signal – their seeds activate precisely after inundation.

In Poland, riparian forests are found primarily along larger rivers – the Vistula, Odra, Bug, San and their numerous tributaries. The most valuable preserved fragments include the floodplain forests along the lower Vistula, areas in the Rospuda valley, and lands near river estuaries. Characteristic of these places are alders, willows, poplars, ash trees and elms – trees that not only tolerate water conditions but actually need them for full development.

It is important to note that a riparian forest is not homogeneous. Close to the riverbed, where flooding is most intense and the soil is most moist, willows and poplars dominate. Further from the bank, on elevated patches where water stands for shorter periods, alder and ash appear. Even further, where the ground is higher and flooding occurs less frequently, a different type of forest begins. This moisture gradient makes the riparian forest extraordinarily diverse within a small area.

What Trees Do for the River

The relationship between riverside trees and the river is strongly bidirectional. The river gives trees water, nutrients and refreshed substrate after a flood. But the trees give the river something equally valuable, perhaps even more so.

The crowns of trees growing over the bank shade the water. This seems like a trivial detail, but it has colossal significance. Sunlight warms the water, and warm water loses oxygen. For fish, aquatic insect larvae and the entire food chain in the river, temperature and oxygenation are a matter of survival. A river exposed without tree shade heats up faster, and during hot summers may lose its ability to support many sensitive species. A single well-preserved strip of trees along the bank is enough to keep the water temperature several degrees lower than in deforested sections.

Tree roots stabilize the bank. Willows and alders form dense root networks that bind the soil and protect the bank from undercutting. When trees disappear, the bank becomes vulnerable to erosion. The river narrows and deepens, or spreads chaotically, losing its natural shape. Roots also act as a filter – they slow surface runoff from fields and meadows, retaining excess fertilizers and pesticides before they reach the water.

Trees supply the river with wood. In healthy river ecosystems, fallen trees, branches and logs are an important element of the environment. A fallen trunk in the riverbed creates currents and eddies that promote water oxygenation and create habitats for fish. Accumulated wood slows water flow during floods, retaining it longer on the floodplain. For many aquatic invertebrate species, wood submerged in the river is literally home and a source of food.

How a Flood Builds a Forest, and a Forest Builds a Flood

A healthy riparian forest cannot exist without floods. Regular inundations bring fertile silt that nourishes the soil. They carry plant seeds, allowing them to colonize new places. They destroy species intolerant of wet conditions, creating space for riparian plants. After a flood, sandy bars and exposed gravel beds appear on riverbanks, which are ideal places for species that need open substrate to germinate – for example poplars, which under other conditions cannot regenerate because their seeds cannot penetrate a dense layer of grass.

On the other hand, the riparian forest slows and regulates flooding. When the river overflows, water enters the forest – it loses speed there, spreads over a large area, soaks into the soil. Instead of a sudden wave destroying everything in its path, we have a slow, spread-out inundation that recedes after some time, leaving fertile sediment. This is natural water retention, to which both the river and the forest adapted over millions of years.

A modern flood in a deforested valley behaves completely differently. Water has nowhere to go. It rushes through channels of embankments and concrete reinforcements, gathers speed and strikes cities and villages downstream with force. We are then dealing not with a natural hydrological cycle, but with a catastrophe we brought upon ourselves by eliminating riparian forests in the upper and middle stretches of rivers.

The Biodiversity of Riparian Forests – Why They Are Exceptional

No type of forest in our climate zone concentrates as many species in such a small area as a riparian forest. The moisture gradient, soil diversity, presence of water and dead wood, plus the dynamics of floods that each year create new niches – all this makes the riparian forest a habitat of exceptional ecological capacity.

Birds. Floodplain forests are home to species that have no chance in other forests. The kingfisher needs steep, clay banks to dig a burrow. The penduline tit hangs its felted nest on thin willow branches drooping over the water. The goosander nests in hollows of old trees near the river. The sand martin colonizes sandy cliffs. The white-tailed eagle increasingly returns to river valleys, where it finds fish and the peace necessary for nesting.

Fish and amphibians. The riparian forest is directly connected to the river and its backwaters. In spring, when the water level rises, fish swim into flooded forests seeking calm, warm, food-rich floodplains to spawn. Amphibians – newts, common frogs, fire-bellied toads – come to flooded meadows and forest puddles. Without riparian forests, these breeding places cease to exist, and amphibian populations shrink at a rate that seriously worries ecologists.

Insects and fungi. Old, decaying alders and willows are inhabited by dozens of saproxylic beetle species – those that need dead wood for larval development. The moist soil of floodplain forests buzzes with fungal activity – both those visible to the naked eye and those forming mycorrhizal networks connecting tree roots.

Riparian Forests in Poland – What Remains and What We Are Losing

It is estimated that only a few percent of the former area of natural riparian forests remains in Poland. Most was destroyed by river regulation in the 19th and 20th centuries, drainage melioration, and subsequent intensive farming on drained soils. The valleys of Poland’s great rivers, once densely covered with floodplain forests, have turned into networks of canals, fields and flood embankments.

What has survived is generally fragmentary and cut off from the natural hydrological regime. Flood embankments, meant to protect fields and settlements, simultaneously cut riparian forests off from the water that sustains them. Trees grow, but without regular floods the soil gradually dries out, riparian species retreat, and the forest loses its unique character. We have forests in river valleys, but we no longer have true riparian forests.

One tool for protecting these ecosystems is rewilding – the deliberate restoration of natural floods by removing or lowering embankments, excavating oxbow lakes, creating buffer zones between the river and developed land. Where this is possible, rewilding of a river valley brings rapid results – riparian vegetation returns within a few years of restoring floods, and animals follow the plants.

How Tree Planting Relates to River Protection

Many tree-planting initiatives focus on forests and peri-urban areas. We rarely think about the fact that planting the right tree species in river valleys and along the banks of small watercourses can have equally significant importance for nature conservation. Alders, willows and poplars planted in the right places create buffer zones that protect the river from pollutant runoff from fields, stabilize banks and gradually restore lost habitats.

One More Tree Foundation pays attention to the quality and location of tree planting in its projects. It is not only about the number of seedlings, but whether the plants end up in places where they can truly fulfill their ecological role. Planting trees in a river valley, close to the water, with regard to native species and conditions appropriate to the habitat, is an investment whose effects are visible not only on land, but directly in the condition of the river and its entire catchment.

Rivers Without Trees – What We See in Poland Today

You only need to drive along any major river in Poland and look at its banks to see what a river valley looks like without riparian forests. Straightened, regulated channels, banks sown with grass or covered with fascines, fields reaching almost to the water. No shade, no roots stabilizing the bank, no wood in the river, no backwaters. Instead of a living system, the river becomes a drainage canal.

The consequences are visible in water levels – rivers shrink dramatically during drought because natural retention that would keep water in the soil no longer exists. They are visible in fish – populations of sea trout, brown trout, grayling and many other species shrink where the river has lost its shade and cold water. They are visible in water quality – without strips of riverside trees, fertilizers and pesticides flow into rivers, causing algal blooms and eutrophication.

This is not inevitable. Along many small rivers and streams in Poland there is still space to rebuild natural vegetation. Rewilding projects, though they require time and investment, are increasingly common and bring visible results. Where the river has been allowed to return to its natural rhythm and a strip of trees has been restored along the bank, nature responds surprisingly quickly.

What We Can Do – From Policy to the Garden

Protecting riparian forests requires action at different levels. At the political level it is a matter of water law, spatial planning and decisions about river regulation. But there is also much that can be done at the local and individual level.

Supporting rewilding initiatives, education about the importance of riparian forests, participation in riverside vegetation plantings – these are actions that have a real impact on the condition of rivers in our region. It is also worth paying attention to what is happening to the banks of rivers and streams in the areas where we live. Many irreversible decisions about the regulation of watercourses are made at the local level, often without public awareness that this involves the loss of unique habitats.

A Forest by the River Is Not Decoration – It Is a Life-Support System

When we look at a river surrounded by trees, we see something beautiful. But that beauty is functional. Trees cool the water, filter pollutants, stabilize banks, create habitats for hundreds of species and regulate the hydrological cycle in a way that no technical infrastructure can replace. A riparian forest is not decoration beside the river – it is one of its key functional components.

The loss of riparian forests means the loss of something that cannot simply be rebuilt with a wall or a canal. It means warmer rivers, poorer water quality, weaker populations of fish and birds, and as a consequence – more destructive floods and more severe droughts. Understanding this relationship is the foundation of any sensible water and nature protection policy.

Riparian forests await our attention. Many of them can still be saved, and where they have disappeared, their gradual restoration can be planned. This is neither easy nor cheap, but it is necessary if we want healthy rivers – and healthy rivers mean healthy landscapes, healthy water and healthy people.

The first signs of the coming spring. How plants prepare to come back to life.

bartoszbuczkowski — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:18:11 +0000

Spring plants: how buds, sap and the “start of the season” in trees work

Spring in nature does not begin with one day when everything suddenly turns green. It is a process that starts gradually, often while nights are still cold and there is still winter moisture lingering in the shade. For trees and shrubs, this is a key moment, because this is when they activate mechanisms that determine the entire growing season. Buds swell, water with dissolved nutrients begins to circulate in tissues, and the plant “switches” from survival mode to intensive work mode.

Understanding what happens in buds and why trees in spring literally begin to “pump life” allows us to look at spring green landscapes differently. It is also a good starting point for consciously caring for greenery in cities, gardens and forests, because spring is for plants a period of greatest sensitivity and, at the same time, greatest potential.

Buds: small capsules of the future

Buds of trees and shrubs are among the most remarkable plant structures. From the outside they look inconspicuous, but inside they contain a ready plan for the future. Depending on the species, they may contain leaf, shoot, flower primordia, or a mixture of these elements. That is why some trees bloom before they put out leaves, while others only bloom when they are already green.

A bud is also a shelter. In winter it protects delicate tissues from frost, wind and drying out. Bud scales, often coated with resin or hairs, act as a natural shield. When temperatures rise in spring, the plant activates processes that cause buds to swell. In practice, this is the result of water uptake, increased pressure in cells and intensified metabolic changes. The bud prepares to “open”, that is, to release leaves and new shoots.

What triggers the start of the season: temperature and day length

Plants do not follow the calendar. Their “start of the season” depends on environmental signals, primarily temperature and day length. Many trees first need a period of winter cold to complete the full dormancy cycle. Only then does spring warming become a signal to grow. You could say that plants have to “get through winter” so they do not start too early.

In practice, changes in day length are also important. It is one of the most stable signals in nature because it does not depend on the weather in a given year. For some species, the increasing amount of daylight is the signal that the season can begin. Thanks to this, trees and shrubs in a sense “protect themselves” from the risk that a single warm winter week would trigger growth that would later be destroyed by frost.

What should you pay attention to at the beginning of spring?

The beginning of spring is a great time to take a closer look at how nature “starts up”. It is worth observing not only the first green leaves, but also subtle changes that appear earlier and say a lot about the condition of plants and the weather in a given year.

The most important things to pay attention to:

Buds of trees and shrubs – whether they are still tight or already swelling and beginning to open, and which species do it the fastest.

First flowering – when the first flowers appear, for example on hazel, willow or forest-floor plants, and whether flowering is unusually accelerated.

“Rising sap” – signs of an intense start of the season, for example higher moisture at bark damage in some species, as well as the general impression that plants begin to change quickly from day to day.

Changes in bark and trunks – emerging signs of activity (e.g. woodpeckers), new cracks after winter, or places where the plant is weakened.

First leaves – which species develop leaves the fastest, whether leaves look healthy, whether there is frost damage.

Soil moisture – whether the ground is still wet after winter or already starting to dry out, which is becoming more frequent in recent years.

Presence of insects – the first bees, bumblebees or flies often appear earlier than expected, especially on warmer days.

Such observation does not require specialist knowledge, but it helps to better understand nature and notice how strongly spring depends on weather and local conditions. It is also a good way to build attentiveness and a relationship with nature, even in a city.

Sap in trees: what does it actually mean

In spring, people often say that “the sap has started flowing”. This popular phrase describes the process of increased transport of water and nutrients in a plant. Trees and shrubs have a vascular system that works like a transport network. Water and minerals taken up by roots travel up the trunk and branches, while substances produced in leaves, such as sugars, are distributed to growth and storage areas.

At the beginning of the season, trees use energy stored in the previous year. Tissues and roots store sugar reserves that allow growth to begin before leaves start producing energy through photosynthesis. That is why trees can release buds and flowers even before full leaf development. Spring start does not come “from nowhere”. It is the result of very specific resource management that the plant builds up throughout the previous season.

Why birches and maples “cry” in spring

Some trees, especially birches and maples, are known for the fact that in spring their sap can be noticed even with the naked eye. When the trunk is damaged and the temperature is right, the tree can literally “release” sap. This phenomenon results from pressure differences in tissues and active water uptake by roots.

In practice, it is a very good example of how intensely a plant works in spring. The tree pumps water and nutrients, preparing for leaf and shoot development. It is worth remembering that at this time the plant is particularly sensitive to mechanical damage. Cutting, breaking branches or excessive interference in the structure of the tree can be a greater burden than at other times of the year

Spring is the period of greatest sensitivity for trees

The moment vegetation starts is a time when trees are undergoing intense changes and their resources are directed toward growth. If frost, drought or mechanical damage occurs at this time, the plant may suffer greater losses than in summer. This applies both to trees in forests and to urban greenery.

In cities, a problem can also be overly quick “cleaning” of green spaces. Removing all leaves, branches and dead organic matter deprives the soil of natural protection and limits its moisture. Meanwhile, soil and the root system are crucial for plants, especially at the beginning of the season. The better the condition of the soil, the easier it is for the plant to start and survive the first weeks.

What can we do so we do not disturb plants in spring

The best support for plants in spring is to limit excessive interference. It is worth remembering that nature has its own pace, and our actions, even if well intentioned, can harm it.

In practice, a few simple rules help. Let us not prune trees and shrubs without need during the period of intense sap flow. Let us not “clean” urban greenery down to zero, leaving at least some leaves and natural litter. If we have a garden or a balcony, let us choose native and long-flowering plants that will support insects from the very first warm days. We can also take care of water retention, because spring is increasingly dry and plants at the start of the season need moisture.

Spring season start as a signal of climate change

More and more often we observe that spring arrives earlier than it used to. Buds develop faster and flowering shifts in time. For plants this can be risky, because an early start increases the likelihood that young leaves and flowers will be damaged by late frosts. This is one of many phenomena that show that climate affects not only temperature, but the entire seasonality of ecosystems.

So spring is not only a beautiful moment in the year. It is also an indicator of changes that take place in nature. By observing buds, flowering and the pace of greening, we can literally see how nature reacts to environmental conditions.

Spring happens quietly, but it has enormous power

Spring buds, rising sap and the start of the season in trees are processes that happen without noise, but have enormous significance. This is the moment when plants “set” the whole year, using resources gathered earlier and responding to signals from the surroundings. Understanding these mechanisms helps us see spring not only as a change in weather, but as a precisely planned biological process.

If we want to support nature, let us start with attentiveness. Let us observe buds, leaves and the first flowers, but also remember that spring is a sensitive time. The less we disturb plants in their natural start, the better for the entire ecosystem in which we live.