Uwalimu wa Miti Yenyewe

Tree pedagogy

[Scroll down for the English]

KISWAHILI

"Miti michanga ina shauku ya kukua haraka hivi kwamba haitakuwa shida hata kidogo kukua kwa urefu wa inchi 18 kwa msimu. Kwa bahati mbaya kwao, mama zao wenyewe hawakubali ukuaji wa haraka. Wanawatia watoto wao kivuli kwa mataji yao makubwa, na mataji ya miti yote iliyokomaa hujifunga na kutengeneza kifuniko kinene juu ya sakafu ya msitu.

"Mwavuli huu huruhusu asilimia 3 tu ya mwanga wa jua kufikia ardhini na, kwa hivyo, majani ya watoto wao. Asilimia tatu—hiyo siyo kitu. Kwa kiasi hicho cha mwanga wa jua, mti unaweza kufanya usanisinuru vya kutosha ili kuuzuia usife mwili wake. Hakuna kitu kilichosalia kuendesha kwenda juu au hata kulisha shina liwe nene zaidi. Na uasi dhidi ya malezi haya madhubuti hauwezekani, kwa sababu hakuna nguvu ya kuiendeleza.

“Malezi? unauliza. Ndiyo, ninazungumza juu ya njia ya ufundishaji ambayo inahakikisha ustawi wa watoto wadogo. Na sikupata wazo hilo tu—limetumiwa na vizazi vya wakulima wa misitu kurejelea aina hii ya tabia....

“Mbinu inayotumika katika malezi haya ni kunyimwa mwanga. Lakini kizuizi hiki kinatimiza kusudi gani? Je, wazazi [miti] hawataki watoto wao wawe huru haraka iwezekanavyo?

"Miti, angalau, ingejibu swali hili kwa hapana kubwa, na sayansi ya hivi majuzi inaziunga mkono. Wanasayansi wameamua kwamba ukuaji wa polepole wakati mti ni mchanga ni sharti ili mti uishi hadi uzee ulioiva.”

- Peter Wohlleben ni mwandishi wa Ujerumani, mkulima wa misitu, na mhifadhi

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

“Young trees are so keen on growing quickly that it would be no problem at all for them to grow about 18 inches taller per season. Unfortunately for them, their own mothers do not approve of rapid growth. They shade their offspring with their enormous crowns, and the crowns of all the mature trees close up to form a thick canopy over the forest floor.

“This canopy lets only 3 percent of available sunlight reach the ground and, therefore, their children’s leaves. Three percent—that’s practically nothing. With that amount of sunlight, a tree can photosynthesize just enough to keep its own body from dying. There’s nothing left to fuel a decent drive upward or even a thicker trunk. And rebellion against this strict upbringing is impossible, because there’s no energy to sustain it.

“Upbringing? you ask. Yes, I am indeed talking about a pedagogical method that ensures the well-being of the little ones. And I didn’t just come up with the term out of the blue—it’s been used by generations of foresters to refer to this kind of behavior....

“The method used in this upbringing is light deprivation. But what purpose does this restriction serve? Don’t [tree] parents want their offspring to become independent as quickly as possible?

“Trees, at least, would answer this question with a resounding no, and recent science backs them up. Scientists have determined that slow growth when the tree is young is a prerequisite if a tree is to live to a ripe old age.

- Peter Wohlleben is a German author, forester, and conservationist.

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Kuhusu (About):

KISWAHILI

Peter Wohlleben (anayeishi) ni mkulima wa msitu mashuhuri wa Ujerumani ambaye ana mbinu isiyo ya kawaida ya kilimo cha misitu. Yeye ni mwandishi ambaye anaandika juu ya mandhari ya ikolojia na ni mtetezi mwenye shauku wa uhifadhi wa miti. Yeye ndiye mwandishi wa The Hidden Life of Trees (2016).

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Peter Wohlleben (living) is a notable German forester who has an unconventional approach to silviculture. He is an author who writes on ecological themes and is a passionate advocate for tree conservation. He is the author of The Hidden Life of Trees (2016).

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KISWAHILI: Asante na tutaonana tena,

Mmerikani

ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Thank you and may we see each other again,

Mmerikani

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Chanzo (source): Wohlleben, Peter. The Hidden Life of Trees. Book translation by Jane Billinghurst. Vancouver, Berkeley: Greystone Books, 2016, pages 32-33. Kindle Edition.