Message from the Founder

We are one with Nature. Unfortunately we have fallen into a state of disconnection both with Nature and ourselves. We are experiencing extreme weather patterns and are mostly aware that our climate crisis is a man-made disaster.

Personally I have lived through a devastating war between Iran and Iraq in the early 80’s. Then I was involved in an even more demoralising experience of re-living through most wars of the last century in the late 80’s. I was shattered. I needed to recollect and re-make myself anew to become whole again. I did this by engaging in artist and creative processes. As a glass artist I made mosaic angels. They showed me the way to my joy.

I recovered myself to stand again for life. I think this is something everyone can do no matter how broken. We can recover our oneness with Nature.

Now we need to stand with and for Nature together. Rewilding as a practical way forward to heal our ecosystems and our communities is a way that needs to become mainstream and global. Each one of us can be an earth-healer in our own ways.

As an earth-healer we need to become indigenous, to belong to the land. A healing path is born out of our relationship, our love for the land.

Trees for Hope origin story

I grew up by the Caspian Sea and the Hyrcanian Forests in Northern Iran. Through the 70’s and early 80’s I traveled in Iran with my family. I remembered a joy of life that belongs to the kingdom of childhood, and a healthy land that belongs to intact ecosystems. I emigrated from Iran to Japan in 1984 with my family. We left a war-torn country to seek better opportunities for our futures.

I then returned to Iran for a visit in 2000. Having lived abroad for a while had given me a perspective to witness the acute desolation of our environment, the social fabric, and personal wellbeing of the people. I felt deeply touched and moved by the suffering I experienced in the land.

Trees for Hope has been coming into being

After my initial return visit to Iran, I decided to reach deeply into my resources, to connect with teachers and organisations around the world who have been active to heal the land, so I could create a resource and network for the people in my native land to tap into to recover the land and heal their lives. Gradually Trees for Hope has been coming into being with this purpose. I moved to live in Findhorn Ecovillage in 2013.

Since this move, my focus for Trees for Hope has become sharper. Over the last 9 years I have been building a network with a global body of allies who have been supporting the growth of Trees for Hope towards its aim to rewild the Fertile Crescent. Being rooted in the Findhorn Community has helped me to grow and connect with numerous allies, such as the Gaia Education, Global Ecovillage Network, Trees for Life, WILD, LUSH, Cana Foundation, Climate Change and Consciousness Community, Humanity Rising, and many more.

a journey towards rewilding ourselves and our ecosystems has begun

Trees for Hope is connecting and growing with local communities and networks in the Fertile Crescent, such as the Ecosystem Restoration Communities. A journey towards rewilding ourselves and our ecosystems has begun. I feel I am a part of this movement. Deeper down, I feel it is life itself that is guiding me, and the network to form, to connect, to dissolve, and to heal and reveal. We are responding to the desire and the intelligence of life in its essence.