Tree Challenge: Chiang Mai Invites You To Join Forces

Ian Ord and Travel Massive Chiang Mai promote responsible tourism through community events. For everymember at every Travel Massive event in Chiang Mai, a tree will be planted. 

Community is often the first word that comes to mind when asking a TM Insider what Travel Massive means to them. Being part of a community means breaking down barriers – social, cultural, business competitor, and even environmental!

Promoting Responsible Tourism has always been a core value within Travel Massive, so much so that there a new Responsible Tourism Networking chapter online. With the fundamentals of the Triple Bottom Line (Profitability, while benefiting the People, and the Planet), we must consider the future impact of travel and tourism in order for it to be sustainable.

This was the pillar of the founding of the Travel Massive Chiang Mai chapter. Every meet-up consists of an underlying tone of practical and transferrable skills amongst the members to better both the local community and the environment, through responsible practices and ideas.

One of Chiang Mai’s local community members spoke at TEDx Chiang Mai on an initiative he had. Pharadon “Opor” Phonamnuai had travelled the world and realized that there was a direct correlation between the planet, and the culture which occupied it. Upon returning to Chiang Mai, he noticed that the annual crop burnings (an old practice to re-fertilize the soil, by slashing and burning the old crops post harvest) were causing massive air pollution. Of course, this was not something which added to any beauty of Chiang Mai or the wonderful culture that lives there.

So why was there a disconnect?

After speaking with a chief of a nearby hill tribe, he learned something interesting. The close relation they had to nature was instilled in them since birth. Once you no longer get your life force from your mother’s womb, it is the trees which you will depend on. This simple concept was so profound, he wanted to learn more on how people from the cities could “find their roots” with nature again. The answer was even more simple than the concept. The wise chief told him:

“Plant some trees, right where you are”

Over the past year, this concept has become a mantra for Opor, as he has travelled across Thailand spreading this message to get people involved. By planting a tree, and caring for it, you become even more connected to your local community! Every day you see the tree, you know that is there because of you, and it is helping clean the air you and your neighbours breathe. In just a few months, he was able to plant 5,000 trees in Chiang Mai alone!

This message resonated so much with Ian Ord, founder of Where Sidewalks End, and chapter leader of Chiang Mai, that he wanted to find a way to have the local Travel Massive community take part.

For every event that happens in Chiang Mai, a tree will be planted in honour of every member that attends!

Being part of a much larger community of travel industry professionals, however, we hope to extend this idea beyond Chiang Mai. Opor has decided that in the tradition of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, he would organize his own challenge to the world.

On June 18th, there will be a world-wide event:

#Jun18TreeChallenge: We encourage every chapter, and every insider to get involved!

The concept is simple: Plant a tree, right where you are!

We would love to see how many forests worth of trees we’re able to plant on a single day. And if you or your chapter is interested, by all means take the lead and “branch out” to form your own tree planting initiative with each of its members.

It should be noted that many cities have their own forestry department which likes (or needs) to know about this type of initiative, so please make sure you have their approval first.

Be part of something massive. Help create a “deep-rooted” community for all generations to come.