r/sfwtrees

Hi everyone! I am looking to connect with people who are passionate about restoring our native Philippine forests. I am planning to start a Rainforestation project on a plot of land in northern Leyte and I want to do it right.

Instead of a typical monoculture tree planting, the goal is to use the VSU/GTZ methodology: planting exclusively native and endemic species (like Lauan, Narra, Yakal, and native fruit trees) to create a self-sustaining, multi-layered forest ecosystem.

I am looking for people who want to collaborate on:

🌲 Sourcing & Seedlings: Finding local mother trees, collecting wildlings, or sourcing from native nurseries.

🗺️** Site Pl**anning: Designing the three-storied canopy layout and clearing aggressive weeds.

🤝 Community/Hands-on Help: Getting dirty on the ground when planting season starts.
Whether you are a professional forester, an environmental student, a local landowner, or just someone tired of seeing greenwashed commercial tree-plantings, I would love to chat!

If you’re interested, drop a comment below or send me a DM with:
- Your general location or background.
- Any experience you have with native trees (beginners are absolutely welcome too!).
- How you'd like to get involved.

Let’s bring back the native Philippine rainforests together! 🌦️🌳✨

In the city of Chicago, this is a Skyline Honeylocust. Planted in the "parkway" (area between sidewalk and street). It was planted as a 15+ foot tall sapling by city forestry workers 2.5 summers ago. I added the paving stones and got grass to grow last summer. I water ~2x week during non-cold months.

Sadly, I think the south side (right in the image) of the tree got freeze dieback during its first winter. but I have not pruned as websites say not to. All leaves and growth for past 2 years has been on the north (left) side. Note in the image with the stake how you can easily see the branches that are bare on that side. No fungus on the trunk though, no bumps, so no indication of rot or canker. It looks like a healthy tree except branches on the south don't bud/leaf.

4 weeks ago we had high winds and rain. After the storms, the tree started permanently leaning to the north (the leafy side, left in the image) and making things worse, leaves (when dry or when covered with water during rain) are heavy and make it lean even more.

It seems that the more leaves it grows on the north, the more it leans north.

So I have staked it to vertical for the past 3+ weeks. I intend to leave it staked for rest of summer season.

I'm no expert, just a guy who wants a healthy and relatively vertical tree in front of his house.

Do the experts here have further suggestions? Should I stake it past vertical to overcorrect? Should I move the stake lower or higher (this height seemed to work best to achieve vertical due to leaf weight). Any other tools that I wouldn't think of that could be suggested?: chemicals, playing music, stopping dogs from doing dog-things to the tree?

I'd prefer to save it rather than try to replace... as replace will be difficult and expensive out of pocket cost, but I would accept "you're screwed, rip-and-replace" if a couple of bona fide experts told me that.

TIA to all experienced and knowledgeable folks that try to help.

https://preview.redd.it/vvf1o6w89bah1.png?width=644&format=png&auto=webp&s=49203af79efe3bc8d1567a8244189df7e715f391

https://preview.redd.it/y7czvd3m9bah1.png?width=649&format=png&auto=webp&s=2a3df196d823da4f5696ef0c9203c52915fb590a

Hey, no clue if this is a group that could shed some insight…but as the title suggests, there’s a plot (3 total but all nearly touching) with 42 acres of mixed woods now that was forested hard without much thought probably 10-15yrs ago. It’s in early succession with birch, beech, young white pine…stuff you’d expect. But not a lick of mature hardwood left. It does have older white pines that hug a meadow with a pond dammed by beavers. Otherwise it’s topographically unremarkable. It is surrounded by other plots pretty flush with mature forest. Thoughts on the value of owning such land? Worth picking it up to mindfully caretake into a healthy plot? I’d entertain opening a few acres at this point for a wild field for diversity. MAYBE try to reestablish old wild blueberries(??) thanks!