By: Devy Suradji
Landing in the new airport of Kuala Namu, North Sumatra, brings a new sensation: a new airport with an existing function, just like WWF in North Sumatra. WWF was present years ago for the research of Orangutan Habitat and now present for reforestation of Samosir through the effort of making Samosir Botanical Garden. 100 hectares of open space that has been allocated for the Samosir Botanical Garden, and WWF starts with 4,000 trees in approximately 10 hectares. With the help of Bank Mestika Dharma that is willing to kick start 2,000 trees in Samosir Botanical Garden, 2,000 other trees can be planted by individual all over the world through MyBabyTree Program (www.mybabytree.org).

The uniqueness of the MyBabyTree Program in Samosir is that there will be 54 types of Sumatra vegetation planted. This is the highest variety of trees planted in either a NEWtrees or MyBabyTree Program. The Samosir project of MyBabyTree and NEWtrees is also dedicated to educate the public through Google Earth and WWF the varieties of trees endemic or local to Sumatra. It is a wish that this Samosir Botanical Garden will show the biodiversity of Sumatra through its collection of trees ranging from Bukit Barisan and North Sumatra vegetation.

Aside from educating public online on the heritage of Sumatra vegetation, the trees are expected to also be a source for water catchment and help the people living in the upper hills of Samosir who are fighting for water. It is an irony for Samosir to be surrounded by water but the people on the hills of Samosir face water scarcity.

Planting can have many meanings; MyBabyTree Program has been established to bring water back in Rinjani, give home to Orangutan in Sebangau, even to preserve water through Water Catchment Areas of Ciliwung for Jakarta and Pagerwojo for Surabaya, and education and water for Samosir. The success of MyBabyTree depends on the individuals that care to give and help as these areas cannot sustain themselves. The more public lends their helping hands the more trees that WWF can be planted through The MyBabyTree Program. So please don't wait, join us to help give life through a tree in MyBabyTree.