Name: Taslima Yasmin
Volunteer Since: 2023
Roles: Community Tree Specialist, Celebration Forest Committee
Why do I volunteer with ReForest London?
I moved to London at the beginning of this year, and it felt a little lonely trying to navigate life in a new place. I was looking for a community, and decided to look for volunteering events online. That’s how I came to know about ReForest London, and I am so glad that I did.
What is a fond memory?
My fondest memory from volunteering was being part of the Celebration Forest event planning team. I always knew the science behind the importance of trees, but to see how trees could also be a celebration of life and legacy, and a powerful symbol of life’s journey was emotional and humbling. I also made some friends at the event!
What excites you most about working with trees or in the environmental sector?
The cause and change that ReForest works for is a crucial one these days. As we have seen with the recent wildfires in various places, trees are necessary to prevent such impacts of climate change, and maintain ecological balance. ReForest passionately works towards making “our” lives better and safer, and it’s the main reason why I keep going back to volunteer with them as much as I can!
Which part of the volunteer experience do you enjoy the most and why?
ReForest team is so friendly and welcoming, it is always a pleasure working with them. I mostly enjoy the tree giveaway events where I particularly like to learn names of new trees, ways to identify them and other facts about them not just from the ReForest staff, but also from those who come to take the trees. It’s always interesting to hear about the different perspectives that they bring from their experiences with trees. At one such event, we met someone who showed us a picture of his backyard that was full of trees from ReForest!
Thank you Taslima!