Kinari Webb, Co-founder of Health in Harmony, recently just launched her new book, Guardians of the Trees. When I went to Borneo in 2012 and met Kinari while volunteering with Health in Harmony, their work blew me away.
It merged all my loves; permaculture, forest regeneration, environmental education, health care, and conservation. It was holistic and creative, and I was in awe of Kinari's and her team's work. It lit a fire within me, inspired me to keep taking the road less traveled, and continues to have a profound impact on my journey. So, when her book came out, I didn't put it down until I finished.
When Kinari first traveled to Borneo at 21 years old to study orangutans, she was both captivated by the natural beauty and heartbroken by the environmental destruction that was taking place. After connecting with the locals, she quickly learned that human health and ecological health were directly related. To save the beloved orangutan, they would need first to understand how to help the local people.
Guardians of the Trees is about the incredible journey, spanning over two decades, to protect the Gunung Palung National Park. Health In Harmony has paved the way for others by offering medical incentives to those who lay their chainsaws down and instead protect the forests from being illegally clear cut. At the same time, this reminds us that when we listen to the trees, animals, local communities, and our hearts, we can learn how to move forward in a mutually beneficial way for all.
What the world needs most are artists, writers, musicians, creatives, entrepreneurs, environmentalists, activists, and leaders who are fearless enough to say what needs to be said in a way that can be heard, felt, and grasped to inspire us all into action.