On the 19th and 20th of April, during the Easter holidays, Abbess Manshin of FGS NZ led 30 BLIA North Island NZ members and BLIA YAD Auckland in a tree-trimming initiative at Baverstock Oaks School to celebrate World Earth Day. Under the Abbess’s guidance, the team spent two days pruning and revitalising the school’s overgrown trees, enhancing the beauty of the grounds.
Before the activity began, the Abbess shared teachings from the Founding Master, Venerable Master Hsing Yun, reminding participants that nature, its mountains, rivers, trees and flowers, is deeply connected to our lives. Abbess emphasised that World Earth Day is not merely about environmental action, but a practice of compassion. Cultivation is inseparable from daily life, so caring for the Earth expresses our vows. Through pruning trees, we symbolically cut away inner defilements, plant right views in our consciousness and nurture a purified mind and purposeful life.
This initiative traces back to 2020, when Baverstock Oaks Deputy Principal Andrew raised concerns about students playing behind dense, overgrown trees, posing a safety hazard. FGS Auckland offered to assist with tree trimming, significantly improving the safety and cleanliness of the school grounds, which the school appreciated. Five years later, Deputy Principal Andrew once again reached out, and under the leadership of Abbess Manshin, the team returned for another round of tree trimming. Over two days, large piles of trimmed branches and logs were collected, totalling five truckloads, which were transported to green waste stations.
President Yulin KU of the BLIA North Island Chapter stated that World Earth Day is a practice requiring consistent action. Whether caring for school grounds or preserving natural spaces, each effort reflects compassion. Subchapter 3 President Anita CHU emphasised that environmental care starts with daily habits, and every small act can yield significant results for the earth. YAD member Ashley noted this was her first time gardening with the Temple and felt the profound impact of collective effort, a valuable lesson in teamwork.
BLIA members embody the spirit of Giving taught by the Founder, Venerable Master Hsing Yun. Through their dedicated community service, they exemplify the values of the Three Acts of Goodness and Four Givings, contributing to the purification of the communities and the cultivation of a Pure Land within each heart.
