The origin of the Woodbridge Trees for Peace Monument was in 2017

Its motivations included:

- the low profile of peace in public education
- the evidence that global peace is becoming weaker
- the persistence and degenerating character of violence in conflicts

Its inspiration was a century of insightful progress in knowledge and understanding of peace

Its vision is to elevate the public profile of Peace alongside and above that of War

In that way peace can  – step by step - grow

For more on your part in making that happen explore the other sections of this website

In 2017 Woodbridge Town Council agreed one of its trees to be named as a tangible symbolic representation of peace – the Woodbridge Tree for Peace 2017.

In 2021 the initiative was refreshed in the wake of the Covid pandemic.  A second tree was agreed to create a Trail for Peace as the first stage of activity-based learning about peace.

In 2025 a third Tree was added in commemoration of the 1945 end of World War in Europe and concern for declining global peace. And this website was added as a foundation for further stages of peace education.

Together, the Trees, Trail and website have grown together to form a local monument as an instrument for peace, to stimulate learning with global resonances and access:

- to promote awareness and confidence in our human skills for making peace
- to support practical actions that will make peace stronger, and
- to invite participation everywhere and anywhere in understanding more about peace

Increasingly, this site will list relevant activities and steps in learning.

Conveying Gifts to Peace

Each activity carried out and each learning step taken is likely to be a Gift to Peace, adding at least to the personal peace of its maker or makers.  

In that way Peace will – step by step - grow.

For more about how it will grow see the Post in JOURNAL about The Growth of Peace

Woodbridge Trails for Peace connect the town’s Trees for Peace.

Those Trees are tangible symbols and inspiring representations of Peace. Their practical role is to promote Learning and Action that will make Peace stronger.

Many ways of adding strength to Peace are suggested by the 20th century’s ground-breaking advances in humanity’s understanding of Peace.

Globally, the United Nations Organisation (UNO) and others apply those advances successfully in some of the world’s most worrying places.

Global Peace is falling though because not all such places are accessible and even with our charitable donations UNO and others have insufficient resources to help everywhere.

The Learning and Action activities promoted by the Woodbridge Trees for Peace are simple ways of giving practical ‘grassroots’ support to UNO by reducing its workload.

And just as Learning provides enjoyment and contentment in our favourite interests, what is suggested on this site will offset personal concern about Peace with reassuring understanding and confidence.

And it's easy. As one eminent peace-maker has pointed out: “All it may take for Peace to prevail is that more of us think and talk about it more often.”

So that’s what the Trails for Peace do. They take us to places that are 'food for thought' to build our general awareness and knowledge about Peace.

The Trails are made ‘for Peace’ by ‘Points to Pause’,  to look, listen, feel and reflect, and ideally to talk about with a walking companion.

Each Point relates to one or more of the many natural human capacities (hinted at below in bold ) that are our personal 'soft tools' for day-to-day peace-making and peace-keeping.

In ways explained by modern neuroscience each thoughtful Pause will add to your inner peace.

It may even prompt a spontaneous smile of acknowledgement of a well-known but lost or forgotten ‘soft tool’.

In some places its effect may also contribute reassuringly to the peacefulness you experience there.  

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In those ways you will be giving one or more 'Gifts to Peace', with each thought, smile or other reaction making Peace a little better.

These 'Gifts to Peace' and their effects may be small. But they are not trivial. Unconsciously we receive from them additions to pleasant memories laid down in our earliest years life.

The effects are fresh building blocks and cement for a bigger personal Peace that will, in turn, strengthen what we add to Peace in our communities and further afield.

This is one of a number of Guides to walks between the Trees, walks for personal well-being as well as Learning.

The Points to Pause are indicated on the accompanying map by numbers between 1 and 31.  Numbers not listed here will appear in other versions  ( A, B or C ) of this Guide. This is version A

In Woodbridge, the Trails can be found and followed from convenient parking at locations indicated on the accompanying sketch map. Those near the Trees are in UK Postcode areas IP12 4BG and IP12 4BE. Other parking is off The Avenue in IP12 4BA, at the Railway Station or on Broom Heath in IP12 4DL

On the accompanying map the Trail starts from its Point 2. It can also be taken in shorter sections.

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The Trail’s 2-miles are in Woodbridge UK.  But if you live elsewhere and like the idea, its length, form and use could be pleasurably adapted for anywhere as ‘Your-own-town Trail for Peace’, a substantial 'Gift to Peace' to benefit your whole community.  

More details about these Trails, about Gifts to Peace, about our ‘soft tools' for Peace and about Action and Learning for Peace can be found online at  https://woodbridgetreesforpeace.co.uk

Meanwhile, take the Trail alone or with a friend, with care where ground is uneven, and special care when wet.

In any case, take the Trail with another of our big capacities for making and keeping peace – an open mind.

Enjoy the Trail with this Guide from Point 2 on the accompanying map.

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Points to Pause with Peace-related prompts for looking, thinking and talking.

Point 2 Tree for Peace 2017 – Peace – Stop, walk around outside and then under the tree’s canopy. Slowly. Imagine being in some of its silent interior spaces. Look for signs of its small inhabitants.

4 Humility – looking upstream from here we see boats that may be as old as a century, the Tidemill that has an 8 century history, a low hill on the right that hid a King’s burial 1.5 millennia ago, and river mud particles aged in millions of years. And us? ... a few years or a few score at most.             

Picture - across the Deben's harbour pool

7 Sanctuary – saltmarsh flora thrive here because they are protected from the river’s fastest stream.  

11 Vigilance – enjoy just looking. But vigilance can help Peace too, even save lives by helping us nip problems in the bud!  It can avoid  “Should’ve seen that coming!”

15  Empathy – look mid-stream here for Loder's Island. Imagine being one of the 300+ million globally who live on the waterline, as if here on Loder’s Island. Imagine having wet feet.

18 With patience here you may see doves – the symbols of peace noted in this pine plantation by others.  

20 Tranquillity – see through the hedge here how Woodbridge nestles in its calm rural setting.

23 Among the trees here acknowledge kindness in the Woodland Trust’s care, and in Dr Porter’s gift.

25 Connection – How peaceful do you feel between the fences here? For peace build bridges, not barriers.

27 Service to community – ‘Pilot’s House’ on the corner here reminds us of a public service of yesteryear

28 Tree for Peace 2021 – Peace - - see Point 2 above

29 Look with belated compassion across the lower Fen where 669 injured soldiers died in a  Napoleonic era homeland military field hospital

1 – Community provision is here for road safety.  Use it, cross safely, and smile your gratitude to waiting drivers

.Afterthought. As before . . “All it may take for Peace to prevail us for more of us to think and talk about it more often”

So maybe think, talk and act too more often with, about or in the best interest of – advocacy, an open mind, bridge-building, calm, care, community, connection, compassion, empathy, gratitude, humility, kindness, patience, peace, safety, sanctuary, service, smiles, tranquility and vigilance. 

See many of them in every tree you pass.