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Bee Field Projects

 

Our Bee field project is plural now. We have expanded our nature regenerative initiative to a bigger land and much damage soil. We bought 26 hectares of farm land and of course we are going to plant more trees, hopefully do a meadow and series of ponds, experiment with garden forestry and picnics!. Here some pictures:

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Plants that make us: The sense to be  

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The plants are the fabric of life, the breath of every living being. They are makers of atmosphere which connect us and make us belong to the world. Emanuele Coccia mentioned in his book The life of plants: "…It is already by existing that plants modify the world globally without even moving, without beginning to act. “To be” means, for them to make the world…reciprocally, to construct (our) world, to make world is only a synonym of “to be”.

Plants, trees do not have eyes, hands, mouths or move by themselves. However, in a different way than us, they are conscious of their surroundings and react to them. They do have the right, a place to be and we should respect it. Besides these, we seldom think of them as beings, they are more like “things” we use or transform into ornaments or possessions. Here they are to serve us. Their life span and rhythms are different from us. From our prospective, they may look like passive element of the landscape, moving and depending on external forces, but the reality is quite different. Trees, as example, are active and dynamic and are an unconditional importance in our ecosystem. They transform energy, light to life, their delicate leaves are the makers of the air that a baby breathes for the first time and all animal’s lives from the beginning to the end. Plants they construct the world from the primordial soup and the atmosphere. These organisms make the space and the right conditions where we are all link and belong…and not only that. Herman Hesse wrote: “In their highest boughs the world rustles, their roots rest in infinity; but they do not lose themselves there, they struggle with all the force of their lives for one thing only: to fulfil themselves according to their own laws, to build up their own form, to represent themselves… Nothing is more exemplary than a beautiful, strong tree.” We have much to learnt.  We all agreed, they need to be preserved, but as well, they have their own right to be, and to be here, to share their time/space with us and us with them... No, taking into account that, we depend on them! Considering essential life details… from climate to the food in our table, including the table.

 

I have visited many site from the National Trust and English Heritage. One of the things that always impressed me is the beauty of their gardens and the most amazing wood lands in the states around the grand houses. It is interesting that the reason that the ancient trees are still standing is because are protected by the house. In an era where climate change is so important and relevant, these trees should and are as vital as other heritage. UK is the country in Europe with less woodland but with the most ancient trees. These trees are imprint of history, an archaeological living past, present and future. 

 What about the rest, what about the trees they left without a state manor to protect them? The soil where these trees are, is equally important for their health and longevity. Is it any apparel with a society that sometimes forgets the “unprotect”? Is it really a question of universal protection with all trees, wood lands above certain ages and the soil should be saved? Or If you make it… you may be okay! but if you do not, we chop you of! Jokes apart; Ancient or not, forests and trees are in danger. Trees are bursting out for survival and their hidden charm roots, bark, leaves and branches are full of character, endurance and uniqueness. The plants and trees are like a theatre that create the light and shadows and they are never the same. Everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy, to appreciate and to connect.

What it makes an ancient wood land? borrowed a definition form the Wood land trust “Ancient woods are areas of woodland that have persisted since 1600 in England and Wales, and 1750 in Scotland. This is when maps started to be reasonably accurate so we can tell that these areas have had tree cover for hundreds of years. They are relatively undisturbed by human development. As a result, they are unique and complex communities of plants, fungi, insects and other microorganisms.” They are an irreplaceable ecosystem with a biodiversity that goes back thousands of years and essential part of the landscape. 

The project I am developing has these premises as principles, taking a step back from anthropocentrism and looking our surroundings as belong to them.

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 Plants that make us: The sense to be is a series of micro projects that interconnect together and feed from each other:

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• In the first stages, the micro project consists in: research and locations. When I find out more about trees and plants. I would like to know more from a scientific perspective and look at the trees with a different angle, try to capture their personality, the magical of these ancient living beings and the not so ancient, the ordinary and the daily details of living trees in an urban space. There is a place for all. I would like to do a research in different cities, show places where trees have present or being there. Notice the existence of the trees in a place, perhaps light them up, as they need to be seemed proud, a refuge and being that transforms what their surroundings, what we all surround. A solitary tree in a corner, that perhaps ignore, but that it is always there, and it is time to notice and respect. Feel the sound it makes, the creatures they attract, including us. I would like to express the transcendental experience, as well as their daily adventure of lonely survival of a city tree. The endurance of the trees. 

 

• Other branch of the project is more related with education. I am a freelance art facilitator; I would like to do a series of family-oriented workshops (family bubbles with current covid-19 restrictions) with the theme of trees and plants. What do they mean to you? What is your own relationship with the natural world? With the plants and trees that you see every day? Do you notice them? Is it any? Do you have any plants at home? Do you know their name, can you identify them? Do they have a name? In London has parks and trees in a lot of streets, but there are many places that need to be greener and protected. The ones who never go and see and ancient tree from the National Heritage, bring these trees to them. I would like to share with the young and not so young, the appreciation what the green surroundings gives to us, encourage to plant trees, as individuals, to develop a green space or be part of an ecological group or make one. Forest are a haven and a saviour of lockdowns and daily life, a place to relief your anxieties and feel better, a sensorial place that inspire fairy tales, stories and respect. The act of hugging a tree maybe seems a bit childish but it is an act of preservation and protection, that it can go both ways. The atmosphere created by plants and trees is the way we breath and connect to the world. The interiorization, automatic essential movement of life is possible because of these green beings. I would like to promote the ideas of “can do your little green thing” with your family, friends and/ or yourself, reduce your footprint of pollution as legacy, leave tree, a plant… Create a beautiful inspiring and experiential art installation with them, that will encourage just to do that: enjoy the trees, the natural world, to feel that you belong there, here. Asking yourself, how and what does it like to be a tree?  when was last time that you have been in a forest? And what does it make you feel?  Do you miss it? and the idea that you are part of nature, and trees belong to your world, and you to their world. We are all the same, not alien passive things, that we can chop to make tables and chairs.

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• The more personal part of the project is related to a humble family rewilding project, in small field 7.8 acres South Cambridgeshire near a Nature Reserve. We called “Bee field”. The field is magical, and there are a lot of grass, water and noticeably young trees, planted around 2018. I am already started to record some of the process of changing, of the place and its green inhabitants, their straggle and patient, their need of light, water and win. They are carving by time and the uncontrolled elements that are not ours. The beauty of the older willow trees that fences the field contrasts with their much younger residents, almost without leaves. There is high grass, pending with the wins, that hide the snakes, big spiders, insets, nets and rodents. They are a lot of creatures flying; electric blue dandy flies, dragonflies, shiny cardinal beetles, coming and going of different birds…We go, walk, do picnics, sleep and plant more trees and seeing bugs. We are trying to do a pond-lake, with spades and boots…that water overflows. We absolute love it, we belong there like the kestrels, owls and herons.  It was our salvation from the lockdown. I must confess with our good intentions we do not have many clues what or how to do the rewilding. We are learning ad hoc, which is a fun challenge. Our field is for everyone in the future. 

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•  Other side of Plants that make us: The sense to be which feeding from the micro projects. It is capturing some of the ancient trees of the manor state, our little project in “Bee field”, and trees in urban areas, not in contrast but in combination. Show the textures and the patterns, the shade and light of their micro cosmos. The atmospheric and theatrical landscape, the gap that the fulfil in the cities and in the ordinary places.

 

• Plants that make us: The sense to be It is a complex adventure, and I am also applying to do a part time course in horticulture which I hope to help me to understand more our plant world and answer many questions and formulate more. With these micro projects I can carry on with working in the theme of time and nature, combine my passions for art, nature and education and doing something, environmental relevant and meaningful to society.  I cannot do it by myself. I would like to collaborate with people and I need the back up !!If you want to join contact me!