Down By The Riverside – Jack Gescheidt, Tree Spirit Project

Jack Gescheidt – tree-lover, photographer, artist – uses his photographs to publicize forests at risk in his Tree Spirit Project. He calls for volunteers who pose naked among the trees, and makes a beautiful and telling picture. (The website has a gallery of pictures from forests and trees – the thumbnail  here is an example.)

From his website:

“The mission of The TreeSpirit Project is:

• To share the love of trees and nature in community gatherings, and in the resulting photographs;
• To heighten people’s felt connection to the natural world;
• To encourage and inspire people to express these feelings in their own unique way;
• To raise awareness of the critical roles trees play in our lives, both globally and personally.  Trees play an essential role in creating and maintaining life-sustaining earth, air, and water.  By their very presence, trees also enrich our daily lives in numerous, inexplicable, and profound ways.    –  Jack Gescheidt, 2013

“Although the making of each TreeSpirit image is a unique and unpredictable experience, being among trees and feeling connected to them is an ancient, reliable alchemy.  Humans and trees have been connected, interdependent, for thousands of years, and still are.  In practical, scientific terms, we need trees to survive as a species.”

Last Saturday, July 6th, the Tree Spirit Project came to Mount Sutro Forest. This was the announcement:

We weren’t there, but we understand the event was peaceful and beautiful. Despite some concerns about conflicts, it all went well.

‘HERE TO STAY’

It certainly was dramatic. The photograph below, entitled ‘Here to Stay’ is published with permission. (Please contact Jack Gescheidt if you wish to reproduce it.)

Here to Stay – Jack Gescheidt, Tree Spirit Project

We’d like to thank Tree Spirit Project for caring about this forest, and for spreading the word.

SIGN THE PETITION

There are still people who don’t know about the destructive UCSF Plan that could fell over 90% of the trees and mow down 90% of the understory in 3/4 of the forest, and potentially use gallons of toxic herbicides to prevent regrowth. Though the implementation has been delayed by a year to late summer 2014, it is only a delay, not a withdrawal of the project.

If you want to oppose this Plan, please sign the petition:

If you want to help further, please write to the decision-makers and ask them to re-think this Plan: The Regents of the University of California; UCSF Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellman; and Governor Jerry Brown (who is also a Regent). Details here: What You Can Do.