HOWARD Davis Park will be transformed using light and sound later this month during Jersey’s first park illuminations event.
Dreaming Trees will take place during half-term, with trees throughout the park lit up each evening while images sent in by local children are projected onto the recently refurbished Howard Davis Hall.
As well as encouraging more Islanders to explore the park during the colder months, the project aims to explain more about international scientific research, exploring how trees communicate and share resources.
The unique lighting and soundscape have been inspired by the work of Dr Suzanne Simard, whose scientific research has demonstrated how trees communicate over a ‘Wood Wide Web’.
The event is being organised by the department for Infrastructure, Housing and Environment, in association with the Creative Island Partnership and sponsored by Rathbones Investment Management International.
Bruce Labey, senior operations manager of parks, gardens and cleaning services, said: ‘The aim of Dreaming Trees is to get people to look at trees in a new light, literally.
‘The science that has been published over the last 20 years about how trees communicate, react intelligently and look after each other is truly spectacular and we wanted to draw attention to that in a fun way.
‘Ahead of the illuminations, we have provided schools with free learning packs linked to the local curriculum to share the latest mind-boggling research findings.
‘Trees are so important to all of our futures but especially to children.’
Catherine Taylor, chief operations officer of Rathbones Investment Management International, added: ‘The Dreaming Trees concept was imaginative, and we were excited to be invited to sponsor an event which would be illuminating both in terms of the spectacle designed for Howard Davis Park, but also in the creative input to the school curriculum in Jersey.’
The Dreaming Trees illuminations will run between 6pm and 9pm every evening from Sunday 12 until Sunday 19 February.
More information is available online at gov.je/dreamingtrees.
