WATCH: 'Dreaming Trees' to light up local park

Thursday 02 February 2023

Howard Davis Park will be transformed using light and sound later this month as part of a new park illuminations event aiming to encourage islanders to get outside this winter.

‘Dreaming Trees’ will take place during half-term, with trees throughout the park lit up each evening whilst 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 winter months, the Dreaming Trees project also hopes to explain more about international scientific research which explores how trees communicate and share resources.

The unique lighting and soundscape have been inspired by the work of Dr Suzanne Simard, leader of The Mother Tree Project and author of Finding the Mother Tree, whose scientific research has demonstrated how trees communicate over a ‘Wood Wide Web’.

Pictured: Images sent in by local children will also be projected onto the recently refurbished Howard Davis Hall. (Rob Currie)

Bruce Labey, Senior Operations Manager of Parks, Gardens and Cleaning Services said: “The aim of the 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.”

Pictured: “The aim of the Dreaming Trees is to get people to look at trees in a new light, literally." (Government of Jersey)

Catherine Taylor, Chief Operations Officer of Rathbones Investment Management International, added: “We were delighted that our tree-planting in collaboration with St George’s Preparatory school and the Parks and Gardens team on the Railway Walk and in Coronation Park had caught the attention of Bruce Labey. 

“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 18:00-21:00 every evening from Sunday 12 February until Sunday 19 February. 

More information is available online at gov.je/dreamingtrees.