The Conference of the Trees: Making a Statement with Greenery

Posted by Scotscape on 6th December 2021 -

The Conference of the Trees for COP26 in Glasgow was a concept that was first discussed with Es Devlin’s design team and the New York Times shortly after the Forest for Change was installed at Somerset House in June 2021.

Whilst the June timing of the Forest for Change was ideal in giving us a wide choice of trees from which to choose, Glasgow in November was much more of a challenge with limited species of hardwoods in leaf available. Es Devlin’s vision was to make a green statement with a flourishing forest and we were concerned that It wouldn’t create the right effect if none of the trees were in leaf and/or the trees were entirely coniferous.

Although the indoor setting at the venue at SW3G removed the wind challenge, it posed a heating and watering challenge, and, if we were to follow the Somerset House model, where all the trees were found homes in neighbouring boroughs, could we do the same in Glasgow at such short notice?

The logistics of the project turned out to be our greatest challenge as our team had 24 hours to build the forest in a day / night exercise including 100-ton bags full of bark mulch. 

The Chosen Trees

After careful consideration, we chose 3 nurseries (Barcham Trees, Deepdale Trees and Gavin Rhodes) and visited with Philip Jaffa of Scape design to tag the trees and large shrubs in September.

Amongst the usual suspects of cedars and pines and evergreens, we found that Pyrus callaryana 'Chanticleer' and Alnus cordata were able to hold onto their leaves for the event and that the Betula Pendula and Salix, golden twist provided just the right amount of Autumn Colour. 

197 trees and shrubs were chosen to manifest a temporary forest representing the 197 countries that have ratified the 1994 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change. 

Temperature

A balance was agreed with the SWG 3, to maintain a constant temperature, on the border of comfortable for humans, but not detrimental to tree health. The lighting was designed to create atmosphere as well as provide some ‘daylight’ for the forest. We also introduced a waterproof layer to hold irrigation run-off to avoid flooding in the venue.

Logistics

Three 8 hour shifts were needed to install the forest and bark mulch. Our incredible team worked around lighting and set builders - a mammoth challenge completed with one hour to spare!

Legacy

The event managers introduced us to Jeremy Needham a local garden designer who had been commissioned to construct a community garden a short walk away from the venue. The trees and shrubs have now been transported to this garden and will be looked after by Jeremy and his team over the Winter before getting planted in the Spring of 2022. 

As Ms. Devlin expressed, “The trees acted as non-human species bearing witness to the decisions the humans might make." We need to be able to take these ideas from the rooms at COP26 and make them immediately felt, understandable and actionable at every level,” she said.

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