Helping us find our inner arbor
by Jordan Bartel | April 22, 2008 at 6:00 am
Posted in b the paper, baltimore news, the paper
Photo by Brian Krista
From today’s b, the paper
Right now, flanking rowhomes and resting high above busy city streets, 200 new trees are growing strong in Baltimore.
The trees speak in words, bright colors and brighter imagery. “Remember Your Roots,” they say; “Trees Help Baltimore Breathe” they urge. Some of the trees take different forms: floating umbrellas, sky-high power lines, a green apple marked as “Artifact No. 34569.”
The trees are actually banners, part of Baltimore: The Urban Forest Project, an outdoor art installation promoting environmental sustainability in the city. On view through June 28 and promoted through various city events, the banners, made by students, artists and businesses, will soon evolve. They’ll be made into tote bags and T-shirts, with all proceeds benefiting TreeBaltimore, Mayor Sheila Dixon’s Greener Baltimore initiative that seeks to double Baltimore’s tree canopy within 30 years as well as promote environmental education initiatives.
Baltimore’s not quite the urban forest many want it to be. But with programs like this, it may be on its way.
“That’s the wonderful thing about young people,” said 27-year-old E. Rachael Baird, co-owner of the Tilt Studio Foundation, which initiated the project. “We think in outer space. We think everything is possible, and we went in with that mindset.”
When Baird, along with business partner Jessica Pegorsch, 28, and Tilt Studio designer Danny Jones, 22, first approached city officials, the plan called for artists and students to contribute. But officials foresaw a widespread community effort and pointed Baird, Pegorsch and Jones to the Baltimore Department of Recreation and Parks. They refocused, and the project, inspired by a program that originated in New York City, took on a more collaborative feel, becoming part of the TreeBaltimore initiative and working with the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts and businesses such as Comcast. More than 450 local artists eventually came together for the project, including local kindergarten through 12th-graders who made 267 banners, with 150 displayed in three city parks and the rest online.
Maryland Institute College of Art senior Emily Addis first heard about the Urban Forest Project during class. Originally skeptical — she didn’t quite see how producing totebags would help — Addis signed on when she made the connection between the project and TreeBaltimore. The result was her banner, emblazoned with the words “Live and Let Live,” something of a personal mantra.
“Being green is now really trendy, and that’s actually getting really tired and boring,” said Addis, 21, a graphic design major. “We needed something to freshen it out.”
Throughout the next few months, several weekend events at local parks will highlight the goals of the Urban Forest Project. But even after that last banner is rolled back up June 28 in a closing exhibition, Tilt Studio will continue its mission of promoting environmental sustainability through various art and design efforts, including a line of green consumer projects.
“We’ll be moving forward,” Jones said. “But our plans will never stop.”
Jordan Bartel is an assistant editor for b. Contact him at jordan@bthesite.com
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:12 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
For those of us who have lived in our homes for any number years know, we’ve been paying more and more property taxes almost every year.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:02 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
"Baltimore’s not quite the urban forest many want it to be. But with programs like this, it may be on its way."
If they could do this, and maybe add some more inner city parks, this would be a great thing for Baltimore.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:11 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
The city used to be blanketed in Elm trees prior to the use of A/C units and the devastation brought about by Dutch Elm's Disease. There are now disease resistant varieties of Elm trees available that grow incredibly quickly and could provide tremendous amounts of shade and conserved energy within one generation or less.
TreeBaltimore's goal of 40% in 40 years, wow, I hope I live long enough to see that happen!