02 February 2023
Howard Davis Park will be transformed using light and sound later this month (12-19 February) to
create Jersey’s first park illuminations event, “Dreaming Trees”.
Trees throughout the park will be lit up each evening for a week, and images sent in by local
children will be projected onto the recently refurbished Howard Davis Hall.
The aim of the Dreaming Trees project is to encourage Islanders outside and into the park this
winter, to showcase Jersey’s trees, and 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’.
Dreaming Trees is organised by the Parks and Gardens team within Infrastructure, Housing and
Environment, and is supported by the Creative Island Partnership and sponsors Rathbones
Investment Management International.
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.”
Catherine Taylor, Chief Operations Officer of Rathbones Investment Management International,
said: “Rathbones in Jersey has always supported community events, and in recent years this has
involved initiatives to support the environment. 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 from 6-9pm from Sunday 12 February until Sunday 19
February and entry is free. More information is available online.
gov.je