Walk Under the Trees
About This Project
When we look at a tree we are only seeing half of the plant!
Walk Under the Trees is about adventuring underground with a bit of knowledge and a lot of imagination.
Film credit: Regula Huber @hello.happy.creation
This is an ongoing project, one of the many spawned by Underfoot.
It is adaptable to any setting with trees and for any age group so please get in touch if you’d like to Walk Under the Trees in your area.
It takes the form of a guided walk which sits somewhere between mindful, playful and scientific. As we walk and talk I encourage people to consider the soil and marvel at the microscopic and hidden ecology around the trees and beneath our feet.
Soil is one of the least understood parts of nature and only now getting the recognition it deserves (beyond academic specialists) as vital for biodiversity and climate resilience. Soil is the source of 95% of human’s food; it also provides a social, cultural and creative sense of belonging and connection to place.
Afterall, what does it mean to feel rooted?
As the journey progresses I introduce some of the characters that exist belowground and their relationships. We take time observe the patterns and interactions of aboveground animals, fungi and plants which we often wizz past without noting.
The format is informal, getting side tracked is welcomed, and everyone will be welcome to share what they know or imagine of the world underfoot.
At the end, everyone who wishes will be invited to share reflections and record or write their own soil stories, adding to the Soil Voices map and contributing to awareness of soil across the globe.
