Roots and Shoots: Day of Peace

Griffith Park, Los Angeles, September 21st:

There are three main themes that the group addresses:
Care and concern for the environment; Care and concern for animals; Care and concern for the human community.

Each year on September 21st, in support of the United Nations International Day of Peace, Jane Goodall's Institute, Roots and Shoots, organizes gatherings all over the World to promote Peace. Giant Peace Doves are made from recycled fabrics by young people in the communities. From the high peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro to the low plains of Kansas, Peace Doves Fly, held high by hopeful hands.

Griffith Park was a perfect setting, surrounded by its beautiful trees- although it was worrying to hear that even here there are plans afoot for so-called "development".

Headed by Environmental Activists and supporters- Daryl Hannah and Pierce Brosnan and his wife Keely Shaye among others- it was a real Family day, children having a high profile. Pierce Brosnan, Keely and their two sons led the wonderful procession of about 50 Doves from among the trees. Particularly moving was a Dove surrouded by young, optimistic children carrying bunches of flowers- it is always strange and exciting that one can be moved by something which is, essentially, just an old sheet!

I will start my images with Daryl Hannah leaving the stage and later show the Brosnan Family and other children carrying their Doves- also a back view of Gwen Stefani, with her son Kingston on her knee, watching her husband Gavin Rossdale performing on stage.













Roots and Shoots

Roots:

Roots…. roots fascinate us all- children and adults. As a child I found it exciting seeing the slightly scary roots of blown-down trees in forests in Aberdeenshire which gave one an insight into the tree as a whole.

At the moment I am thinking a lot about roots in relation to myself and my relationship with Santa Monica. Previously, I felt that I was floating on the surface but- since working for Treesavers- I now feel that I have put down PHYSICAL roots here. It is a very visual feeling-not just metaphorical.

When I lived in London I used to periodically have a desperate need to “earth” myself by walking in a field and literally getting mud on my shoes; there is something similar between this and my “rooting”.

As for the actual roots of trees- just as there is infinite variety in the trees themselves, so there is in what we see on the surface; some trees just appear to be perched on the ground whereas others give a melodramatic display of tangled roots. They all engross one; they are all weird in some way.

Starting with some of the show-off surface ones: