Forest Ambassadors with Leonardo@Djerassi - The tale of the Blue Gum, Eucalyptus Globulus - a story of hope and unforeseen consequences.
Submitted by Gloria Florez on Monday, 07/17/2023 3:06pm
Once Upon a Time in California…
Once Upon a Time in California…
July 9, 2023 (?)
It's hard to believe that we're almost halfway through.
It seems as though we have only recently arrived.
Despite our disparate origins and experiences, there is an intangible thread connecting us (of this cohort) like a switchboard of long distance tin-can phones.
A lingering conversation from the past, waiting to be had -- longing to be heard.
I cannot help but reflect
upon the truth of the moment.
The stories unearthed into our bodies
though our feet and our hands,
A little over a week has passed since my arrival at the Leonardo@Djerassi Residency. As I began unpacking my eucalyptus forest-like installation, a question that has long intrigued me, even before departing from Australia, continues to resonate in my mind: why and how has the Australian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus Globulus) become so prevalent in California's landscape? Despite its non-native status, this tree species has deeply ingrained itself within the fabric of both California's culture and its physical environment, while also being associated with the ferocity of the state's bushfires.