Project : The Tree Passports – project Nature & Science
About migration and the concept of passports through the eyes of trees
in collaboration with Kasteel Vaeshartelt, The Butterfly House, Stefan Cools and Sandra van den Beuken
From 1853 onwards, the design of the gardens on the Vaeshartelt estate developed. This involved a large number of trees from all over the world being collected in Limburg. Researching the grounds of Vaeshartelt and the history of the trees in particular, a group of first-year students came to the conclusion that the park was full of migrant trees, each with its own story.
Visiting the city archives, the students collected as much knowledge as possible on the origin of the trees and their ‘arrival’ in the Netherlands. With that knowledge, they made passports for the trees that serve as tools to explore the park and one’s knowledge. While providing the reader with some interesting facts about the trees’ history, the students raised questions on migration and the concept of passports in general.
