Updated, 3:30 p.m.
Cut twine hangs off a tree this morning at Green Lake Park.
On Sunday (March 6, 2011), a local group of plant enthusiasts hung 128 hand-made “ID bracelets” on the trees around the walking path at Green Lake Park.
The “I Heart Trees!” project, headed up by Meghan Fuller, was meant to inspire and encourage visitors to the park to learn about the world around them. The project was approved by Seattle Parks and Recreation.
Tree tag, Sunday, March 6, 2011. Photo courtesy Nat Rocket.
The ID tags were met with a positive response by My Green Lake readers yesterday. ”The plaques themselves are beautiful, as is the intention to bring more awareness to Seattle’s urban forest,” said reader Nancy M. “I absolutely loved the tree signs today on my walk,” agreed Jenn. “What a wonderful way to learn about so many species of trees.”
Most of the tags were still present as recently as yesterday evening. This morning, however, many were gone. In their place, cut twine now hangs from several trees.
Only about 20 tags of the original 128 could still be seen this afternoon, according to My Green Lake reader Mitch Spute.
Nat Rocket, who participated in the hanging of the tags, says that the loss of the tags is “not an easy thing to face.” More tags may be hung next year, he says, “with bike cables instead of twine.”
Thanks for the tip, Dru.
For those who took them, may we ask that you bring them back? Why ruin such a brilliant idea in this way?
Sad!
How sad. I was looking for the tags on my walk this morning and wondered why I hadn’t seen any.
I’m sad to say that I raced out to see them the day they were hung for fear this would happen, I didn’t want to miss it. I can’t imagine what purpose anyone would have for stealing them.
This is sad and distressing. Any indication how many were taken, how many are left? How many is “many”?
Hi Levi,
I haven’t walked all the way around the lake today, so I can’t confirm that they are all gone. However, all of the tags that were up yesterday on the eastern side of the lake appear to now be gone, and I have heard from a reader that they are missing from elsewhere at the park as well.
Has anyone seen a remaining tag today? If so, where?
Amy
Amy,
I saw one on yet this morning on the Birches on the NE side of the lake (“Birch Point).
But that’s the only one… sad.
-kDavid
Thanks for the update, kDavid. Very sad indeed.
Hi again,
A reader has reported that about 20 tags remain. I’ve updated the post above.
Amy
That is really distressing and disappointing. Thanks Amy (and Mitch).
It was like a mirage. Gorgeous in memory but so sad that the audience is limited to people who could see it on Sunday and Monday.
Calling on whomever took them, turn this around! Safely stash them somewhere and borrow a phone and let this blog know where they are. No questions asked. We just want to hang them back up. Be a hero or shero instead of a gig harsher.
Good idea, Nlouise. MyGreenLake would be happy to pass on the tags to the creators to be rehung, no questions asked. We can be reached at tips@mygreenlake.com or (206) 718-5801.
Unbelievable! Why are people so mean? The volunteers who made these heart tags obviously put a lot of love and effort into the project. Whoever removed them didn’t just get one (or several) for themselves, they have ruined the project for everybody. I think that they should be returned too. No questions asked if returned in original condition is my opinion.
Hello – this is Meghan Fuller, the person who put the project together. I just got home from work and heard the sad news that the signs are mostly all gone. I expected some to be stolen but certainly not all and not this quickly.
It is disappointing – the responses were overwhelmingly positive (countless happy people, at least 100+, and 1 unhappy person the day we put them up). It is unfortunate that the project couldn’t have lasted longer so that more people could have enjoyed it before it was taken down.
I am curious as to who removed them and why – it must have been a lot of work to take all them all down and taken a good deal of time. The wood alone was a lot to carry and some required a ladder to reach. Interesting that someone could love or hate them enough to do that so quickly and aggressively.
I’d love for them to be returned not so we can rehang them and have a repeat situation, but so that some of the 30 or so participants can have a few to keep. We had a wonderful time doing the project and hanging the hearts, and I was hoping everyone who helped out could have kept at least one.
If anyone has any ideas where they went or wants to return them, no questions asked and no plans to rehang them, please contact me at meghan73@gmail.com. Thanks!
So happy that we walked Greenlake and enjoyed the tree labels. I found it interesting to know the species of trees I walk by on an almost daily basis. Please return them…
This is super sad. My heart goes out to the artists and especially the coordinator. Maybe the Greenlake Community Council and / or the Green Lake Chamber of Commerce to help raise funds for more hearts? Artists willing?
They were brilliant, caused so many people to smile and talk to others
I did get some pictures of the tags
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27996097@N04/
“Bald cyprus” was my favorite
These are wonderful pictures – thank you for sharing them!
I was in a car today, riding past the west end of Green Lake. Out of the corner of my eye I saw two women delightedly and intently looking at one of the remaining Tree Hearts, on the Empress Tree I think. I really wish whomever removed the others would engage us all in conversation. Hanging carefully crafted, community-art-project created (with private funding, no tax dollars) hearts with common and Latin names artfully hand painted sounds like a wonderful idea to the project’s instigator, me, other participants; but that is only how it sounds to us. Perhaps a “nature purist” is involved (if that is the case, this was intended as a temporary installation . . .). Perhaps it is someone feels extreme ownership of a public park and could use a refresher course in sharing . . . In the spirit of all of us getting along to the extent we can, it would be great to learn from this “wonderful opportunity for growth.”