The contemporary society has brought us from the land to the city, from sensorial experiences into the world of facts. The implicit pull towards nature is present, but our relation can stay rather careful and superficial, mainly focused on the visual sense of the beautiful landscape.
Throughout the human evolution we have slowly separated ourselves from nature, and instead of co-existing, we are now dominating and exploiting it. When sensorial knowledge and stories of natural environments are disappearing from our society, how can we re-interpret our connection with nature today?
Forest Archive is an online archive experience, a digital environment for sharing personal connections and stories about forests. The viewer can wander around the map and get access to practical information about various forests around the world, as well as read or listen to a personal story connected with a mentioned place. Each forest on the map is represented by a local forest ambassador, who is taking the viewer on an audio-visual walk throughout which we discuss the meaning and importance of nature in their lives. The ambassadors are a human link to the information, history and culture within our experience of nature, and the stories they tell serve as an informative tool, giving the viewer alternative ways of immersing themselves in the forests.
Through digitalising the forest and creating an interface for walking in nature, Forest Archive aims at helping people understand the value of existing together with nature and re-discovering their intuitive connection with it.
The forestarchive.earth platform consists of interviews and filmed forest walks.
The forest ambassadors talk about their connection with the surrounding nature, how they arrived to the mentioned place and how they foresee the future between humans and nature. They are normal people, just like us, experts in their own experience. I found that sharing these personal stories is a way to make individual experiences and perspectives into an example of finding more harmony with nature – it is extremely interesting to ‘go to nature’ with people who sense it differently than you would, and let them guide your attention.
The forest ambassadors talk about their connection with the surrounding nature, how they arrived to the mentioned place and how they foresee the future between humans and nature. They are normal people, just like us, experts in their own experience. I found that sharing these personal stories is a way to make individual experiences and perspectives into an example of finding more harmony with nature – it is extremely interesting to ‘go to nature’ with people who sense it differently than you would, and let them guide your attention.
© Hannah Segerkrantz 2020