Lanterns reveal scale of Echo Wood living trees artwork

The scale of a new living trees artwork has been revealed by an installation of hundreds of lanterns.

Echo Wood, between Bristol and Bath, is the latest project by artist Luke Jerram who created a giant Earth artwork which toured the country.

When finished, Echo Wood will feature 365 different species of trees planted in a circular pattern. The permanent installation at the centre of the new Lower Chew Forest in Compton Dando, will encircle an events space it is hoped will be used for generations.

“It’s really exciting – you really get a sense of the sort of the curving nature of the archways and entrance ways into the artwork and you get a sense of the scale of it as well,” said Jerram.

Known internationally for his large-scale installations like the Museum of the Moon, as well as introducing pianos in public places, the Bristol-based artist told the BBC: “I really like making artwork that leaves space for other people to be creative.”

He added: “Echo Wood is an artwork just like that – it’s both this installation artwork but also an event space that people can activate in the coming years.

“When you leave space for other people to be creative, that’s when things get really interesting.”

Created by the charity Avon Needs Trees, the Lower Chew Forest will be a 420-acre site on Wick Farm containing more than 100,000 new trees and shrubs.

The organisation said it wants to boost woodland cover in the so-called Bristol Avon catchment. which it says is just 7.8% compared to the national average of 13.2%, and improve biodiversity

“I’ve been making artwork that communicates the issues of the climate crisis and thinks about climate change quite a lot, but this is the first time I’ve created a project that will physically do something about it,” said Jerram.

The 365 lanterns used to show the shape and scale of the project were created by 12 community groups from the local area, who decorated them with nature-inspired patterns.

“It’s incredible to think that our children will grow with the artwork and that it will still be around when they’re parents themselves, or even grandparents,” said Warrick Barton, head teacher of Pensford Primary School where pupils took part in creating the lanterns.

Members of the public have been asked to get involved in the project by sponsoring a tree, which Jerram said meant they would “get to leave a message for the future generations or [their] ancestors”.