A Bristol writer and environmentalist has published a book 15 years in the making, sparked by an idea to climb a tree every day for a year. The Art of Climbing Trees documents Henrik Dahle’s journey across 10 European countries, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark , Holland, and Norway – climbing 365 trees in 365 days.
The result from the half-Norwegian Henrik, is a 464-page coffee table tome is a beautifully illustrated, part travel diary, visual art project, and ecological and political manifesto. This striking debut chronicles Henrik’s immersive journey, which saw him inviting over 80 co-climbers to join him in exploring nature, civilisation, resistance, and notions of belonging.
From a Scots pine at the holocaust memorial in Berlin, to Trafalgar Square’s Christmas tree before it was felled in the forest encircling Oslo, it was while sitting in the cradle of tree branches that he interviewed his fellow climbers, with issues ranging from climate, economy, biodiversity, democracy and connection.
Interviewees included the late economist David Fleming, founders of environmental organisations Rob Hopkins, and the late Erik Dammann. Norwegian Green Party politician Hanna Marcussen; professors of both anthropology and forests; a band touring Europe by bike; an ex-gangster; a woman in need of a heart transplant, activists; artists, 44 people at once in one tree and his whole family.
The book was the result of his project called Up Trees, a challenge which Henrik said has spawned many ideas, from planting trees to offset a lifetime’s carbon footprint to coming up with forest style designs for city streets. The decision to climb trees every day for a year was made on a whim, he admits, and said “The trees nearly ruined my life, as well as remaking it”.
Several of the trees featured in the book were climbed in Bristol, where the project began. The first tree he climbed was at a children’s playground in Victoria Park, Bedminster, while on his way home one night in May 2010. Co-climbers featured in the book, local to Bristol include artist Luke Jerram, PRSC (People’s Republic of Stokes Croft) activist Chris Chalkley, education innovator Hugh Thomas, theatre actor and director Angus Barr, and many others.
Other trees were also climbed across the south west including at Glastonbury in Somerset, Sidmouth and Totnes in Devon – where he met Rob Hopkins, co-founder of Transition Network and of Transition Town Totnes. Treyarnon Bay on the north coast of Cornwall was also a port of call for Henrik, who is a multidisciplinary artist, performer, activist, and carpenter. The 49-year-old, born in Southampton, now living in Bristol has dedicated his practices to the environment.
Following the first tree climbs in Bristol, he left the city for the walkabout to climb trees around Europe, research his findings and compile the material. Henrik said: “I realised that actually the project would get boring for myself if it was just me climbing trees and also for a book at the end of it, was it something I could have sustained? So I got the idea to start inviting people to climb with me.
“At first it was friends and then I started writing to people and emailing specific people across different topics. When I returned from it I ended up with around 1,200 pages of interviews and diary notes, the last 14 years have been whittling that down, so it’s been a long process working with editors.”
In 2013, he ran a crowd-funding project for the book, appearing in many UK national newspapers, with the aim of delivering books that year, which was wildly overoptimistic he says.
Upon returning to Bristol, he made a bus his home, freeing time to finish his book, years after he first hoisted himself into that first tree.
Through the book’s pages, readers can explore the characters that inhabit his trees. From light hearted moments of connection, such as people singing happy birthday or more serious topics of economics or eco-issues that challenge the planet and modern life, it’s all part of an evolving project that is as much about people and relationships as it is about trees.
Henrik said reaction to the book has been very positive and it gives people “food for thought” on weighty issues, he added: “I ask the question of world peace in one section and if it’s achievable. As people, families don’t always get along, let alone a planet of eight billion of us.
“But in terms of nature and environmental issues I think since I did those tree climbs the public has become more aware of issues and care a lot more about the planet these days. There’s more widespread concern for the state of nature, the state of the climate, and the state of inequality. It has all become a big hot topic, especially in the last few years.”
While that first tree in Bristol’s Victoria Park has sadly since been felled due to a fungal infection, Henrik said people are welcome to try to locate the other city and south west trees within the book, though some are found in private gardens, and some are now deceased.
Away from his tree endeavours, Henrik moved to Bristol from Southampton at the age of 25, for the vibrant art and filmmaking scene. He worked at the Bristol Old Vic, and the Hippodrome as backstage crew, and as a carpenter, and filmmaker, working with young people in Bristol schools, while always pursuing the arts – as a filmmaker, writer, visual artist, and graphic designer
Henrik will be speaking about the book at a Bookhaus, Rope Walk, Bristol, on Tuesday, November 25, at 6pm. Tickets are priced from £7 and available online here. https://www.bookhausbristol.com/events/#e139983
