“Your dream forest may lie within. The forest you have entered in your dreams. An irreplaceable treasure, our children's inheritance." – forests-forever.comIt must have been pure luck that I stumbled (I tend to do a lot of e-stumbling lately!) upon the most enchanting website I have ever come across.
This it literally a journey into the world of the forests. These forests exist right here on Earth, they are not the product of human imagination or hi tech computerized graphics.
From Treehuggers.com:
“Japan’s Fujifilm has put together an incredible site to raise consciousness concerning the planet’s forests and their irreplaceable beauty and their inextricable link to life is revealed through a seamless interface of history from the very beginning, collapsing time into something our brain can handle.
The exhibit is nearly perfect, delivering an enormous amount of content in an elegant and intuitive interface.
But the visuals that accompany the text (as it trickles onto the screen) are aesthetically beautiful, technically intriguing, and, along with the peaceful accompanying music, might even manage to establish a sense of 'serenity' in viewers before they proceed to the main presentation.”
If you're thinking of dropping in, having a quick look around and popping back out again, it's just not going to happen. Wait until you've got some time, or need a break - you should never rush through a museum.
“Everybody thinks that they already know about forests. Perhaps people need to alter their perspective a bit. Forests are not only groups of trees, but a function of the global environment. They provide us with fertile soil, water and food and their existence is necessary for us to survive. Forests are also fragile. Many are damaged by human beings. But, very few people think about how daily life brings harm to forests. Everyone must begin to think about the type of forests we will see 100 years from now.” — creator Shinzo Fukui
Navigating your way around the website:
FOREST GALLERY
The Gallery holds interactive exhibitions, each highlighting a unique woodland from locations around the world.
After the images, each collection has a few Information pages - holding articles written by the photographers, history and ecology of the forest in question, photographer profiles, and a horizontal scroll of the images featured - with captions and credits.
Cradle of Life at the Waters Edge
The Forests outlasting the Ice Age
Under the Forests Maternal Gaze
Primeval Forest – Timeless Grace
The Sanctuary in a Land of Harmony
The Forest of Infinite Genomes
A Guardian Deity, The Boreal Forest
Towering Evergreen Wetland
Enduring Forests, Eternal Forests
The Land of Eternal Jade
The Forest of Life in the Sea of Mist
The Forest of Life’s Blazing Colours
Sylvan Spiritual Haven
The Fabled Forest Living a Fairytale
Wilderness Revived on the Lava Bed
THE FOREST’S GIFTS
The forest and us. Walking side by side, each cradled in the peace that the vastness of nature bestows. The image and inspiration that those forests hold are here, waiting for you.
CONSCIOUSNESS
History traces developments from the first signs of life on the planet to the present day (the last section providing a very graphic demonstration of deforestation in Bolivia via some time-lapse satellite imagery).
History
Since the birth of this planet, the forests have poured their breath into every corner of the Earth for countless thousands of years. Over that time, the forests have grown as one, repeating their ebb and flow and taking their present forms. The Forests are the ecosystem’s genes, passed down from generation to generation for eternity.
Creation of the Earth
Emergence of Life
Benevolence of the Sun
By-Products of Life
Domination of the Land by Plant Life
The Earth’s First Forest
Vast Forests of the Dinosaurs
Coexisting Forest
Disappearing Forest
Vegetation
Vegetation clarifies such points as the differences between temperate and tropical, desert and savannah.
The lives of the forests on this earth are so varied, so diverse. You find them on chilly land, scorching wilderness and mild plains. And on humid islands and shimmering sea beds. But each forest quietly accepts the environment and the fate handed to it, living day to day, searching for ‘the ideal’. While also designing the livelihood of the beings that surround it. Become familiar with the forests that do not give up, but keep evolving, and their incredible wisdom and energy.
Tropical Forest
Subarctic Forest
Temperate Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Savannah
Temperate Forest
ISSUES
Imagine a world without forests, imagine an earth devoid of green.
If there was no forest
The smell of the wind, the sunshine
The joy of harvest, the revitalizing, thirst quenching water
We would not receive all this richness
If there was no forest
Our lives would be left with no order
Our world would be ruled by cruelty and savagery
It is undeniable now more than ever
The Earth faces a crise, a difficult reality.
But the forest stands before our eyes, living strong.
We humans, with out "reason" and "imagination" are the only ones with the power to deliver hope
The key of hope that opens the door to the future lies within us.
Thinning Earth
Overheating Atmosphere
Tainted Air
Eventually, Reason will Vanish
CONTRIBUTION
Forests are full of strength, so kind, its gifts vast and many
Brilliant gift nurtured over ages and troubles.
Possibility fills the forests
As they contain so much power that we do not even know of.
Capacity to connect and nurture lives of all creatures.
Generosity to grant creativity and heal the body and mind.
Forests are more than mere collection of trees.
Forests live within, and together with us all,
How many forests live in you?
Forests Nourishing Water
Forests Purify and Regulate
Cycle of Life’s Essentials
Living Forests
Since the birth of this planet, the forests have poured their breath into every corner of the Earth for countless thousands of years. Over that time, the forests have grown as one, repeating their ebb and flow and taking their present forms. The Forests are the ecosystem’s genes, passed down from generation to generation for eternity.
Creation of the Earth
Emergence of Life
Benevolence of the Sun
By-Products of Life
Domination of the Land by Plant Life
The Earth’s First Forest
Vast Forests of the Dinosaurs
Coexisting Forest
Disappearing Forest
Vegetation
Vegetation clarifies such points as the differences between temperate and tropical, desert and savannah.
The lives of the forests on this earth are so varied, so diverse. You find them on chilly land, scorching wilderness and mild plains. And on humid islands and shimmering sea beds. But each forest quietly accepts the environment and the fate handed to it, living day to day, searching for ‘the ideal’. While also designing the livelihood of the beings that surround it. Become familiar with the forests that do not give up, but keep evolving, and their incredible wisdom and energy.
Tropical Forest
Subarctic Forest
Temperate Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Savannah
Temperate Forest
ISSUES
Imagine a world without forests, imagine an earth devoid of green.
If there was no forest
The smell of the wind, the sunshine
The joy of harvest, the revitalizing, thirst quenching water
We would not receive all this richness
If there was no forest
Our lives would be left with no order
Our world would be ruled by cruelty and savagery
It is undeniable now more than ever
The Earth faces a crise, a difficult reality.
But the forest stands before our eyes, living strong.
We humans, with out "reason" and "imagination" are the only ones with the power to deliver hope
The key of hope that opens the door to the future lies within us.
Thinning Earth
Overheating Atmosphere
Tainted Air
Eventually, Reason will Vanish
CONTRIBUTION
Forests are full of strength, so kind, its gifts vast and many
Brilliant gift nurtured over ages and troubles.
Possibility fills the forests
As they contain so much power that we do not even know of.
Capacity to connect and nurture lives of all creatures.
Generosity to grant creativity and heal the body and mind.
Forests are more than mere collection of trees.
Forests live within, and together with us all,
How many forests live in you?
Forests Nourishing Water
Forests Purify and Regulate
Cycle of Life’s Essentials
Living Forests
Tree lovers or not, Forests Forever makes an immediate and arresting first impression on its visitors. And the result could easily lead to planet-wide incidents of tree-hugging!!
I really recommend you visit the website http://www.forests-forever.com you will be mesmerized at the exquisiteness of both the images and literature.
Make you want to just run outside, hibernate in the forest, live in an eco village (that’s still the plan eh DB and Lobelia?!) and hug the trees!!
Tree Hugging Forest Love
Orangeblossom xxx
