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PRESS RELEASE
Contact Person : Jerome Hutin
e-mail jeromehutin@hotmail.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Earth?s oldest trees to be on life size public display in 2000
French photographer and explorer, Jerome Hutin, has begun a
world tour
to photograph the world?s 100 oldest trees. The purpose of this
ambitious project is to bring attention to saving the trees of the
planet. Mr. Hutin expresses concern that humans have ravaged our
resources for personal gain. He further encourages us to preserve our
precious resources, especially trees, for the children of the world.
As a way ?to preserve the few ancient trees and forests? that
remain and to bring his message to the world, he will display ?life
size photographic spectacles spotlighting the oldest trees of the
earth.?
This event will take place in the year 2000.
How will this be accomplished? He plans to set up three
dimensional laser shows on public buildings. The images will be
projected onto giant inflatable screens; laser light shows by night,
photographic canvasses by day.
Sponsors can underwrite the cost of a canvas. The oldest tree is
the Huon Pine of Tasmania which is pro ported to be 20,000 years old.
The canvas will be more than 120 ft. tall and over 90 ft.long.
The largest canvas will project the Banyan tree of Calcutta. It
will measure over 75 ft. high and 345 ft. long.
The highest canvas will project the Sequoia of California over
400 feet high.You can imagine it on the Empire State Building, or the
Rockefeller center tower.
Potential exhibit sites include Los Angeles,New York,Vancouver,
Montreal, Tokyo,Sydney,Paris and Hong Kong.
In addition, Hutin?s project includes planting a tree in the
name of every child born throughout the world in the year 2000. He has
partnered with Elm Research Institute (ERI)of Westmoreland, N.H. The
nonprofit organization will work with worldwide sponsors to provide
disease-resistant American Liberty elms as one species being planted .
The American Liberty elm is a product of research funded by ERI. The new
purebred elm, not to be confused with hybrids, retains the classic
American elm?s vase shape and is tolerant of drought and urban
pollution. It is the only American elm that comes with a ten warranty
against Dutch elm disease. Nearly a quarter of a million American
Liberty elms have been planted in over 750 communities, most by
volunteers.
Mr. Hutin is touring America to photograph ancient trees and
locate sponsors for this international effort. His sponsors include
FUJIFILM, IUCN-the World Conservation Union, GEFCOTOUR, SOPPEC,
Pro-Natura International, ELF Aquitaine and Jean Claude Lattes editions,
who will publish the book.
If you or your company would like to sponsor a canvas, provide
assistance in the form of financial support or in kind donations please
contact Mr.Hutin by e-mail: jeromehutin@hotmail.com. To leave a message
for him or make a pledge for a tree donation call Elm Research Institute
(603)358-6199 or write 1 Elm Street, Westmoreland, NH 03467-9985.
Answers to your questions about
The Oldest Trees of the World in Turmoil:
a world exhibition project for the year 2000
Q. What are Mr. Hutin?s qualifications?
A. Jerome Hutin received a C.A.P of photography at Orthez.
As a professional photographer and explorer, he has organized and
carried out photographic exhibits of old and large trees since 1992.
His work has appeared in publications such as Le Journal du Perigord,
Hommes et Plantes, Le Chasseur Francais, Science et Vie, GEO and Le
Journal du Bois. He has appeared on Aqui TV,TF1, France 2, France 3,
CBC News, The Weather Network and Telecolor.
Q. What inspired Mr.Hutin to embark on this world tour to photograph
trees?
A. During the thousands of hours he has devoted to photographing nature,
he has witnessed the destruction that has occurred in man?s course of
economic development. He feels we must take better care of nature.
Q. Why does he feel it is important to save ancient trees?
A. ?For thousands of years, humankind has contemplated and regarded
trees as sacred objects...in our time, the trees have become trivialized
and demystified for the sake of profit of the world economy...the tree
generously offers us food, fuel, shelter,
comfort, coolness, joys, sadness,hopes, oxygen and the desire to live in
harmony. And yet, how do we express our gratitude?
Humankind must not ravage the planet for personal profit, but rather
preserve it for the children of the entire world, who as ourselves, need
nature to bloom and grow...You and I must be sensitive and more generous
toward nature...?, states Mr. Hutin.
Q. When and where will Mr. Hutin take photographs of old and large
trees?
A. France, Sicily, Switzerland, between 1994 and 1998
Vancouver Island BC-Canada August/september 1996
Eastern Canada and United States September -October 1998
Western Canada and United States November -December 1998
Mexico and South America (Tobago Island,
Equator, Perou, Chile) December 1998-January 1999
South Pacific
(Australia, Tasmania, New Zeeland) January-February 1999
East Asia
(Singapour, Borneo, India, China) March-May 1999
Africa, Mediterranean, Europe June-July 1999
Q. Who are some of the sponsors of the world photography tour?
A. GEFCOTOUR travel agengy : sponsor of airfare
ELF AQUITAINE oil compagny $10,000 grant (60000 frs)
FUJIFILM sponsor of film
JC LATTES editions has agreed to publish Mr. Hutin?s book about
famous world trees.
Q. What are some of the oldest of the old trees?
A. Hunon Pine of Tasmania 20,000 yrs. old
Bristlecone Pine of California 4,900 yrs. old
Yew of United Kingdom 3,000 yrs. old
Camphor of Japan 1,500 yrs. old
Eastern White Cedar of Ontario 1,654 yrs. old
Juniper of "Gorge du Verdon" France 1,000 yrs. old
Q. What are some of the youngest of the old trees?
Elm of Salignac, France 300 yrs. old
Wollemi pine (Australia) 50 yrs. old but his specie was
here 2,000 000 years ago
Banyan of Calcutta 200 yrs. old
Q. What is the Old Trees of the Earth in Turmoil World Exhibition?
A. Upon completion of his world tour, Mr. Hutin (jerome) will bring his
message of preservation to the attention of the world through unique,
life size photographic images.The life size images ?will serve as
beautiful monuments to the ancient trees that are indeed the living
witnesses and lifeline of humanity?, says Mr. Hutin. Through this
ambitious project, he hopes to promote a world vision of innocence
and freedom. He invites all who share his vision to take an active role
creating ?the fruit of our common labours.?
Q. How will the life size images be displayed?
A. The photographs will be projected onto giant, lighted video screens
by night. By day, Life-size pictures will be print on hugh cannevasses
and show on differents buildings.3-D laser shows will depict, within a
period of minutes, the growth of a tree over the span of thousands of
years.
Q. Who will provide the giant video screens?
A. A French company will provide the giant, inflatable screens
(LASERSCENE near Lyon).
Q. Who will provide the life-size cannevasses ?
A. A french company print the photographies ( SCANACHROME - Paris)
Q. Where can the images be viewed?
A. The images will be on display in prominent and historical locations
around the world including Paris, Los Angles, New York City, Washington
DC, Vancouver, Montreal, Tokyo, Sydney and Hong Kong.
Q. Who can attend the exhibit?
A. The exhibit will be open to all.
Q. When will the exhibit open?
A. In the year 2000. Schedules for exhibits will be announced at a
later date.
Other year 2000 events are being planned at the exhibitions.
Q. What is the largest tree to be on display?
A. Banyan of Calcutta
canvas size: 75 ft. high and 345 ft. long
Q. What is the tallest tree to be on display?
Sequoia of California
canvas size: over 400 ft. tall
Q. Who will be responsible for setting up the displays?
A. A french company ( ENTREPOSE - PARIS) build the scaffolding,
SCANACHROME will be hanging the cannevasses and Jerome HUTIN will be the
main organiser.
Q. Who will fund the displays?
A. Companies, individuals, civic groups and foundations are encouraged
to support the program. In kind donations will be considered as well.
Q. How will the Tree for Every Child program work?
A. Individuals and groups will plant a tree for a child born in the
year 2000. Trees can be dedicated in memory of the child by parents,
grandparents, friends or concerned and interested people. Tree planting
will vary from a simple planting by individuals at their homes to
organized multi-tree program planted by groups in their community.
Q. What groups will be involved in the Tree for Every Child program?
A. Community and environmentally minded groups such as Boy Scouts,
Girl Scouts, Rotary International, fraternities, sororities, college
environmental clubs and groups interested in nature will plant the trees
in their community.
Conservation minded organizations such as Elm Research Institute will
be one supplier of trees for planting. It is based in Westmoreland, NH.
Web address: www.forelms. org. This
nonprofit group funded research for the first disease-resistant American
elm. It is the sole distributed of the American Liberty elm; one of the
many species that will be planted.
Q. How can I view Mr. Hutin?s photographs or get more information?
A. Mr. Hutin?s photos and details of his project can be seen on his
website at http:// www.jhutin-arbor2000.com
Q. How can I make a contribution toward or take an active role in the
project?
A. You may contact Mr. Hutin by e-mail at
jeromehutin@hotmail.com
or by writing
Jerome Hutin
Ancien Couvent des Croisiers,
24590 Salignac,France.
Telephone: (33)05 53 30 43 59