Meeting a tree

Emma Chaplin
, 16 September 2024
Meeting a tree
Sarah Quantrill 'meeting' a tree © Emma Chaplin

Emma Chaplin

Communications Officer

At a recent staff meeting at Tilgate Park, Gatwick Greenspace Project Officer, Tamara Jewell, led a group of us into the woods to 'meet a tree'. 

Meeting the trees at Tilgate Park © Kai Hilton
Meeting a tree at Tilgate Park © Kai Hilton

Firstly Tamara demonstrated what the exercise involved. She guided her partner using words, rather than by touching, towards a tree. The ground in the woods is uneven, with roots and twigs, so this part was very much a trust exercise - about the blindfolded person listening and responding to instructions, whilst the guide needed to communicate clearly, adjust when necessary, watch carefully and take care of their partner so they didn't trip or fall, as well as sorting out lefts and rights and getting them successfully to be able to touch a chosen tree. You have to focus for this to work!

When the blindfolded person reached 'their' tree, they were encouraged to 'meet' it using whatever senses they wanted to. So, feeling the texture of bark, hugging it, smelling it.

Then they were guided away and invited to turn several times before removing their blindfold. Could they figure out which 'their' tree had been?

Meeting the trees at Tilgate Park © Kai Hilton
Meet a tree at Tilgate Park © Kai Hilton

We then all partnered up with a colleague, and took it it in turns to wear a blindfold and be 'guided'.

The experience of 'losing' your sight was fascinating - disorientating and somewhat scary to walk where you can't see.

Meeting the trees at Tilgate Park © Kai Hilton
Meet a tree at Tilgate Park © Kai Hilton

It was enjoyable to 'meet' a tree in this way. Trees are amazing things, and we don't usually pay such close attention at all, let alone with all our senses except sight. The textures of the bark, and all the lumps and bumps are fascinating. 

Being the guide also made you pay close attention to your surroundings and the ground in particular. You were also concerned to make sure your partner felt safe, and that your instructions were clear and easy to follow, so we experimented with different ways of doing that.

Any exercise which helps you become more aware of your surroundings and of the wonderful textures and feel of our trees has to be a good one!

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