New 20-metre-long TreeStory installation unveiled at Liverpool ONE

A new display in Liverpool ONE tells the history of the city region through its trees, using personal stories and photography.

One of the photos on display is from Kate Elder Fuller. In 2019, she married a tree in Rimrose Valley Country Park. Inspired by female activists in Mexico, she did so as a way to protest plans to build a dual carriageway through the green space.

Kate said: "We’re five years down the line and there’s still no road. It got deferred till the next round of road investments so we’ve got another year to plan and prepare for that. When I walked round and saw the picture on the wall it was quite humbling really, it’s a nice thing to be part of. It’s nice to see that the story is still getting picked up. I knew exactly what I was doing, I was hoping to raise awareness and we did that. To be a part of this is quite an honour."

Tree Story displays photographs of trees ranging from a few years old to over 1000 from around the region taken by residents, with texts explaining their significance in local history, mental health and wellbeing, and their daily lives.

Back in late 2020, Open Eye Gallery and dot-art started inviting the public to share a story about a tree that was important to them. Eight of these were selected, and photographer Andy Yates was commissioned to produce images of these important Liverpool trees. After receiving National Lottery funding, the project has expanded, and they're continuing to collect and share TreeStories.

Lucy Byrne, Managing Director of dot-art said: "It’s open to anybody, it’s really simple, there’s QR codes to scan or you can visit treestory.me. Very simply take a photo on your phone, upload it and type out your story. You can even record your story if you’d rather speak it rather than type it."

• Watch the video above for our full feature on TreeStory and to hear more from Lucy Byrne and Kate Elder Fuller.