Pinellas County Event (2009)

Ecoart project uses green flags campaign to reclaim front lawns for native trees

Pinellas County residents are invited to Reclamation Project, a participatory eco-art project developed by artist Xavier Cortada and commissioned the Pinellas County Public Art and Design Program.

On April 18th, 2009, from 9 am to 1 pm, local residents can visit Florida Botanical Gardens, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, 33774 (727-582-2581) and listen to ecoart lectures, watch a film series and art unveiling, explore ecoart outdoor installations and adopt native trees:

9a to 1 pm: *Ecoart Film Series (playing on a loop)

9a to 1 pm: Self-Guided Tour of the Reclamation Project ecoart installations at the Florida Botanical Gardens (commissioned by the Pinellas County Public Art and Design Program)

9a to 1 pm: Distribution of Reclamation Project Native Trees and Green Flags by Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society

10:30 am – 11:30 am:
** “What is ecoart and why do we need it in Pinellas County?”
Lecture by Mary Jo Aagestoun, Ph.D., President
South Florida Environmental Art Project,
(www.sfeap.org)

11:30 am
Unveiling of Cortada’s digital art pieces (one of a kind, pigment print on Somerset Velvet, 2009) commissioned by Pinellas County Public Art and Design Program:

“Growing the Native Canopy 1”
“Growing the Native Canopy 2”

Noon – 1:00 pm
** “Participatory Art Projects: Global Awareness/Local Action”
Lecture by Xavier Cortada
Artist
(www.cortada.com)

* Ecoart Film Series to take place in Orchid Room
** Lectures to take place in the Gardenia Room

The Reclamation Project

The Pinellas County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society is giving away 750 native trees and green flags for free to encourage local residents to reclaim their front lawns for nature. The reforestation effort is part of the Pinellas County Reclamation Project, a participatory eco-art project developed by artist Xavier Cortada and commissioned the Pinellas County Public Art and Design Program.

Participating residents are asked to plant one of six trees alongside the green project flag in their yard and state:

“I hereby reclaim this land for nature.”
The project’s conspicuous green flags serve as a catalyst for conversations with neighbors, who will be encouraged to join the effort and help rebuild Pinellas County’s depleted native tree canopy. Ideally, as they watch each tree grow, their interest in the environment will also grow.

Local residents are also encouraged to visit the Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo, FL and look for the Reclamation Project’s green flags. The flags are planted alongside of the adult specimens of the six featured native trees:

* Slash Pine
* Sea grape
* Southern Red Cedar
* Red Maple
* Bald Cypress, and
* Green Buttonwood
The effort was launched at Shorecrest Prep on January 27th, 2009 with the planting of a Red Cedar and green flag on the school grounds. Third and fourth graders were given native tree saplings and green stick flags to do some reforesting in their homes. Students will plant a total of 300 native trees. The planting is part of the NFL sanctioned planting to address climate change in the Super Bowl host community will be monitored by the NFL Environmental Program.

A total of 750 native tree saplings and green stick flags through the project to residents of Pinellas County during 2008-2009. The Reclamation Project is being implemented through locally through the Pinellas County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, tasked with keeping the project alive in the years to come. More information is available at www.reclamatiomnproject.net.

According to Cortada, “Through this eco-art effort, we are encouraging residents to regrow the community’s native tree canopy one yard at a time.”

About the Artist

Xavier Cortada has worked with groups across the world to produce numerous large-scale collaborative art projects– including eco-art installations on Miami Beach (2006), the South Pole (2007) and the North Pole (2008). The Miami artist has been commissioned to create art for the White House, the World Bank, the Florida Supreme Court, Miami City Hall, Miami-Dade County Hall, the Miami Art Museum, and the Museum of Florida History. For more information visit www.cortada.com or www.cortadaprojects.org/archives/reclamationproject.

For further information contact:

Bill Bilodeau, President, Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, 727-322-9695

Mark Flickinger, Ph.D, Director, Pinellas County Public Art and Design Program, 727-453-7869

Xavier Cortada 305-858-1323