Tree Trip

26.09.2025—28.09.2025

Helsinki, Mänttä, Hyytiälä

Agnes Meyer-Brandis, Office for Tree Migration – Siikaneva, 2023, © Agnes Meyer-Brandis, VG-Bild Kunst, 2025

The Tree Trip is a parallel activity of the exhibition As Trees Go By by Agnes Meyer-Brandis at Serlachius Museum, Mänttä.

The participatory Tree Trip workshop brings together trees and people in Helsinki, Mänttä and Hyytiälä Forest Station of University of Helsinki. The 3-day event combining art and natural sciences is an opportunity to communicate with trees and follow their slow migrations in Finland and other places of the world.

Together with leading scientists and German artist Agnes Meyer-Brandis, the weekend program asks How to Become a Tree for Another Tree, and what happens in Finnish peatlands when the changing climate forces the trees and other vegetation to move?

The exhibition and the workshop are curated by Ulla Taipale. The event is held in English. Please check the preliminary program below.

TREE TRIP PROGRAM

Become a Tree for Another Tree Workshop, 3–6 pm with Agnes Meyer-Brandis and scientists (TBC) and a Tree. We’ll meet near the Alppila Church. Address: Kotkankatu 2, 00510 Helsinki.

Researchers specializing in VOC emissions and tree communications: professors Jaana Bäck and Timo Vesala, university lecturer Ditte Taipale from INAR, research assistant Toni Tykkö (FMI) and other invitees will discuss tree communication, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other atmospheric questions around a stressed urban tree.

The audience, cloaked in One Tree ID perfume, will search for a biochemical connection with the tree to improve well-being for all, the tree and the humans.

Experiment part 1:
How to Become a Tree for Another Tree / 1h
– Introduction into the “One Tree ID” project by Agnes Meyer-Brandis
– Setting up a measuring system to measure the clouds or VOC emissions of an urban birch tree (Kotkankatu 2, in front of Alppila Church in Helsinki)
– A gas sample taking from the leaves, tree stem and roots, for later analysis.

Experiment part 2:
Becoming an Invisible Forest / 1h
by applying various One Tree ID perfumes from different trees

Experiment part 3:
Forest Bathing for Stressed Urban Trees / 1h
-30min after the Experiment part 2, we continue by taking samples from the leaves, tree stem and roots for later analysis to detect / proof possible effects caused by the Forest Bathing Experiment

The exhibition and the workshop are curated by Ulla Taipale.

Tree Trip collaborators are INAR (University of Helsinki), Hyytiälä Forest Station, UEF, Luke and FInnish Meteorological Institute.

The event is supported by Serlachius Museums and ACCC (Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center).

If you are not able to continue your Tree Trip to Mänttä and Hyytiälä, you can just take part to this part of the event. The location, tree and human participants are communicated later in August!

3–4.30 pm: Guided tour at As Trees Go By exhibition
Guided by the artist and curator. Free access to the participants of the event and other museum guests.

5–6 pm: Serlachius Art Sauna Talks: Migrating and Becoming Trees
Artist Agnes Meyer-Brandis and professor Eeva-Stiina Tuittila (UEF) discuss migratory trees, plant migration at peatlands and the intertwining of science and art at Serlachius Art Sauna. Moderated by curator Ulla Taipale.

6.30–9 pm: Serlachius Art Sauna experience
The participants of the event are invited to experience the sauna bathing at Serlachius Art Sauna.

9.30 am: Guided tour to Periferia Art Exhibition and Office for Tree Migration
Lead by the curator Ulla Taipale and the artist Agnes Meyer-Brandis
www.periferia.helsinki.fi

12–17 pm: Siikaneva fen trekking round with Wandering Trees (3,5 or 10 km)
Guided by prof Timo Vesala (INAR), prof Eeva-Stiina Tuittila (UEF), Aino Korrensalo (LUKE), Agnes Meyer-Brandis and Ulla Taipale. Self catered lunch at a fireplace in the forest