THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU–TREE LOVERS! TreeGirl: Intimate Encounters with Wild Nature is the first book of its kind! Part fine-art nude photography, part ecopsychology, part natural history and ethnobotany. This full-color interdisciplinary hardcover book is an anthology of 50 tree species from 13 countries on 4 continents that I have photographed myself and others with over the past 15 years. Be a part of the birthing of the TreeGirl book, tropical reforestation, and other tree-rific ‘Perks’!
White Willow tree (Salix alba), South Island, New Zealand
Brush Box tree (Lophostemon confertus), Australia
As a fine-art photographer, certified arborist and naturalist, conservation educator, and forest ecotherapist, over the past 20 years I have climbed, listened to, intertwined with, and photographed myself in the nude with over 70 spectacular species of trees all over the world, with the aid of my tripod and remote control.
Why? Because it is an unparalleled experience to bond with nature! Trees are my love, my family, my community, my home. And I want to show that trees are not only integral for the functioning of the planet, but they also can be a resource for inspiration, wisdom, energy, companionship and allyship for all of us.
Morton Bay Fig tree (Ficus macrophylla), Australia
goes beyond classic pictures of nature or the female nude; it captures dynamic relationships between living beings, while inviting possibilities for the reader’sown interspecies connections.
Monterey Cypress tree (Cupressus macrocarpa), North Island, New Zealand
Green Fig (Ficus virens), Australia
• A stunning, full-color, clothbound, hardcover coffee-table book
• A collection of over 150 photographs, including 20 new tree species not yet in my TreeGirl website gallery—with some images never before seen.
• 200 pages in an 11-by-11 inch format.
• Printed on 100% post-consumer-waste recycled paper.
• Foreworded by Fred Hageneder, German music composer and author of seven books on the ethnobotany and spirituality of trees.http://www.themeaningoftrees.com/about
• Gorgeously designed by Annett Boerner from Australia.
• The first book of its kind, combining photography, natural history, and ecopsychology.
All of the photographs were taken by me, with the exception of two collaborations with Devin Fleurdujon and Caiyloirch Rupert Marques,
and 13 botanical natural history photos from talented photographers, including: Marilyn McFarlin, Hal Brindley, Dave Ingram, Martin Fletcher, Kristen Rasmussen, Annett Boerner and Dean Nicolle.
In the TreeGirl book, you will find photographs and writing of my 50 favorite species. Some of the trees pictured are the oldest, the tallest, and the biggest of their species. And because people always want to know about these trees, the photos are accompanied by their natural history, ethnobotany, conservation status, and narrative captions of my wild encounter with each tree.
SAMPLE PAGES INCLUDING PHOTOS, NATURAL HISTORY AND STORY
Interwoven with the species profiles are five essays that holistically address aspects of the human-tree relationship:
• the sensual (physical)
• the biophilic (ecopsychological)
• the arboricultural (ecological)
• the archetypal (spiritual), and
• the practical ways in which readers can rewild themselves and have their own intimate encounters with nature (therapeutic).
We can repair our collective cultural disconnection from Nature by rediscovering trees as allies and as a sanctuary from the madness of modern technological civilization.
3000 year-old Panosos Olive tree (Olea europaea), Crete, Greece
SEPTEMBER 25th: The Campaign starts! At the end of this month, 2,000 TreeGirl books will go to print in Germany! (Why Germany? It was more affordable than other countries, with precision one can count on, and the ability to get 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper!)
OCTOBER: The Campaign ends at midnight (PST) October 25th! Trees and tree lovers all over the world celebrate! The books get boxed and head over the Atlantic Ocean on a long ocean voyage!
NOVEMBER: The books are still sailing over the Atlantic, till at last…
DECEMBER 1-ish: The TreeGirl books arrive like a grateful immigrants, passing efficiently through customs blessed by the tree angels. They are delivered to my distributor’s warehouse in Tennessee, who then ships some special boxes to me overnight, to give you as Indiegogo Perks in time for the Holiday Season!
JANUARY 15th: The TreeGirl book is available for purchase in bookstoresnationwide, including online at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com in the US. It will also be distributed in Canada and the UK. The book becomes an instant best-seller thanks to your continued sharing!
This book has been a labor of love for the trees! There are many costs to writing and self-publishing a full-color book. Over the past eight years, I have personally invested tens of thousands of dollars into creating this first-of-its-kind book, including travel expenses, photographic equipment, workshops, research, consulting, assistance, professional editing, professional book design, and miscellaneous technical and professional expenses.
I estimate the total cost of this project to be over $100K, including the upcoming costs of printing and promotion. The TreeGirl book itself is priced to retail at an affordable $45.
After this campaign, personally signed books will only be available at TreeGirl book events.
And, if you contribute $200 or more, you can also receive other exclusive Indiegogo Perks, including limited edition fine-art prints,
being photographed by TreeGirl,
or the ultimate Perk: the once-in-a-life-time opportunity to accompany TreeGirl on an all expense paid international photo shoot adventure!
1. By sharing this campaign on all your social media, and liking my FaceBook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TreeGirlPhoto/
2. By telling all your nature-loving friends and family about the TreeGirl book.
3. By suggesting locations, radio shows and podcasts for TreeGirl book presentations.
4. By contributing as much as your heart can to this campaign now!
Not only are you helping TreeGirl finish paying for her eight-year personal investment in this project, but you are also helping the trees themselves.
Since 10% of the funds raised goes to Indiegogo, and 10% goes to TreeSisters to fund reforestation projects, if the ideal goal is reached, the TreeGirl book project will receive $36,000. Promotion is critical, especially for a self-published book. Any funding over the goal is deeply appreciated, from the bottom of my TreeGirl heart, as it will not only help pay off the initial personal investment of self-publishing, but it will also provide the thousands of dollars still to be invested in promotion and book tours.
Imagine how much your tree-loving friends will love you when you give each of them their very own signed copy of TreeGirl: Intimate Encounters with Wild Nature!