Baobab Tree Art at Burning Man 2024

What are we fundraising for?

It is a humbling experience to realize our relative size to these towering giants and our comparably limited time on planet Earth. The average Baobab tree has seen its surrounding landscape change dramatically, as a silent observer to more than 16 species that have gone extinct in Madagascar alone. This starkly contrasts the shifts humans can observe from decade to decade as social networks or political regimes come and go. As we think about the world we humans share with Baobab trees today and the new version of the planet they see in their lifespan, morphing at an increasing pace, we wonder how a Baobab tree would reflect upon this; the consumerism that is driving the disintegration of many forests and species all around them.

This is why this tree's exterior will be made of single-use consumer materials, primarily Amazon packaging and Walmart plastic bags. Most of these are heavily consumed and mindlessly discarded by people coming to Burning Man each August. Our calculation of items used for the tree will reflect an average that we have surveyed of attendees at Black Rock City.

In our reflection of the notion that we are a part of nature in this world, especially here on playa, the piece is a nod to the distance created by our consumer world; a collective disillusion that we can't be in nature without man-made objects. We hope this piece will inspire participants to consume less for this week-long event. All to leave less trace on the planet, on and off the playa.

How You Can Help:

Donate: Contribute to our GoFundMe campaign and be a part of bringing the Baobab Tree to Burning Man this year. Every dollar counts, and we're super grateful for any amount you can give.

Spread the Word: Share our campaign with friends, family, and fellow Burners. Each push brings us one step closer to our goal.

Follow Us: Stay connected with the Baobab Tree's journey by following our updates on Instagram and Facebook.

" ... This tree has a secret tucked into the thin, living cylinder beneath its bark. Its cells obey an ancient formula: Keep still. Wait. Something in the lone survivor knows that even the ironclad law of Now can be outlasted. There’s work to do. Star-work, but earthbound all the same."

-- Richard Powers, The Overstory