The Forestland
The community letter, The Forestland, aimed to incorporate poetry and other art forms into the U.S. Forest Service community. Using various forms of art, the letter was focused on helping cultivate a more intimate and robust sense of community and appreciation for the many volunteer workers, groups, and employees that make up the Forest Service.
Timeline:
January- May 2021
Team:
Eliza X. Shepherd
Cathryn Dowd (Public Affairs Specialist)
“Reading a poem or looking at a piece of art is an experience that asks the reader to empathize and examine a world that is not their own. It takes a tremendous amount of courage and vulnerability to begin to see how others experience our shared world….” (The Forestland, p. 6)
Project Background
Before The Forestland was created, The U.S. Forest Service had no way of internally acknowledging and announcing their gratitude to its many volunteer and service workers who help keep the forest clean and safe across the Southeastern region of the United States.
Goals
🟢 Highlight the volunteer work going on in the Southeastern region of the United States to the employees of the U.S. Forest Service.
🟢 Showcase art, poetry, sculpture, photography, etc. that was created by the Forest Service community members.
🟢 Create a sense of appreciation, unification, and share information to the many spread out communities that make up the U.S. Forest Service.
🟢 Help spread awareness of the importance of keeping shared spaces clean and safe for everyone.
Creating Identity
I wanted the mood of the community letter to invoke similar feelings of being at summer camp as a child. The nostalgia of going to your first sleep away camp- the excitement and independence one feels in being away from your home. And, the slight tinge of homesickness one feels when letters from home are received; the feelings of love from afar.
Name
I did not like the word “newsletter” because I found the word to be too sterile, bland, and uneventful. The title needed to be a word that would stand out, want to make people open an email and make people feel like part of a larger organization. The word “community letter” was adapted because it created a refreshing, exciting, a sense of admiration, and a convivial tone that stands apart from the monotonous email one is used to receiving.
Mood Boards
Cover
Inspiration: I wanted the cover of the community letter to feel homey, peaceful, quiet. I illustrated the cover in ProCreate.
Sourcing Art & Poetry for Publishing
The letter’s aim was to highlight the artwork inspired by being outside in our shared forest. Specifically, I wanted to feature the work from students and professors of UNC-Asheville, Warren Wilson College, Western Carolina. And of course, the volunteer groups and employees of the US Forest Service.
I created an email sent out to the English, Art, and Sciences departments of: UNC-Asheville, Western, Warren Wilson College, and surrounding community colleges. In addition, an internal email that circulated the US Forest Service employees. This email highlighted the mission of the letter and a call to artist and poets for submissions and publication.
I received submission from:
🟢 Over 100+ Students, Professors , and Employees of Western and Central Carolina Universities
🟢 5 Submissions from Upstate North Eastern Regions
🟢 And 10 submissions from U.S. Forest Service employees and volunteers
Curating
I choose art and poetry for publishing based on a these qualities:
👥 Relevance: how close they were to the Asheville area
🌳 Content: nature-related content
🤝 Volunteer work: highlighting current project happening in the area
Final Results
On April 11, 2021, The Forestland community letter was released to the employees and volunteer groups of the U.S. Forest Service, and the students and Professors of Western North Carolina Universities and surrounding community colleges.
I was the first to pioneer this project, after my internship I was requested to help create a way for this project to be passed down to future interns. I created templates of the community letter with colors, fonts, and layouts for others to use in the future.
Extra submissions
After consulting with team members, we wanted to make sure that people’s art submissions did not go unnoticed. Instead of publishing them in the community letter, we created a Facebook Album in which I could upload the remaining submissions of artwork for people to see.
