WHAT DOES A 9,500 CLONAL SPRUCE LOOK LIKE?

Here's an image of the Spruce, standing alone on a plateau in a Swedish park near the Norwegian border. The shrubby-looking growth near the ground represents most of the tree's age -- in fact the stem (or trunk) that we recognize as tree-like is actually a product of climate change -- the tree has grown taller as the mountain top has grown warmer.

GREETINGS FROM UPPSALA

Hello from Uppsala, Sweden!

It's day 3 of our Swedish excursion, if you count the overnight flight from Newark.

My youngest sister Lisa, recent Weslyan University grad and soon-to-be intern at Galapagos Art Space, has joined me on my trip to Sweden in search of the 9,500-year-old clonal Spruce tree. We are about to set out on a 6 hour drive -- effectively taking a cross-country trip, heading from Uppsala to Fulufjällets Nationalpark, which shares a border with Norway.

I can't share the exact location of the tree -- in fact it took some convincing to assure the biologist who discovered the tree only last year that my intentions are good, and that no harm will befall the tree in the making of my photographs.

We've got to hit the road. More soon, internet permitting.

9,500-year-old clonal spruce

Get ready: I'm heading to Sweden on Sept 14th to find and photograph a 9,500-year-old clonal Spruce tree.