Offerings to Pinon Pines

Pinon pines are dying throughout the Southwest. In the early years of the 21st century, over 350 million trees perished; smaller die-offs continue to this day. As the climate warms, drought becomes more frequent as trees lose more water at higher temperatures. Fearful that the dead trees would become a fire hazard, land owners were encouraged to quickly clear their land. Trees were placed in dumpsters, carted away as trash. How can we honor trees as living being? How can we change our behavior so that trees can thrive?

The following offerings were made to pinon pines during Santa Fe Art Institute Open studios on Sept 17, 2025. Participants were asked to place their offerings in holes bored in the branches of dead pinons and to take a photo of their offering before placing it in the tree if they wanted to share the offerings with others. As more offering trees are created, more opportunities to share offerings will arise. To add your contribution to this page, send a photo of your text to: info@ruthwallen.net.