Re-leaf

Re-Leaf is an interactive installation celebrating the urban tree canopy as both ecological infrastructure and a shared community treasure. Re-imagining the Cambridge Kiosk as a greenhouse for ideas, imagination, and renewal, i3C artists have transformed discarded materials into a vibrant canopy of handcrafted leaves suspended overhead. Through creative reuse, everyday castoffs are given new life, reminding us that beauty and resilience can emerge from what is often overlooked.  Visitors are invited to add their own leaves with a drawing or written reflection expressing gratitude, hope, or a promise of care for the trees that shelter our neighborhoods. Together, these growing contributions become a collective expression of stewardship, connecting individual voices into a living forest of community aspirations.  As climate change intensifies, the cooling shade provided by street trees and urban green spaces is becoming increasingly essential to public health and quality of life. Expanding and protecting the urban tree canopy is also an issue of environmental and social justice, ensuring that every neighborhood benefits from cleaner air, cooler streets, and accessible public spaces. Inspired by the City of Cambridge's sustainability initiatives—including its Forest Friends program, which invites residents to care for street trees through an interactive map—Re-Leaf celebrates the many ways creativity, civic engagement, and environmental action can grow together.