Imagine a landscape so barren and desolate that it looks like a crater of the moon. Nothing grows in this sterile clay pit, mined for hundreds of years before being abandoned (for photos of the pit see the previous article about Cornish “Alps“). Enter a group of visionaries, deeply concerned about the environment and legacy we are leaving our children. With dedication and hard work, they reclaim the barren pit and turn it into the world’s largest greenhouse, while at the same time creating a place where people can be educated about the environment and persuaded that each individual has a role and responsibility in keeping our planet alive. They give birth to Eden Project.

Located in the hills outside St. Austen, Cornwall, the Eden Project today is a glowing example of how to reclaim land destroyed by wholesale excavation. Instead of bare rock and earth, there are now two enormous biomes at the bottom of the pit. The domes, which are hundreds of feet high and wide, consist of hexagonal and pentagonal inflated plastic cells supported by steel frames. They look like the geodesic dome made popular by Buckminster Fuller.

Each biome has its own theme. Enter the Tropical Biome, and you will quickly think that you are in the rain forests of Africa and Asia. It is steaming hot, filled with tropical plants such as fruiting banana trees, rubber trees, giant bamboo, and lianas. A waterfall cascades down from the top of the biome, adding to the moisture in the air.

Several separate ecosystems populate the Tropical Biome. Look for the Malaysian home garden with its herbs and vegetables and miracle tree, the “Moringa oleifera.” The entire plant — roots, leaves, beans, and flowers — are edible; nearby are dozens of totems sculpted by the West African sculptor, El Anatsui, who recycled some of the charred timbers of the Falmouth Docks (which had started their life as trees in Africa) to produce his art.

As you wander through the Tropical Biome, a stream runs alongside the path, its rushing water adding to the impression that you are in a rainforest. Follow the path past the waterfall and you will find yourself in tropical South America, complete with artistic work by two of Peru’s Shamans, depicting the link between people and plants.

Enter the Mediterranean Biome with its olive trees and grape vines, and you will think you are in France, Italy, California or anywhere that has a warm and temperate climate. Look for the recreation of the French Maquis and Garrigue, recalling the French underground fighters of World War II who hid amongst the juniper and broom when not fighting the Germans.

The California landscape, with its grassland and open oak forests, recalls the land at the time of the Native Americans. Citrus trees and jasmine bushes fill the air with a delicate aroma. Nearby, a series of statues depicting Bacchus and the revelry of his colleagues celebrates the wine growing in these climates.

Linking the two biomes is a grass-covered hall, the Link, where you will find the Eden Project Bakery, the perfect place to stop for a cup of tea or a hearty lunch before continuing your explorations of the site.

The Core, an educational building located nearby, is where you can learn about the inter-relatedness of people and plants. Contemplate “The Seed” a 75-ton Cornish granite sculpture that symbolizes life. Explore the bell jars that illustrate how plants keep mankind alive — recycling water and air, controlling the heat, reducing carbon and so much more

Outside the biomes are fields of flowers in the 83,000 tons of soil produced through creative composting to bring the pit back to life. When we visit in March, hundreds of daffodils, jonquils, and tulips wave gently in the breeze. Whimsical statues add interest. A giant yellow and black bee outside the biomes emphasizes the role of insects in pollinating flowers and continuing the cycle of life. Nearby is a sculpture made from old computers, radios, blenders, TV and other electronics. This is WEEEEman, made from 3.3 tons of waste electronic and electrical equipment (the amount each person throws away on average in a lifetime), standing near the flowers. He is a graphic reminder of our personal responsibility in protecting the earth and its environment.

The Eden Project and its dedicated staff are instrumental in educating young and old about their personal and collective responsibilities not only to take care of the earth but also to correct what has happened over the centuries, and to work to protect nature as a way of ensuring the survival of humankind. It is a very special place.

IF YOU GO
The Eden Project is located outside St. Austell, Cornwall. It is open every day except December 24 and 25; check the website for opening times as they vary throughout the year. Tickets are cheaper if purchased online. (Bodelva, St. Austell, Cornwall PL24 2SG; Tel 44-01726-811911.

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