The play entertains and educates about the threat to our native taonga the kauri. It advocates for kaitiakitanga, the importance of community and a connection to all living things. It equates the loss of such taonga with personal loss and grief, a ubiquitous experience in life we all come to understand.
The work of Scion (formerly FRI) plant pathologist, Dr Peter Gadgil and the delay in recognising the severity of the pathogen that allowed Kauri dieback disease to spread, is referenced and Ghost Trees gives the audience access to scientific concepts through rich story-telling. It tells a very personal human story, about our increasing isolation and suggests that reconnecting with our communities and valuing our natural world, leads to better outcomes and finding inspiration.
