Nature
PUBLISHED
1
If you happen to be driving along highway 18 in Oregon, USA – or better yet flying above it – you may spot a gigantic smiling face looking right back at you in the trees. It may surprise you to learn that this is a natural formation, and it is only your mind that makes you see a face when there is none, a phenomenon known as pareidolia. Ok, just kidding. Apologies!
Though pareidolia can cause you to see faces in mundane images (and sometimes Mars), the smiley face is the work of David Hampton, co-owner of Hampton Lumber, and Dennis Creel, who was the company’s timberland manager when the stunt first began.
In 2011, when emojis began to gain popularity, the two came up with the idea to plant a smiling face into the landscape between Grand Ronde and Willamina, in Polk County.
“After every harvest, our foresters start planning the reforestation process,” Hampton Lumber spokesperson Kristin Rasmussen explained to Oregon Live. “They typically plant a variety of native species depending on the elevation and soil conditions, including Douglas fir, western hemlock, noble fir and western red cedar.”
For the eyes and mouth, the two planted evergreen Douglas firs, the same as the surrounding forest. But for the rest of the face, they used larch trees.
“Larch is a conifer with needles that turn yellow and drop off in the fall, which is why the smiley face is best visible this time of year,” Rasmussen added.
The face, measuring 91 meters (300 feet) in diameter, is not a permanent feature in Oregon's skyline. As well as being best seen during the fall months, the trees will eventually be cut down for lumber, as you might expect of trees planted by a lumber company. Nevertheless, for the next 30-50 years (per Oregon Live) the face will be visible on the Oregon skyline. Thank the lord they didn't choose the poop emoji.
