Arborglyphs – the deliberate marking of trees is practiced across many cultures and traditions. People use these marks to commemorate important events and territory, as well as spontaneous emotions scratched onto trees. Often discounted as ‘just graffiti’, arborglyphs work to provide a context for memory, identity and values. They are akin to an archaeology of the tree, explicitly displaying layers of human interaction with nature, through seasons of growth and renewal. “Was here” is a statement not only about individuals and their actions, but also about the history, resilience and survival of trees. It speaks to the necessity of preserving trees and the natural environment in the face of development, expansion and human intervention in our Park Lands. Rather than “was here”, the tree, in fact, “is here”.