In August of 2011 Hurricane Irene made landfall over Eastern North Carolina’s Outer Banks, and left extensive wind and flood damage along its path. The tropical storm force winds made a tremendous impact in my neighborhood in Greenville, near East Carolina University. Greenville’s lush tree line fell to the force of the winds. After the electricity was restored, and streets were cleared of fallen debris, the community was left with stumps where our trees once stood. The String Patch project came from this time and place.