If I Saw This Photograph A Week Ago,

I would have thought it was a April Fool prank/photograph,

 but indeed if you are in the USA and drive along Oregon Route 18 in the autumn months or early December, you will see a giant smiley face smiling back at you, the story of the Oregon smiley face dates back to 2011, when the Hampton Lumber company decided to create the popular design out of trees, during a reforestation operation. They used Douglas fir for the eyes and mouth of the smiley face, and larch for the body of the design. Unlike most conifers, larch loses its needles and turns yellow in autumn,

“The idea for the smiley face started with David Hampton and our former timberland manager, Dennis Creel. When we harvested the site, we knew the area was highly visible to people travelling down Highway 18 so David and Dennis saw an opportunity to have a little fun,” Hampton spokesperson Kristin told Western Journal. “They used a rope to measure the circle out and the eyes and mouth were triangulated from that point.” the spokesperson added, “Let’s just say smiley face designs are not the most efficient reforestation methods out there. With planning and planting it took about a week to finish,” in 30 to 50 years, the trees will be harvested and turned to lumber at sawmills in Willamina and Tillamook, and a new smiley will hopefully be replanted, one local woman told KATU-TV. “It’s a very depressed area here, the jobs are gone. You drive along and see a smiley face, that’s all that matters. Yeah, my day is going to get better now because I saw a smiley face. It kind of brightens up the community.” what a great way to try to cheer the place up and gain publicity, locally nationally and internationally!