An artist, a scientist, and a forester have been working together in Kilsture Forest, near Wigtown. What has this interdisciplinary relationship shown us, and can this uncover new ways of thinking about how we should respond to the climate and biodiversity crises?
Join artist Morag Paterson, scientist Dr Petra Guy, and forester Andy Macqueen for a lively, interdisciplinary discussion exploring the different ways they are responding to the climate and biodiversity crises in their work.
Join us online 7.30 pm – 9.00pm on 3rd February.
Book your free online ticket here: https://fienta.com/artscienceforest-future-forest-watching
This ‘Future Forest Watching’ session is the first public event coming out of Art | Science | Forest (A | S | F), KFCG’s new interdisciplinary research programme. A | S | F brings together three passionate and innovative forest specialists – artist/campaigner Morag Paterson, scientist Dr Petra Guy and forester Andy Macqueen to share their perspectives, knowledge and inspiration.
To date they have had two days together (for more see blogs here: https://www.kilstureforest.org/news) spent getting to know each other and Kilsture – both very open ended and very productive sessions. They found that breaking out of their silos, spending time with others who share a passion but have different expertise, taps into a deep well-spring of fascination, motivation and curiosity. New possibilities opened up where everything looks different, fresh and exciting.
Future Forest Watching will start with short presentations from each of the three, giving us an insight into how they are managing the uncertainties associated with climate change and biodiversity loss in their approach to their work. Working with trees inevitably takes you into planning for the distant future, where the outcome of the decisions you take now will only be truly known decades away. So how does each approach this challenge, made more complex and uncertain by the increased stresses on the forest ecosystem? The presentations will be followed by discussion between the panellists and then time for questions from the audience.
Kilsture Forest Community Group formed to head a campaign to keep Kilsture Forest (204 hectares of mixed woodland on the Machars Peninsula in SW Galloway) in public hands when the forest was put up for sale in 2018. It now operates under a memorandum of understanding for joint management of Kilsture with Forestry and Land Scotland. Visit www.kilstureforest.org for more information.
Julia Farrington, Co-Chair of the Kilsture Forest Community Group, looking ahead to the event on 3rd of February, said:
“Woodland management is all about future thinking, and the A | S | F team brings such inspiring specialisms to our role as co-custodians of Kilsture Forest. Morag’s fascination with people’s interdependence and interconnectedness with the land, Petra’s ground-breaking research into plant-soil interaction and Andrew’s passion for diversification of species and silvicultural systems. Add to this the pleasure they get learning from each other, and we have a wonderful crucible to create new ideas and insights into the health of the forest ecosystem and our place within it.”
The event is delivered online through the Streamyard platform, with lots of opportunity for the audience to put questions to the speakers. Streamyard requires nothing to be downloaded onto your computer, we will send a joining link out to signed up attendees in the day before the event.
Art | Science | Forest is Kilsture Forest Community Group’s interdisciplinary research project. More info here: https://www.kilstureforest.org/news.
The event is delivered in partnership between Kilsture Forest Community Group and Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands, a charity supporting trees, habitats and the people that depend upon them in the region. For more information, visit www.dgwoodlands.org.uk. The hosting of this event is possible thanks to support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
