Scottish rewilding solutions needed to combat widespread ecological grief

A conference taking place on 14 September in Perth will hear how rewilding in Scotland could help to address growing ‘ecological grief’ among young people.

Around 600 people are expected to attend The Big Picture Conference, hosted by rewilding charity SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, all of whom share a commitment to rewilding – the restoration of the living systems on which we all depend.

The conference will feature two young activists from Glasgow and the Cairngorms who will talk about their own personal journeys dealing with ecological grief and how they have taken hope from rewilding.

Flo Blackbourn, a 27-year-old from Glasgow who is speaking at the conference at the Perth Concert Hall, said: “Mourning the loss of ecosystems and wildlife species might sound extreme, but at a time when we’re all bombarded with news of extreme flooding, wildfires, pollution and species extinctions, it’s easy to see how young people in particular, feel overwhelmed and anxious about their future.”

Earlier this year, Flo featured in an award-winning documentary that followed her on a personal journey across mainland Europe, where she discovered places where wildlife is returning, forests are expanding, rivers are being set free and wetlands restored. As nature bounces back, people are returning too, finding new economic opportunities and enjoying the many benefits of a revitalised landscape.

Encouraged by these stories of hope and renewal, Flo was prompted to wonder: if nature can make a dramatic comeback across mainland Europe, then why not Scotland?

With her new-found sense of hope and possibility, Flo is joining a range of speakers and panellists at this year’s Big Picture Conference in Perth on September 14. She will take part in a session with James Shooter, a young podcaster based in the Cairngorms, who has also experienced ecological grief, and who also looked to Europe for inspiration. Together, they will describe their journey and how they’re now looking at Scotland’s nature through a new lens.

The conference features a line-up of high-profile speakers, which include author Mary Colwell, who will talk about the reality of ecological grief, and keynote speaker Christopher Preston, an award-winning writer and public speaker based in Montana in the USA. Christopher grew up in England but moved to the States to study, where he now lives alongside wolves, bears and mountain lions. His recent book, Tenacious Beasts, is a fascinating account of wildlife recoveries that change the way we think about animals.

Speaking about the conference, Peter Cairns, Director of SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, said: “This event is a fun and fulfilling day of inspiring presentations and learning opportunities that will deepen people’s understanding of rewilding as a solution to the challenges of climate breakdown and global nature loss.”

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture filmed and produced the ‘Why Not Scotland?’ documentary, which has now been screened at more than 100 venues across Scotland, and conference-goers will receive an exclusive invitation to the film’s online premiere.

The conference’s main sponsor is The University of Edinburgh's Forest and Peatland programme, a long-term, multi-million-pound project to restore peatland and expand forests in Scotland.

Tickets to The Big Picture Conference can be purchased here: https://www.scotlandbigpicture.com/conference