Thursday 8 October 2026, Fairwarp Village Hall, East Sussex. Free to attend.
We are delighted to support the first ever Ashdown Forest Symposium. This free day of talks, discussion and a guided walk will bring together people who care for, study and work in protected landscapes.
Why landscape is about more than ecology
Ashdown Forest is a rare lowland heathland, rich in wildlife. It is also a place made by people: by commoners, managers, artists, writers and the many visitors who love it. The symposium explores where landscape, ecology and culture meet. It asks how people, art, history and culture can help us manage and restore protected landscapes in a sustainable way.
There could be no better year for it. 2026 marks the centenary of the Winnie-the-Pooh books, which were set on Ashdown Forest and have shaped how the world sees this landscape for a hundred years.
Who this is for
The first symposium will host people working in:
- research and academia
- landscape management
- ecology and nature conservation
With presentations from distinguished speakers, while delegates catch up on the latest research and meet others working in the field.
The Programme
9.30 Arrival and refreshments
9.50 Welcome and Introduction to Ashdown Forest
Mark Pearson, CEO, Ashdown Forest, and Dr Ffion Thomas, Ashdown Forest Conservator and Trustee of the Ashdown Forest Foundation
The James Adler Memorial Lectures
10.00 The What, Why and How of Inclusive Governance
Phil Franks, Senior Researcher, International Institute for Environment and Development
11.00 Coffee break
11.30 Managing and Monitoring Ashdown Forest’s Unique Ecosystems
Dr Juliana Kohli and Mollie Matthews, Nature, Conservation and Engagement Officers, Ashdown Forest
12.00 Ashdown’s conservation and its discontents: a beginning
Professor Brian Short, Emeritus Professor of Historical Geography, University of Sussex
12.30 Lunch
13.30 Walk: an exploration on foot of nearby Ashdown Forest features and practices
Ash Walmsley, Countryside Manager, and Dr Mark Infield, Landscape Recovery Manager, Ashdown Forest
14.30 Coffee break
14.50 Beyond collaboration: why art and science need shared methods for landscape conservation
Dr Barbara Smith, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London
15.50 Citizen scientists and nature connection
Dr Lucila Newell, Senior Lecturer, University of Sussex
16.20 Networking and finish.
Free to attend, because everyone should have access to the latest thinking that drives conservation
The Ashdown Forest Foundation is funding the symposium so that tickets are free. We didn’t want ability to pay to stop anyone from joining the conversation. The lectures will be free to access online after the event.
Help us care for Ashdown Forest
If you’d like to support events like this one and the long-term future of the Forest, please consider a donation. Every gift, large or small, makes a difference.
