Dumfries & Galloway has a very important part to play in Scotland’s Peatland story. Around 20% of Scotland’s peatland can be found in our region, with approximately one third of the region as a whole classed as ‘Peatland’. An event on 06 October explores this a bit further, asking how can people better relate and interact with our peatlands?
This is the first in a programme of events running in coming months that explore Galloway Habitats, how we relate to them and how our impact can be measured and reduced. (Full programme details here: https://gallowayglens.org/autumn-winter-programme-of-events-launched/)
The peatlands event includes speakers from Crichton Carbon Centre – an internationally significant point of expertise on this subject, based right here in Dumfries & Galloway. The event will also include a speaker from Adaptation Scotland, and then an environmental artist who is exploring how the creative sector can help us better appreciate the importance of peatlands.
This event is being trialled in a ‘hybrid’ format, attendees can either attend in person, in the Kirkcudbright Dark Space Planetarium, or online. Tickets for either method are free, and can be booked here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dark-arts-peatland-connections-and-a-little-bit-of-gin-tickets-174209905517.
(Please note, if you are attending in person, you can choose to precede the event with a Gin Tasting in the newly opened Dark Arts Gin distillery, tickets for this are £8 and payable to the distillery on the night)
This is the first in a programme of seven hybrid events taking place in coming months, overseen by Nick Chisholm, Galloway Glens Project Officer. Ahead of the Peatland event, Nick said:
“The peatlands of Scotland are the lungs of Scotland, if we are serious about climate change mitigation the restoration of these fantastic habitats must be of the highest priority. Great strides are now being made on this and our partners at the Crichton Carbon centre are at the vanguard of this with amazing projects delivering improvements but also using the arts to explain and inspire people to get involved. Come along in person on the 6th of October to the Planetarium or drop in via zoom, it will be a great night!”
Emily Taylor, General manager of the Crichton Carbon Centre, added:
“I’m excited to be highlighting the importance of the Galloway peatlands and our Peatland Connections project which aims to demonstrate why peatlands need people”.
Event – 7.30pm, 6th October. Attend online or in person (at Kirkcudbright Dark Space Planetarium)
The ‘Peatland Connections’ project is now underway, seeking to use art and science to reconnect rural communities, scientists, land managers and policymakers with our beautiful peatlands. The project is exploring the functions peatlands provide now, and exploring how we can better measure and account for these functions through today’s complex world of land use decisions. For more information about the project, visit the project website here: https://www.peatlandconnections.com/.
