AN EVENT featuring two young activists will explore how rewilding can help to tackle "ecological grief".
The Big Picture Conference is set to take place at Perth Concert Hall on September 14 and is expected to draw in around 600 attendees.
Hosted by rewilding charity SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, the event will feature a range of panels and discussions about how Scotland can continue taking on the challenge of rewilding.
Flo Blackbourn, a 27-year-old activist from Glasgow who will speak at the event, 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 feel overwhelmed and anxious about their future.”
She featured in an award-winning documentary produced by the charity earlier this year which followed her across continental Europe as she explored various places where rewilding is taking place.
In her travels, she saw that in places where environments were restored, people benefited too, with new economic opportunities presenting themselves.
Her experiences led her to wonder why Scotland couldn't do the same thing.
Beyond attending the panels and discussions on September 14, ticket holders will also be able to attend a screening of the documentary Blackburn appeared in, "Why not Scotland?"
Blackbourn and James Shooter, a young podcaster and environmental activist from the Cairngorms, will co-host a panel discussing ecological grief and how they are looking at Scotland's nature through a new lens.
Other speakers at the event will include activist Mary Colwell and environmental writer Christopher Preston.
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.”
Tickets for the event are available HERE.
