Valuing Treescapes: a free MEMBRA conference hosted in Exeter
July 16 - July 18
MEMBRA are delighted to invite you to attend the Valuing Treescapes Conference that is hosted at the University of Exeter on July 16-18 2024.
This event will consider how a ‘rights of nature’ approach to existing and new treescapes could inform their protection and further development in the UK. Outputs from this event will include a co-written report on language, ethics, and narratives that can challenge, and provide alternative models for, the utilitarian, monetised valuation of trees in the ‘ecosystem services’ framework.
This event will explore the additional dimensions of ‘value’ to treescapes, and foreground the importance of language in tree description and depiction during policy recommendations on the future of treescapes.
This event will bring together a wide range of stakeholders who will attempt to define the value of Treescapes. These include scientists, artists, lawyers and classicists.
We invite 80 participates to join us for the meeting in Exeter!
DOWNLOAD PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE (April 23rd)
Draft Meeting schedule:
July 16th 2024: Day 1
Registration opens in early afternoon.
Session 1: Observing Tree Behaviours
- Estrella Luna Diaz on immunological responses and priming
- Joe He on MEMBRA epigenetic learning
- Bruno Cintra: Ecological outputs from MEMBRA
- Performance/ presentation reflecting an artistic interpretation of MEMBRA from The Walking Fores
FREE EVENING
July 17th 2024: Day 2
Session2 : Implementing Agency
Tree Agency and the Law
- Introduction to and Reflections from the Ring of Truth: The Walking Forest
- Sarah Dodd (Lawyer and owner of Tree Law; environmental protection lawyer)
- Charles Mynors (specialist in tree and hedge law)
- Elizabeth Nicholls MCIArb Barrister, CMC Registered Civil & Commercial Mediator and Arbitrator
BREAK
5. Reflection activity (in pairs) on the Rights of Trees facilitated by Walking Forest
6. Paul Powlesland (Lawyers for Nature, TBC) Rights of Nature – where are we now and how do we achieve Rights of Nature in English Law?
LUNCH
Planting Trees for Trees: Design Best Practices
- Nadina Gale, Internet of Trees, Canadian wood wide web scholar with popular podcast (Online)
- Gary Grant, Green Infrastructure Consultancy Ltd
- David Wallace-Hare, Industry Pipelines for Tree Learning Implementation, marketing tree planting in the UK
- Contribution from Government organisation (TBC)
- Introducing the MEMBRA Tree Nursery and Intentional Woodland: The Walking Forest
BREAK
Late Afternoon
1. Concurrent Options Tree Tour around the Exeter Campus with the Ancient and Veteran Tree Forum and Walking Forest
2. Stress responses in trees and humans participatory making session with MEMBRA scientists and Walking Forest
3. Ring of Truth – creating a ‘kit’ for participatory use [art/law/science] Walking Forest
6pm: Evening Keynote
John Parker, CEO Arboricultural Association
7pm: Hot buffet with drinks
8pm: Performance Presentation by Walking Forest and MEMBRA scientists : Cycles 2000
July 18th 2024: Day 3
MEMBRA Yoga Tree Salutation to start the Day – designed by MEMBRA scientists, and Walking Forest
The future of Treescapes
– Tim Lenton (University of Exeter, TBC).
– Sir Harry Studholme (Perridge Estate)
How long-term climate change reflects the evolutionary history of Trees (draft title)
– Jasper Kenter (Professorial Research Fellow in Deliberative Ecological Economics, Aberystwyth University)
Transdisciplinary synergy of outputs from Branching Out and Branching Beyond and introducing the IPBES Values Typology and Life Framework (draft title)
– Michael Wilson (Professor of Drama and Director of The Storytelling Academy, Loughborough University)
Storytelling during Branching Out (draft title)
– Closing moment – Naming our collective Stewardship /Guardianship – Facilitated by Walking Forest
LUNCH and Travel
The Registration page is now OPEN!
The event has capacity for 80 delegates to attend the meeting for FREE.
Please apply to attend the meeting here ->
https://forms.gle/HLXG3Sx2cnEcVS6N8
The event will begin after lunch on Tuesday July 16th and end with lunch on Thursday July 18th.
