Jasmine Kamal-Pasha

What if we understood the value of all urban wildlife?

Artist and photographer, Jasmine Kamal-Pasha, is inspired by nature and wildlife. The coexistence of man and nature is a topic of great breadth and depth, and it is the adaptation of wild animals to the man-made environment that she finds fascinating. In her own words, Jasmine explains, “The dispute between those who believe urban wildlife are a nuisance and those who believe they are a pleasure, is intriguing, as are the consequences that come with wildlife’s attempt to adapt.” With a background in fine art, Jasmine often creates conceptual photography, encapsulating the relationship between humans and the natural world.

@jasminekpasha

For video see introduction

Dani Singer

What if the closet door led to the forest? A brief look at Queers in Nature

Dani is a campaigner and community organiser within LGBTQIA+ rights, and a very keen gardener. They are committed to unearthing Queer histories, and nurturing an understanding of the deep-rooted link between LGBTQIA+ culture and the great outdoors.

For video see introduction

Josh Gaillemin

What if we told more stories?

Josh is a founding partner at theWholeStory who, since 2015, have been helping all sorts from CEOs to volunteers apply and benefit from storytelling to their working lives.

@_thewholestory

Dwayne Fields + Phoebe Smith

What if… everyone believed they could be an adventurer?

‘It’s not about planting flags, it’s about planting seeds’ that’s Team #WeTwo’s motto. Known for their solo escapades – Dwayne was the first black Briton to walk to the magnetic North Pole and was awarded the Freedom of the City of London, while Phoebe has raised over £42,000 for young homeless people with her Extreme Sleep Outs, suspending herself from UK landmarks and walking across Britain as Wander Woman – they are now working together to, quite literally, change the face of adventure. In November 2019 they aim to complete a world first in Antarctica walking Penguins to Pole. 

But there’s more. They intend to take a group of under-privileged young people to Antarctica in 2020 on a specially chartered expedition ship. Together #WeTwo can change the world. Because while we can all fight for our corner individually, the only way we make things happen is by working together. So that #WeTwo will eventually become #WeToo.

@DwayneFields @PhoebeRSmith

Ruth Siddall

What if we knew more about London’s geological past? Would that change how we live in the Anthropocene?

Ruth Siddall is a geologist and geoarchaeologist based at University College London. She is passionate about increasing the understanding of the Earth Sciences in the urban environment whether that is the geology of building materials or the underlying bedrock of cities. Earth Sciences tells us the truth about climate change and how the Earth responds to changing environments, it also tells us how living in the Anthropocene will impact our planet; this is information that we all need to know and better understand – the past is the key to understanding the present

@R_Siddall

Khadijah and Izzy 

What if London was greener?

Action for Conservation youth ambassadors asked “What if London was greener?”

@Action4Conserv

Rory Harding

What if the Trafalgar Square fountains were wildlife ponds?

Rory is an urban conservationist and works on greening projects across London. He has worked to engage Londoners with the wildlife on their doorstep, and improve access to nature for all. While working with the charity Trees for Cities, Rory has worked on projects including hedge and tree planting in school grounds, new woodland creation in parks and pollution busting hedge and street tree planting across over half of London’s 32 boroughs.

@rangerroar

Mar Pelaez-Muñoz and Heston Action Group 

What if we all used a network of green corridors to connect with our neighbours across London?

I am a translator by profession, and a busy beekeeper. I am from Spain originally and have been in the UK for the last 20 years. I have a very keen interest in all things green and how we can use the environment to bring communities and nature together. Heston Action Group is one of my passions – we have achieved so much in just a year and we are all inspired to do so much more.

@HestonActionG

Paul Wood

What if London was a forest?

The aptly named Paul Wood is the author of two books about London’s urban forest, ‘London is a Forest’ and ‘London’s Street Trees’. He has been exploring and documenting the city’s nature and our relationships with it for many years. He was a trustee of the London Wildlife Trust for six years until 2017. You can find him on social media as @TheStreetTree.

@TheStreetTree

Nicola White

 What if your story could inspire someone two hundred years from now?

Nicola White worked full time in the corporate world for 25 years until she gave up her job in 2016 to pursue her passion of creating art with objects which she collects along the River Thames.

@TideLineArt

Martin Crabbe

London National Park City Schools Network

Martin is a geography teacher in and chair of the London Sustainable Schools Forum. Martin launched the brand new London National Park City Schools Network, a network for London’s schools/educators getting all London’s children #greener #healthier#wilder as part of London #NationalParkCity! 

@LondonNPCS

Nicola Hughes

What if you are a super hero?

Nicola Hughes is a policy nerd turned community gardener, and a serial trustee. Nicola has worked in government, at the housing charity Shelter and at the think-tank the Institute for Government. She now advises charities, councils, and the good folk of Westminster on how to make better policy. Recently she has worked with Crisis, HMRC, LB Newham, the Cabinet Office, the Greater London Authority and 38 Degrees. Nicola studied organic horticulture at OrganicLea in Chingford, and works on several community growing sites in East London. She is on the board of FRP, the Forest Recycling Project, a Walthamstow-based social enterprise working with brilliant volunteers to help make London a greener place. She is also a trustee at Fat Macy’s Foundation, which supports young homeless people into housing through food and supper clubs.

@nic_hughes & FRPOnline

Chamu Kuppuswamy

What if there came elephants to London?

Dr. Chamu Kuppuswamy is a London resident and award-winning ranger at the Peak District National Park, and was named in the 2014 Independent Happy 100 List for the top people in Britain who enrich our lives.

@chamukuppuswamy

Karen Liebreich MBE

Small Acts of Defiant Beauty – creating tiny spaces for nature and aesthetics.
What if everyone did the same?

Karen is co-director of Abundance London and an author. She set up the Chiswick House Kitchen Garden for which she received an MBE in 2013 for services to horticulture and education. She is also trustee of several environmental charities, including Cultivate London.

@kareninagarden & @AbundanceLondon

Farhana Yamin

What if we abolished the distinction of work & leisure? Rights of Nature – legal and Extinction Rebellion activism around London

Farhana is an international environmental lawyer; specialist in international politics and law of climate change; adviser to small islands states for the last 25 years including at the 2015 Paris Agreement; strategist and adviser to foundations and NGOs working on the links between sustainability, nature connection and social justice. She is also an Extinction Rebellion activist.

@farhanaclimate

Zunaira Malik

What if environmentalism wasn’t a thing?

Programme Coordinator, Action for Conservation explored pressing questions like.. What if environmentalism wasn’t a word but a value that lived within us. Wasn’t a sticky label to wear. What if nature wasn’t a privilege? What if eco habits were not called ‘eco’ and instead a normal way of life?  What if access to green spaces was talked about along safety & learning.

@Action4Conserv

Penny Metal

What if everyone had a pot of lavender in their front garden?

Penny Metal is a graphic designer, insect photographer and author of Insectinside: life in the bushes of a small Peckham park. She has an interest in habitats for insects in small urban spaces.

@misspennymetal

Des Garrahan

Former Chair of The Ramblers’ Board of Trustees (2015-2018) launched London 

National Park City Walkers. Read more very soon over on our Groups page.

@walkngclasshero @ramblerdes

We also had a number of groups give rapid “1 minute” talks.

Simon Edwards from TiCLM

Sally Long from Friends of Gladstone Park, Dollis Hill, London

Joe Pecorelli from ZSL

Chris King’s Our City London