An artist, a scientist, and a forester have been working together in Kilsture Forest, near Wigtown. What has this interdisciplinary relationship shown us, and can this uncover new ways of thinking about how we should respond to the climate and biodiversity crises?
Join artist Morag Paterson, scientist Dr Petra Guy, and forester Andy Macqueen for a lively, interdisciplinary discussion exploring the different ways they are responding to the climate and biodiversity crises in their work.
Online 7.30 pm - 9.00pm - February 3rd 2026. The event is delivered in partnership between Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands and Kilsture Forest Community Group (KFCG). This 'Future Forest Watching' session is the first public event coming out of Art | Science | Forest (A | S | F), KFCG's new interdisciplinary research programme.
A | S | F brings together three passionate and innovative forest specialists - artist/campaigner Morag Paterson, scientist Dr Petra Guy and forester Andy Macqueen to share their perspectives, knowledge and inspiration.
To date they have had two days together (for more see blogs here: https://www.kilstureforest.org/news) spent getting to know each other and Kilsture – both very open ended and very productive sessions. They found that breaking out of their silos, spending time with others who share a passion but have different expertise, taps into a deep well-spring of fascination, motivation and curiosity. New possibilities opened up where everything looks different, fresh and exciting.
Future Forest Watching will start with short presentations from each of the three, giving us an insight into how they are managing the uncertainties associated with climate change and biodiversity loss in their approach to their work. Working with trees inevitably takes you into planning for the distant future, where the outcome of the decisions you take now will only be truly known decades away. So how does each approach this challenge, made more complex and uncertain by the increased stresses on the forest ecosystem? The presentations will be followed by discussion between the panellists and then time for questions from the audience.
Kilsture Forest Community Group formed to head a campaign to keep Kilsture Forest (204 hectares of mixed woodland on the Machars Peninsula in SW Galloway) in public hands when the forest was put up for sale in 2018. It now operates under a memorandum of understanding for joint management of Kilsture with Forestry and Land Scotland. Visit kilstureforest.org for more information.
Info about the event panellists:
Artist - Morag Paterson - Artist based in Southern Uplands.
"I used to work predominantly in photography, but now increasingly in alternative processes, exploring that intersection between art and science. I also work a lot with communities and forestry, so now the two things have merged together."
Scientist - Dr Petra Guy - Plant Data Scientist/Fungal Ecologist.
"I've worked in Woodland Ecology for 10 years, previously I was a physicist. So a science, mathsy background, but it is my love of plants, woodland and fungi that has pushed me over to the woodland ecology side of things."
Forester - Andy McQueen - Forester
"I am independent forester based right in Moffat, involved in lots of aspects of commercial forestry, but increasingly interested in growing a wider range of species for timber including native species which you have a lot of."
The event is delivered online through the Streamyard platform, with lots of opportunity for the audience to put questions to the speakers. Streamyard requires nothing to be downloaded onto your computer, we will send a joining link out to signed up attendees in the day before the event.
Art | Science | Forest is Kilsture Forest Community Group's interdisciplinary research project. More info here: https://www.kilstureforest.org/news.
The event is delivered in partnership between Kilsture Forest Community Group and Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands, a charity supporting trees, habitats and the people that depend upon them in the region. For more information, visit www.dgwoodlands.org.uk.
The hosting of this event is possible thanks to support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.