This autumn brings with it a strange sense of déjà vu as leaves turn and fall for the second time this year. High temperatures and low rainfall this summer caused stressed trees to shed their leaves as a survival mechanism. This isn’t the first time it has happened, and one shouldn’t conflate weather with climate, but with summers like the last one predicted as frequently as every other year by 2050, this year’s ‘false autumn’ may become increasingly common, and trees will die. As many as 40% of all plant species are threatened with extinction.


Climate change already affects over 10,000 species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, yet surprisingly COP26 last year was the first of its kind to explicitly link biodiversity loss and climate change. And climate change is just one of the threats humanity is responsible for, along with the destruction of habitats, groundwater extraction, pollution and invasive species. This December, the second part of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal is dedicated to transforming society’s relationship with the living world. Biodiversity is a more tangible challenge in many ways. While climate change generally requires us all to do less, biodiversity asks us to do more – and it is achievable. In this issue, we look at a few of the ways this can be done. Dan Ryan


explores some of our endangered British – yes, British – rainforests with author Guy Shrubsole, who invites us to help him map these overlooked and undervalued oases. Eden’s Arts Co-curator, Hannah Hooks, explains how our new exhibition Super Natural asks people to rethink their relationship with nature, and I delve into the many ways seed banks are preserving and renewing the many plants that underpin our existence. I also caught up with Fern Carroll-Smith, the manager of the National Wildflower Centre’s new seed bank, to find out why she’s been hanging off Cornish cliffs so much these days. Also in this issue, Simon Davies goes behind the scenes of the Antiques Roadshow as they filmed at Eden, and Kate Groves looks back at the best-ever Big Lunch. Robert Lowe, Editor.


Features


10 Rainforest nation Dan Ryan


14 Super Natural Hannah Hooks


18 Antiques Roadshow Simon Davies


20 Banking on the future Robert Lowe


Regulars


4 News 8


Eden Illustrated


24 Eden Make 26 Eden Book Reviews 28 Eden Shop 30 Eden Diary


Front cover image: Rainforest nation Illustration: Charlotte Perry


Eden Magazine is published by Eden Project Publications Eden Project, Bodelva, St Austell Cornwall PL24 2SG UK


All profits from this magazine go to support the charitable work of the Eden Trust.


The Eden Trust, registered charity No. 1093070.


Contact us:


Editorial +44(0)7730 521646 email: rlowe@edenproject.com


Membership queries


+44 (0)1726 811932 email: membership@edenproject.com


Printed locally by St Austell Printing Company Limited, St Austell, Cornwall, PL25 4FD


Editor Robert Lowe Designer Sam Jarrold


3


Issue 51


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32