Tomorrow I will be heading for the Highlands, Orkney and Shetland on the bike as part of my new project ‘time capsuling’ Scotland’s rapidly changing landscape as we strive towards a sustainable future. What does it look like? What will it mean for our future generations?
Loading Turbines in Dundee for an Offshore Wind Farm
Over the past year I’ve become fascinated at the extent to which landscapes change over time as a result of our needs. As part of our recent ‘artful migration’ residency I researched what just a couple of hundred year’s ago was one of Europe’s most extensive peat bog’s at the Lochar Mosses near Dumfries to find less than 3% remains largely untouched, with the majority now drained to agricultural fields, plantation forestry and the expansion of the town itself. I was truly shocked at what we see as ‘the norm’ is in fact a recent creation. With this in mind I am intrigued to explore generational land use change, and the extent to which our practices in 2024 are extractive or regenerative, in harmony or in tension.
Carsfad Hydro Electric Dam
I will be posting regularly with images and updates as the project and my travels progress over the summer and into the latter end of the year, where I am arranging a number of talks, workshops and hopefully an exhibition. A number of cycles (I am seeking to minimise my footprint for the project) will slowly find me traversing Scotland from the space station on Shetland to the Glensanda super quarry, salt marshes in the Solway to the peat bogs of Forsinard, our urban conurbations to the wilds of the outer isles. If you know of any venues you think I should visit (good, bad or ugly), or interesting people I should meet, please do let me know.
The Enclosed Enclosure
I am currently thinking about the title for the project which is frustrating me. “The Times They Are A Changing” seems to fit well, but so do “‘the Beginning of the End of the Anthropocene”, “the Land Project”, “Nothing Comes For Free”, and “ISOA” (“In Search of Awe”). I’d love to hear any thoughts if you have them, both for the name and for the project itself and look forward to sharing my journey with you.
Mounding – on a Newly Consented Conifer Plantation
Working on this series of short articles (4 in total over the coming months) for the team at Outdoor Photography is my idea of a dream. Each explores a different aspect of sustainability from a slightly different perspective. We didn’t want to simply show more photos of polar bears on icebergs or retreating glaciers, which focus on fear and apocalypse at a global scale, but rather on how we as individuals can process the subject and ‘be the change’ through our own actions. How we do this is a very personal thing and there is no single, right answer or way, and I know for a fact that my own journey is far from perfect.
Cleaning Up After Arwen
In this first article of the series (Outdoor Photography issue OP291) the theme was ‘making a connection – how a deep understanding of a landscape/habitat can increase our sense of awe and enrich our photography’. I like to think that many of us have sensed the rewards of the greater connection with place through the pandemic years, including repeated visits to local venues, slowing down and immersing ourselves in the familiar. For me it means getting closer to either a location or a subject, pealing off layers and attempting to discover a deeper resonance.
In the article I refer to finding myself immersed within the landscape rather than passing through, which I often find on longer haul tours to remote locations where I can only stay a few hours or at best days. In these circumstances I absolutely get the consumer ‘hit’ of the novel but increasingly this is not what I am seeking for personal reward as I seek a richer experience with nature.
Ghostwood in the Plantation
Exploring depths, nooks and crannies on multiple occasions, in different lights and seasons, piques a desire to want to know more. To dig deeper. As a result I find myself reading up on subjects and exploring them from alternative angles that each help build a bigger picture. Not all venues and locations need to be the perfect wood. Indeed, some of the most fascinating elements of the project is learning to understand the sheer variety and quality of each individual treescape and see the impacts of different management systems. For whilst every tree is extraordinary, not all treescapes are.
The Logpile
For this forestry project I ‘research’ each site in a variety of ways. I shoot species images to build an understanding of biodiversity, bark photos to require more intimate considerations, I downloaded an app on my iPhone to compare light level readings in different types of woodland, apps to record sounds and apps to identify species. I designed a spreadsheet so I was consistent in my approach across multiple locations so I could compare findings after the event. I even collected soil sample which now sit as specimen jars in the garden shed awaiting ideas for use. We have already made chromatograms with them to identify the differences in soil types in differing treescapes and I am currently exploring their use in alternative post production techniques.
The Wonder Wood
These collected wisdoms are helping build my wider understanding of both the individual locations I visit and when comparing the myriad of different woodland/forest treescapes which can be found across the UK. All ultimately informs each final image. I think the project will continue throughout this year as I draw the various threads together into a final outcome but with the imminent “Forest consultation” I felt it timely to share some initial thoughts.
Writings, Websites& Rabbit Holes
A few definitions, ás I interpret them, as a start…
Rainforest – we all know of the ‘jungle’ or tropical rainforests. But there are also temperate rainforests across remote corners of the planet, including amazing ancient remnant pockets right here in the UK. These are truly places to discover and lose yourself in.
Ghostwood– normally thought of as a wood that once was. Now the trees have been removed by man for agriculture or other purposes. But I also see ghostwoods where old trees still remain with improved and overgrazed grasslands around them and not a sapling or rich forest floor to be seen. The trees may still be there but unless urgent action is taken a wisp, memory and imprint on a map is all that will remain.
Tree Farm – this is where a ‘crop’ of usually conifer plantation, predominantly of a single species, is planted and then entirely felled once its timber value has been realised, usually after 30-40 years. it is impossible to call such a space a forest in the same way we do an ancient woodland, for they bear scant resemblance.
Whilst there is no end of brilliant literature on the subject if you are interested in woodlands I can highly recommend the following as ways to gently begin to immerse yourself in this fascinating realm. All have greatly enriched my understanding and appreciation
Suzanne Simard – Finding the Mother Tree – in my view an essential read whether interested in trees or not. One of my favourite reads in years. Dr Simard is inspirational. Mog and I also listened to the audiobook on a long roadtrip – brilliant.
Oliver Rachman – Trees and Woodland in the Bristish Landscape. A godfather of knowledge.
Peter Wohllenben – The Hidden Life of Trees
Richard Powers – The Overstory. Novel.
Guy Shrubsole – The Lost Rainforests of Britain. A new view to inspire a different generation.
Endless rabbit holes to fall into but you could do worse than start by googling
The Lost Rainforests of Britain
The Alliance for Scotland Rainforests
The Woodland Trust
Trees for Life
I love this subject and am always happy to hear the thoughts of others and have a chat (as Morag keeps reminding me). So if you have any queries, idea or counter positions, feel free to email me at tedleeming@me.com
Wanderings of a Photographic Duo 