Conference: Artful Migration – journey so far/ where next?  

Friday 20th October 2023

This will take place in Duncan Hall, Easterbook Hall on the Crichton Estate Dumfries from 10am – 4.30pm

We are pleased to announce that our Keynote speaker will be Sacha Dench, UN Ambassador for Migratory Species, with a focus on avian species, an honorary title which recognizes her extraordinary commitment to wildlife conservation. As Ambassador for Migratory Species, Sacha is entrusted with raising awareness about the plight of birds, the wonders of their migration and the work of CMS.

The Osprey is a priority species for CMS and its Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MOU). The Flight of the Osprey expedition took place between August to December 2022. The team travelled from Scotland to Guinea, where they followed 4 tracked Ospreys. Along the way they documented threats faced by the Osprey – 38 in total. They spoke with 100’s of individuals and organisations along the way and discussed how to make positive change. The expedition raised great interest through the Radio 4 Flight of the Ospreys programme: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001ddnd.

Film footage will be turned into a documentary to continue to raise awareness. https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/flight-of-the-osprey

Chris Freemantle from Ecoartscotland and other speakers from artists and the D&G Biosphere will debate the interdisciplinary work of Artful Migration bringing artists into dialogue with science and highlighting the threatened flyways of migratory birds to Scotland to raise their chicks in publicly managed local habitats.  This conference will be featured as part of the Wild Goose Festival 2023 https://thestove.org/wild-goose-festival/  More details will be uploaded when programme is completed.