Earth Photo exhibition returns to Haldon Forest Park

Forestry England is offering the chance to see a selection of shortlisted images from international competition, Earth Photo, in the beautiful setting of Haldon Forest Park from 30th October, 2023, until 14th January, 2024.

Earth Photo is an international competition and exhibition created by Forestry England and the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) to showcase photographs and videos that document the natural world, its breathtaking beauty, and its ever-growing fragility.

The Haldon Forest Park outdoor exhibition will display a selection of shortlisted images by 31 different artists chosen from more than 1,400 entries. These will include the winning image for ‘Forest Ecosystem’ by Filippo Ferraro, who tells the story of the olive tree epidemic in Southern Italy, and for ‘We the Forest’ by Liv Milani, taken from her collection of portraits of women around the world who are standing for trees and the living Earth.

Filippo Ferraro’s photo is titled Wooden Diamonds and shows burning trees during a night fire. When an olive tree burns, due to its hollow trunk, the so-called "chimney effect" occurs, which causes the tree to burn very quickly from the inside. The photo was taken in Presicce, Southern Salento, Italy, in 2022.

Liv Milani’s image is part of the environmental art project 'Women and Trees', a collection of portraits and voices of women from around the world that are standing for trees and the living Earth. The project explores the age-old relationship between women and trees, the feminine and nature, and wishes to create awareness on the vital role of trees and forests in our lives and the importance of female approaches to restoring our connection to nature.

Liv says: “The project presents images and voices portraying a new way of relating to the more-than-human world, that attest to the emergence of a global movement of women standing for trees and the living Earth.

“Every woman in this project is uniquely contributing to restoring the natural world and our relationship to it, inviting us to remember ourselves as nature. This collection of portraits captures change makers, activists, earth defenders, writers, teachers, artists, poets, musicians, dancers, midwives, healers and keepers of ancestral traditions.

“These women all share a deep love for trees and are embodying new ways of being and relating to the living world, recognising our ‚ÄòInterbeingness‚Äô and the Earth as a sentient being.

“Women and Trees is a celebration of the feminine spirit and the spirit of trees.”

Katy Harrison, Haldon Forest Park manager said:

“I’m thrilled to welcome Earth Photo back to Haldon Forest Park. The towering trees of the forest are the perfect setting to appreciate these thought-provoking works from an array of talented photographers. The changing weather and light of the forest add a unique dimension to the exhibition, which is free to enjoy and accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Haldon Forest Park is one of only five of the nation’s forests hosting this touring Earth Photo exhibition, and it is a pleasure to be involved in creating such a special experience for visitors.”

More information on the Haldon Forest Park exhibition is available on the Forestry England website - https://www.forestryengland.uk/forest-event/events-haldon-forest-park/earth-photo-exhibition-haldon-forest-park

The Earth Photo exhibition is on tour at other Forestry England sites now until 28th January, 2024. Details of the tour and an online exhibition of all shortlisted entries can be found at https://www.forestryengland.uk/earth-photo