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Join us for Into The Light

Our two-day gathering at Heal Somerset is returning for 2025!

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Our 2025 event will have a festival feel and build on the things people loved about the 2024 gathering: small, relaxed and low tech with lots of time built into the programme for conversation. This event will bring together people from our fast-growing community doing something positive about nature recovery right now. You will hear from leading voices and key change-makers from across the rewilding movement in the UK and meet others working in a range of sectors, from environment, wildlife, finance and tech to scientists, climate change campaigners, career seekers and those looking for answers in the face of devastating nature and climate decline.

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On each of the two days, people will gather to learn from our inspiring speakers, share knowledge and talk about what’s working and what’s not. Together we will discuss creative and action-focused approaches and strategies to mitigate the biodiversity and climate crises we are facing, and explore the positive impact of rewilding on nature, climate and wellbeing.

 

Attendees will have the opportunity to spend time together on our beautiful rewilding site, helping to foster a greater level of connection, mutual support and interaction with others working towards the same goals within this relatively new sector.

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​Day 1 - Friday 6 June

The programme on Friday is being curated with those working in the nature, ecology, land management and other professional sectors in mind, but would be of interest to others, for example landowners, students and anyone who wants a deeper dive into rewilding. 

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Key themes for Friday will include species surveys and the role of interventions in rewilding.

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Day 2 - Saturday 7 June

Saturday will feature inspiring speakers from a range of backgrounds in nature recovery and wildlife, and our audience will have the chance to contribute, challenge and question, as well as share good practice and positive stories of nature-recovery in their own areas.

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Key themes for Saturday will include the impact that rewilding has on our wildlife along with the benefits it brings for us and our wellbeing, both as individuals and communities.

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We've started announcing speakers, with more coming soon, and alongside the main programme we will be offering fringe activities including site and wildlife tours and other activities on both days. There will be basic camping available on site, from Thursday night to Sunday night, parking (included in the ticket price) and a minibus pick up service run by volunteers to and from nearby railway stations.

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What to expect

Into The Light runs over two days and you can book for one day or both days. There will be a big tent for talks and a smaller tent for book talks and other fringe activities.

Friday 6 June 2025

Learn from inspiring speakers and take part in conversations around surveying and interventions. 

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The programme for this day has been curated with a professional audience in mind but would be of interest to others, for example landowners, students and anyone interested in these topics.​

Time
Session
10-10:10AM
Open and welcome from Jan Stannard, co-founder and CEO of Heal  
10:10-11:15AM

Opening talks with audience Q&A, confirmed speakers include: 

 

  • Dr Mya-Rose Craig, birder, race activist and environmentalist 

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  • Alister Scott, executive director at the Global Rewilding Alliance â€‹â€‹â€‹

11:15-12PM
Break, fringe sessions 
12-1:15PM

Nature Data: The Principles and Practice of Wildlife Monitoring and Surveying, confirmed speakers include: 

 

  • Alex Sams, ecologist and director of Providence Ecological​

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  • Daniel Hill, rewilding ranger, Heal Somerset​​

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  • Naomi Johns, centre and operations manager, The Bird Of Prey Project

1:15-2:30PM
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Lunch and launch of 30x30 UK 

 
  • 2-2:30PM: 30% of Land and Sea for Nature by 2030: Why This Goal Means Five Extraordinary Years for Nature

    The launch of 30x30 UK which is aiming to fill the £500 million per year funding gap for UK nature with Elliot Coad, cofounder of 30x30 UK and Ecologi and Nicky O'Malley, cofounder of 30x30 UK and Nature's Voice
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  • Vherbal Kitchen food truck: plant-based pizza, salads and dessert. Click for menu
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2:30-3:45PM

World café session: Interventions Within a Rewilding Context, confirmed speakers include: 

 

  • Professor James Bullock, merit scientist, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology  â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹

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  • Rob Farrington, head of wilder landscapes at Dorset Wildlife Trust

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  • Prof. Alastair Driver, specialist advisor for Heal Rewilding

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  • Fraser Bradbury, forest and environmental manager, Westacre Estate

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  • Ben Horne, Cove Valley rewilding project

3:45-4:30PM
Break in main programme, fringe sessions/book talk
4:30-5PM

Closing talk with audience Q&A 

 

  • Sara King, rewilding manager, Rewilding Britain 

5PM-late
Fringe activities, food, music and more to be confirmed 

Into The Light 2025 is sponsored by:
 

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Sherlock & Pages will be running a nature and wildlife themed book stall throughout both days of Into The Light

For wild things and all of us

For more info about Heal, visit our main website.

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Tel: 01749 684757

Lower West Barn Farm, Bindon Lane, Witham Friary, BA11 5HH

© Heal Rewilding CIO registered charity 1187992

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