Could Cornwall’s Wildlife Disappear? Experts to Discuss Nature’s Future at Museum Event

Published On: 24 March 2025Last Updated: 24 March 2025By CornishStuff

Reimagined Nature Gallery Opens to the Public

Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery has reopened with a brand-new Nature Gallery, created in collaboration with Cornwall Wildlife Trust, offering a fresh take on biodiversity, conservation, and climate through a distinctly Cornish lens.

The museum, which welcomed back visitors on 1st March after a £2.3 million investment from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme via the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, has launched this new space to highlight the beauty and challenges facing Cornwall’s natural world.

Lauren Campbell, Engagement Manager at the museum, said: “In the new Nature Gallery, we set out to create a space which is both playful and thought-provoking. This rewilded space celebrates Cornwall’s stunning landscapes, flora and fauna, and the historical conservationists, botanists, and citizen scientists who have helped us appreciate and understand them.”

Nature Writer and Climate Researcher to Lead Public Discussion

As part of the celebrations, the public is invited to a special event on 17th April featuring a conversation between Devon-based nature writer Sophie Pavelle and University of Bath climate researcher Dr Mark Wilson. The evening will explore the future of Cornwall’s ecosystem, using the new Nature Gallery as a backdrop.

The event is being facilitated by former BBC journalist and broadcaster Ali Vowles, and audience members will have the chance to contribute to the discussion with questions and comments.

Sophie, an award-winning science communicator who writes for New Scientist, National Geographic Traveller, The Guardian, and The Independent, will also be signing copies of her debut book Forget Me Not: Finding the Forgotten Species of Climate-Change Britain, which won The People’s Book Prize for Non-Fiction (2023). Her second book To Have or To Hold is due to be published in May.

Art and Conversation Combine

Guests attending the event will also have the chance to see the wider museum and the opening exhibition Biodiversity by artist Kurt Jackson, which explores the plant and animal life found across various UK locations.

Dr Mark Wilson, whose research includes sustainable food systems, low-carbon living, and climate policy, is currently working with Cornwall Council to explore how residents and employees feel about switching to active modes of travel.

Event Organisers Share Their Vision

The discussion is part of a collaboration between Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery and Agile Rabbit, a charity focused on promoting curiosity, creativity, and public engagement.

Anna-Laila Jost, Events and Engagement Officer at Agile Rabbit, said: “Cornwall is a haven for woodlands and wildlife, and that’s what attracts us – humans – to live, work, and play here. But amidst the abundance of stunning landscapes and richness in biodiversity, there are also signs of change on the horizon, with global temperatures increasing year after year.”

She added: “In this event, we’ll hear from Sophie about how species around us are adapting and building resilience. Meanwhile, Mark’s expertise gives us an insight into our own relationship with Cornwall’s special natural environment and how our behaviours can make a difference in a troubled global landscape.”