LITFEST: The Rights of Nature Panel

What do we mean when we talk about the ‘rights of nature’ and what would recognising them mean for the planet and its human and other inhabitants? 

To discuss this important concept and all its ramifications – from light pollution to wildlife corridors, and from agricultural production to rights to roam – Litfest’s Naturalist in Residence Dr Karen Lloyd will be joined by a panel of experts. 

Karen Lloyd is an award-winning writer of non-fiction based in Kendal, whose books include The Gathering Tide, The Blackbird Diaries, Abundance: Nature in Recovery and, most recently, Earthworks: Land and Nature in Uncertain Times.

Anna Levin is a former section editor with BBC Wildlife, and was for eight years a contributing editor with the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh. Her books include Dark Skies and Incandescent and Otters: Return to the River (with  photographer Laurie Campbell).

Juliet Rose is Head of Development (Nature and People) at the Eden Project. Her work spans both nature recovery and social recovery. She is responsible for Eden Project National Wildflower Centre and Eden Project Outreach initiatives and is a Nature Guardian for Faith in Nature, the first company to appoint nature to their board.

Lee Schofield is the author of Wild Fell, his celebrated account of a decade overseeing pioneering conservation work for the RSPB across a Lake District upland mosaic of habitats covering 30km2. Today he is working on one of the largest Landscape Recovery Projects in England, aiming to create a 150km2 wildlife corridor from Penrith to Kendal.

Anna Tranter is a solicitor in Irwin Mitchell's Planning & Environment team. She holds an LLM in Environmental Law and Policy and an LLB in Law and Practice. She is a founder member of Legal Voices for the Future. 

AGE GUIDANCE 16+

Photo Credit: Maarten Zeehandelaar/ Shutterstock

*Motorway passing underneath Grimberg wildlife crossing forming a safe natural corridor bridge for animals to migrate between conservancy areas, Netherlands.