Festival Updates Archives - Between The Trees

Do you want to help people re-connect with nature and understand how that can help protect the planet?

Between The Trees is a music festival with a difference; we have a unique theme of nature & science and it’s all takes place in the middle of a natural woodland by the sea at Merthyr Mawr, South Wales.

We not only want you to enjoy original music and create beautiful art in natural surroundings, but we also want you to experience and explore different aspects of nature & science in our dedicated science area called “Wallace’s Woodland”

Through biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, and astronomy, we seek to understand how the world and universe around us works and how best we can care for the planet. We will introduce you to the indigenous animals, plants and insects of this amazing nature reserve. We will explore the microscopic world of the forest with microscopes and at night view the night sky with telescopes.

We will have films, talks and discussions on conservation and biodiversity as well as guided walks through the forest.

Would you like to get involved in science at BTT? We are seeking enthusiastic people, from all walks of life, who have an interest in nature and science and are a keen to bring their expertise and knowledge to BTT to engage the public in fun, science-based activities.

We would like you to follow a “nature” theme and encourage the use of natural resources that can found in the woodland, however we are happy to receive applications from any of the natural science disciplines.

If you are interested email us at [email protected].

Festival dates: 30, 31 Aug – 1 Sept.

Gwefan: www.betweenthetrees.co.uk

S’mae pawb hi everybody,

Dawn and I would like to say Merry Christmas to you all, and to thank you for all your support for Between The Trees. Together we all made this beautiful and memorable event happen.

Last year’s festival exceeded all our expectations, words like “magical, wonderful and life-changing” have all been used to describe the weekend. We had amazing performances from all our artists and some incredible talks and films in the Red Film Barn. Volunteers and festival-goers became more like family and friends.

Although we said we’d have a well earned rest, we’ve already been planning next year’s event. We’ve booked some great acts so far, such as Noble Jacks, Sam Kelly, Flight Brigade and Luke Jackson, to name but a few. We hope to increase the amount of science in the festival and are going to explore the “Biodiversity” theme. We want to offer all of you the opportunity to do some real science at the festival and, at the same time, learn about the wonderful flora and fauna of the area. We are also really happy to announce that the wonderful people at Merthyr Mawr Estate are making some great improvements to the Candleston site for 2019 , which will make it an even better experience for everyone.

Last, but not least, we’d like to share some of the music we’ve been listening to this year. Our top 10 include: Click to listen to Dermot Kennedy, Tall Heights, Firewoodisland, SaintSister, Seth Lakeman, Allman Brown, Gregory Alan Isakov , Hollow Coves and Wild Rivers.

Merry Christmas and a see you all next year at Between The Trees x.

Its not all about the music at Between The Trees, we are also privileged and excited to announce several wonderful speakers and workshops. We have poets (Rhian Edwards, Jonathan Edwards & Mike Church) presenting in the Seren Circle, films in the Red Barn and astronomy on the dunes. Robert Minhinnick, poet and writer, is showing his acclaimed film “Dairy of The Last Man”

with accompanying live score. This film plots the walk from the mouths of the Rivers Ogwr and Cynfig and explores the author’s life and his connection to the local area, its people and it’s history.

Bruce Parry’s film, “Tawai” (voice from the forest), will also be showing in the Red Barn. It is a documentary which follows the lives of the indigenous, Penam forest people of Borneo. It reflects on their how their struggle for survival is intrinsically linked to nature and how palm oil plantations are threatening their very existence. It also addresses our “need to reconnect with the natural world”.

Duncan Ludlow (Natural Resources Wales and Warden for Merthyr Mawr Warren) will be conducting morning natural walks through the forest and onto the dunes, whist Tommy Carr (Mindful Walks) will be leading mindfulness forest walks. Mark Steer (Glamorgan Fungus Group) will be speaking about the fascinating symbiotic relationship between fungi and trees. Additionally, Alex McCarthy will be telling us all about the butterflies of the area and Matt from Wildwood Ecology will be relating his knowledge of bat species and their habitats.

As well as nature focussed activities, we also have archeology and astronomy talks and workshops. There is no doubt, our ancestors were more in touch with the natural world than we are today, this is evident from their elaborate burial rituals and “rock-art”. We have Dewi Bowen and Prof George Nash who will tell us all about our ancient stone and bronze age past. Dr Martin Griffiths (Dark Sky Ambassador, Brecon Beacons National Park) will be taking us on a special interpretation of the night sky with stories from Welsh folklore of the Mabinogion. He will also be running night-time astronomy workshops where you will be able to observe the planets and stars through telescopes.

The Andromeda galaxy and satellites (Martin Griffiths)

At the other end of the spectrum, in the Science Tent, Andrew Barratt (Cardiff Metropolitan University) will be leading microscopy workshops looking at plant fertilization and insect pollination and Dr Emma Hayhurst (University of South Wales) will be studying the microbiome of the forest floor. You will have the opportunity to experience hands-on science activities and carry out some of your own experimental biology.

COMING SOON! News about Children’s activities, our wonderful art and craft traders and our local food, beer and cider providers.

We will be showing the Bruce Parry documentary film “Tawai” at this years Between The Trees Festival. We first heard about the film from our neighbour, Isaac Collyer (age 14) and he has kindly provided a review of the film.

“ We need to look at ourselves and take responsibility for all our actions no matter how small ….in the knowledge that what we do to each other, to nature, we ultimately do to ourselves…..” Bruce Parry, Tawai, 2017.

Bruce Parry’s film ‘Tawai’ , while beautifully shot using cinematography that invokes a dream like quality, also makes for uncomfortable and thought provoking viewing. The film had a profound effect on me when I watched it at a Q & A session with Bruce at Chapter Arts centre last year.

The film sends a strong message to the viewer that we must look beyond ourselves and our immediate environment to consider the impact our actions have on all species and the planet that supports us; if we do not do this we will run the very real risk of irreparably destroying ourselves.

During the film we are introduced to The Penan Tribe (who Bruce lived with during his documentary series Tribe) the family of Mahant Jagadeshi Giri and the Pirhaha People of the Amazon. We hear from Jeffrey, Selapan, Kulat and others who share with us their lived experience of the destruction of the forest in which they live by the Malaysian government and various global corporations.

During the film the Penan people express their fear for their future.‘Tawai’ is a term used by them to describe emotional connection inspired by the forest, their ancestral home in which they have lived for thousands of years. Their love of the forest is real, they compare its shelter and abundance to a mother nurturing her children.

Until recently the Penan people lived nomadic lives with everything they owned on their backs. In ‘Tawai’ Bruce returns to visit them just as they have take on their first ever permanent dwelling on the outskirts of the forest and we witness the compromises this brings to their close community.

There are a many brilliant scenes throughout the film. One of my favourite being a scene near the end where we witness thousands of pilgrims running into the river Ganges. Bruce Parry describes it as the first time he had truly felt the same as everyone else:

“It allowed me to view myself very differently… I saw myself as the same as everyone else. Me became a we not a him and I …for the first time… and a feeling that suddenly everything made sense” .

I urge you to watch ‘Tawai’ with an open and enquiring mind. I am grateful that Andrew and Dawn have included it in the Between the Trees festival line up. The underlining message of community spirit and mindful care of the planet on which we live is the shared vision of the film and the BTT festival.

I hope you enjoy the festival in August and the opportunity to watch Bruce Parry’s ‘Tawai’ – one of my favourite films.

Isaac Collyer (June 2018)

Who wants a comfortable camping experience, sleeping under canvas in the heart of a sandy, Welsh woodland near the coast?

Read on for our exclusive and affordable bell tent offer at B.T.T 2018

We are absolutely delighted to announce our partnership with AFON Events to provide an awesome deal on Festival Glamping at B.T.T 2018.

We have a limited number of beautifully, kitted out canvas bell tents to hire at a fab introductory rate.

All tents are 5m diameter and come equipped with fairy lights, bunting, coir matting, mattresses and a beautiful throw, all you need to bring is your best friend, partner or kids and your bedding (pillow and sleeping bag or bed sheet and duvet).

If you’ve never tried a bell tent, they are heartily recommended for the sensory experience; the light, the way that the shadows of the trees play on the canvas, the clean, coastal air and the sound of birds in the woodland.

It’s such a great experience of fresh open-air living, minus the hassles of transportation, or the joys of packing up after a fun weekend.

It will all set up for your arrival, ready for you to dress up in your festival clothes, flower crowns and fairy wings for a weekend of wonderful music, delicious food, great locally sourced beers and ciders and some wonderful and inspiring talks and activities.

For only £240 (2 person) or £260 (4 person) for the whole weekend (2 nights Friday to Sunday) you can enjoy the great outdoors in comfort and style .

Treat yourself to an idyllic, glamping stay at B.T.T. available now!

https://betweenthetrees.co.uk/tickets/

Many children and young people do not have the opportunity to engage with nature and the environment. In recent years, with the rapid increase in the use of electronic devices and social media, young minds are not interacting with nature; which is proven statistically to be beneficial to well being and health.

These factors have had negative implications on the quality of life, affecting both mental and physical health and resulting in adverse consequences in terms of cost to individuals, the NHS and society as a whole. In fact, in Wales it has been estimated that 1 in 4 people have a mental health problem (Office for National Statistics). Moreover, the overall cost of mental health problems in Wales is estimated to be £7.2 billion a year and by 2020 it has been stated that mental ill health related problems will be second to heart disease as the leading contributor to the global burden of disease (WHO Mental Health Publications)

At Between The Trees 2018 we have activities that will encourage festivalgoers to engage with the wonders of nature through science, environmental art, and spoken word. We will also be showing the film “TAWAI” which is the word the nomadic hunter-gatherers of Borneo use to describe their inner feeling of connection to nature. In this dreamy, philosophical and sociological look at life, explorer Bruce Parry travels the world to learn from people living lives very different to our own. From the jungles of Malaysia to the tributaries of the Amazon, TAWAI is a quest for reconnection, providing a powerful voice from the heart of the forest itself. We hope the experience will enthuse and re-kindle an interest in the natural world on our doorstep.

The festival is situated adjacent to Merthyr Mawr Nature Reserve, which is a recognized Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The unique sandy coastal environment is home for a variety of rare and beautiful butterflies, insects reptiles and birds. It also boasts a huge diversity of plant and fungus species. The forest itself has over 200 different tree species and there will be plenty of time to explore its rich biodiversity as well as enjoy interactive natural science exhibitions.

As well as learning new and interesting facts about nature and creating land art we hope the experience will improve your mood, well being and leave you feeling restored and inspired as you are entertained by some incredible original musicians in an atmospheric forest setting.

All projects need a great team. At Green Man 2017, we assembled a small group of amazing people.

We worked together to bring the natural science element to the fore,using the local environment as a resource. The idea was to utilise the field for Land Art and the collection of samples for a 5 senses treasure hunt.

We took microscopes into a field tent, created slides from what we found and saw the absolutely, magical reaction from the festival goers.

As well as Andrew and I, there was Alis, a BSc student who specialised in honey and bees, what an asset to the Pollination Station!

David Llewelyn PhD an ex-colleague of Andrew’s now working in the field of public environmental engagement and a more vibrant, enthusiastic person you could not meet! David’s son, Steffan Llewellyn PhD another scientist, demonstrating huge patience and care with young people using the scopes for the first time.

Along came the wonderfully positive, Andrew Barratt studying for his BSc at Cardiff Met, who with great energy and enthusiasm engaged superbly with both the general public and the TV company BBC Wales show “Heno” in Cymraeg. Last, but not least ,Sian Westcombe, an online IT learning specialist who with utmost dedication worked with very young children to play the “Mis-BEE-having Game”.

Frankly, it was exhausting. We met thousands of people and engaged with them all, whilst battling torrential downpours… and wearing fairy wings and a flower crown. ( Just me).

We also had a microscope stolen one night ( how very Middle Class) , which everyone was surprised at..especially when it magically re-appeared the next day entirely unharmed! We wondered what small things they were looking at?

We laughed a LOT though, and there were many moments that made it all worthwhile. We saw a tardigrade (water bear), we photographed the incredibly beautiful pollen grains and then presented the 3D printed models to the festival goers. It’s safe to say that we got as much from it as they did , being moved to tears by people who saw the wonders of the microscopic world for the first time, possibly fostering a life-long interest in the natural world.

Late in 2017 we were presented with an opportunity, by happy circumstance, to acquire the Candleston Castle Campsite at Merthyr Mawr to take our dream further. We realised that the ethos was unable to develop unless we were working with free reign for our ideas. I’d previously visited the site at Merthyr Mawr, it was not only an S.S.S.I, but set within a woodland, ideal for our purposes.

We spoke to the site managers and within an hour it was booked! Our next-door-neighbour and Electro- Wizard Gareth Clarke, said that he would like to be part of the team, along with the incredible Alexander Wigmore (Website and logo designer) and we had an actual Festival Committee. Meetings are held weekly in our local pub in a very relaxed way, next to roaring fire, with lovely real ale (or in my case, a nice cup of tea) and possibly some chips…

Between The Trees Festival was growing, changing and evolving…

Between The Trees was originally conceived one sunny afternoon in 2014 and contemplated in a well-used sketchbook, through musings, doodles, a myriad of possible names and logos.

After many years of deliberation and thinking about a collaboration of the various passions of his, scientist Andrew Thomas handed me the battered book of his thoughts and ideas, asking “what did I think?”

I loved it… and I was inspired.

I knew we were onto something. We had the same love of music in our bones, a long held passion for natural science, art and design and lastly… camping. Both in education, we longed to bring the best of what we knew of the original music scene to a wider audience whilst integrating this with Science and Art.

He had already explored many aspects of the theme; he had logos, mind-maps and finer details sketched out.

So where did I fit into this? Let’s ask Andrew? “Dawn provided the creative spark required to bring the festival to life. As a freelance art educator and a natural motivator, she focused the ideas, sketched out the plan and basically kick-started the whole thing off”.

We worked together to bring the natural science element to the fore, using the local environment as a resource. The idea was to utilise the immediate countryside as a resource for Land Art and the collection of items for a Five Senses Treasure Hunt.

We set about creating a new, interactive, Pop-Up stand for Einstein’s Garden at Green Man Festival 2017: “The Pollination Station” was born! This project was sponsored by Cardiff Metropolitan University and investigated the amazing diverse morphology of plant pollen grains and insect parts using microscopy. We used 3D printed pollen grains to visualise the pollen structures and played interactive games to engage the public with the intricacies of plant fertilization, the role insects play in pollination and our interdependence on other animal species for survival.

This was beginning to evolve into something much bigger… to be continued.