Cultural Reforesting: how art and nature can shape our future

In the face of climate change, we need more than just practical solutions – we need a shift in mindset. ‘Cultural Reforesting’ invites us to rethink our relationship with nature, using art and creativity to inspire action.

As we move towards 2030 – our target year for Richmond Council to become a carbon-neutral organisation – there is much work under way to tackle climate change. From improving air quality and reducing waste to making buildings more energy-efficient and preparing for extreme weather events, we are making tangible progress.

The interconnected challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss are transforming our world, affecting ecosystems, wildlife, and the spaces we share.

At Richmond Council, we declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, recognising that the global crisis is a threat everywhere, including in our own borough. Since then, we have been working to reduce emissions, protect our natural environment, and build resilience to climate impacts.

But beyond the practical steps, there’s a deeper question: how do we redefine our relationship with nature?

This is where Cultural Reforesting comes in. More than just an environmental initiative, it is a concept that blends the natural world with creativity, inviting us to pause, reflect, and renew our connection with nature. The newly opened exhibition at Orleans House Gallery provides a space to explore these ideas – through art, through nature, and through our shared experiences.

Working with nature, not against it

We cannot combat climate change by resisting nature. Instead, we must work with it. In Richmond upon Thames, this means using nature-based solutions like:

• Natural flood management, such as restoring riverbanks to prevent flooding
• Harnessing renewable energy, like solar panels through the Make My House Green scheme
• Planting trees with climate-resilient traits – such as the Indian horse chestnut, Italian stone pine and Chestnut-leaved oak – to offer shade in future heatwaves
• Greening our urban spaces, from parklets and rain gardens to community planting projects

When viewed on a larger scale, this approach supports the restoration of entire ecosystems – reconnecting wild spaces, encouraging biodiversity, and ensuring that pollinators, plants, and wildlife flourish.

At the same time, Richmond Council is working across several critical areas to reduce our environmental impact and prepare for a changing climate. These include:

• Reducing waste through improved recycling and waste management initiatives
• Decarbonising buildings by promoting energy-efficient upgrades and renewable energy sources
• Mapping risks and vulnerabilities to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change
• Improving air quality to ensure cleaner, healthier air for all residents – many of the actions we take to reduce pollution, such as promoting active travel and reducing vehicle emissions, also play a key role in tackling climate change

We’re also partnering with local organisations, businesses, and residents to drive meaningful change. 

Richmond Council’s climate micro-grants support small, community-led projects, while our Community BlueScapes partnership with Barnes Common and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust is helping build flood resilience around the Beverley Brook. Through our partnership with Make My House Green, we’re helping residents to cut energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint by installing solar panels.

These initiatives create local momentum, encouraging collective action to address environmental challenges.

Healing ourselves as we heal the planet

Reconnecting with nature doesn’t just benefit the environment – it benefits us too. Studies show that time in green spaces improves mental and physical wellbeing. Whether it’s a walk in the park, a moment by the river, or simply tending to a garden, nature sustains us, just as we sustain it.

Art plays a crucial role in this reconnection. It allows us to process complex emotions, to express without words, and to find perspective in an uncertain world. The Cultural Reforesting exhibition turns Orleans House into a place for hope and ideas, helping us reforge a sense of purpose in the face of climate challenges.

A festival for everyone

This June, the Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival will unfold across various locations in our borough, involving local groups and reaching residents in ways that spark new perspectives on the environmental challenges we face.

The Festival will also link local and global perspectives. Through collaboration with artist communities in Karachi and São Paulo, we will explore the universal impacts of climate change – on homes, agriculture, and entire ways of life.

Planting a single patch of wildflowers won’t change the world – but as part of a larger network of restored ecosystems, it can make a meaningful difference. Likewise, individual actions – whether through art, activism, or everyday choices – can spark wider change.

This year’s festival is an opportunity to celebrate those connections and to imagine a future where we and nature flourish together.

Get involved

Visit the Cultural Reforesting exhibition at Orleans House Gallery now, and join the conversation at the Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival this June.

The festival programme and ticket sales will launch in April. Sign up to the e-newsletter to be the first to hear about our events.

Share this