The UK’s woodlands store 1.1 billion tonnes of carbon and act as a “net carbon sink” that currently removes 5% of the country’s CO₂ emissions from the atmosphere.  However, we are one of Europe’s least wooded countries and the carbon sink is gradually declining over time.  The government’s response is to establish over 30,000 hectares of new woodlands per year by 2025, providing a nature-based solution to the climate crisis whilst benefitting biodiversity and human wellbeing.

Join Prof Coomes in a discussion about whether this commitment is an example of greenwashing or a golden opportunity to restore nature to our countryside.

A programme of free, informal, monthly science talks bringing the latest discoveries in plant science, as well as research linked to the plant collection at CUBG to our visitors in a 30 minute nutshell.

Normally, these talks take place in the Garden on the second Sunday of the month as a drop in session. However, as access to the Garden classroom is still restricted this year due to COVID-19, we will be running these talks as online webinars until such time as we can open the classroom to visitors again.

Please check the website and social media for updates.

Suitable for adults and children aged 12+

Talks run monthly March to August

Further talks:

11 April – Dr Johannes Kromdijk, Department of Plant Sciences – How has evolution fine-tuned the C₄ photosynthetic turbo-charger?

9 May – Dr Chris Whitewoods, Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge – From simple beginnings—understanding the origin of carnivorous plant traps

13 June – Dr Alejandra Guerrero, Department of Plant Sciences – Using Biotechnology to obtain plant pigments without plants

11 July – Dr Lauren Gardiner, Curator of the Cambridge University Herbarium, Department of Plant Sciences – Opening the book of (plant) life

8 August – Dr Julia Mackenzie, Anglia Ruskin University – Raising a brood in the Botanic Garden: The trials and tribulations of blue tits and great tits