From Borneo to Britain

Borneo is the world’s third largest island situated in the heart of South-East Asia. With tropical rainforests older than the Amazon, Borneo harbours a unique and rich biodiversity, home to charismatic species such as the orangutan and rhinoceros hornbill. However, in the last 40 years, the island has lost over 30% of its native forest cover, a story akin to what happened here in the UK a few thousand years ago. Join us for this talk to go on an exploration into the wonderful world of Borneo’s tropical rainforests and how it often mirrors our British landscape. Abi Gwynn will draw upon her experiences from living and working in Borneo, sharing what she learned about the conservation challenges facing the island and the inspiring actions of local people to protect their environment, and how this then prompted her to want to work back in the UK. Not to mention there’ll be time for a weird and wonderful story or two!

After the talk, you will get a freshly prepared, nutritious lunch from the FarmED cafe where you will be able to network with other guests.

About the speaker:

Prior to her role as the 2023/24 FarmED Intern, Abi Gwynn worked as a conservationist and researcher, focusing on the protection and regeneration of tropical peat swamp rainforests in Borneo. Abi conducted a Masters by Research on the effects of forest fires on orangutan behaviour and health, taking her to live in Borneo for a year where she became immersed in the culture, environment and challenges the island faces. Abi then worked for the not-for-profit, Borneo Nature Foundation, where she was responsible for the international development of the charity and a primate health monitoring project. Whilst also having an avid interest in food growing and community-led conservation, Abi is now focussing her efforts on the state of the UK farmed environment, passionate to restore depleted landscapes and produce healthy food in an agroecological way, one market garden at a time.

Please arrive at 11:45 am. The talk will start at midday, and lunch will be served at 1:00 pm. 

Cancellation Policy

We understand that there may be times when you need to cancel your booking.  Our cancellation policy is outlined here.

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