Beginnings is the first of seven bogcasts (podcasts) sharing our love of peatlands through the Peat-Fest South-West project.  Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Recorded in summer 2025. 

From the launch of the festival to our first workshops this summer, this first bogcast, called ‘Beginnings’ gives an idea of the many different voices involved in this celebration of peatlands.  From the fantastic specialists and peatland restorers to our young and older participants, with their history and stories to tell, this bogcast asks ‘what is peat?’, encourages curiosity as to why peat is so special and how it reduces the impact of climate change. You will hear facts, fiction and folksong, alongside passion!

www.artandenergy.org/peatfestsouthwest

Beginnings: Bogcast 1, a podcast for Peat-Fest South-West Bogcast

Wet Land, our second bogcast reveals the wettest and flattest areas in the Southwest – the Somerset Levels.  The Avalon Marshes team, as well as the marshes themselves tell us how the peatlands have been lived in over thousands of years and about ancient wooden walkways skimming the surface of the water between settlements.  They explain how  the impact of climate change is causing more frequent flooding in winter and drier summers and how it challenges the careful peatland restoration, modern day living and farming the land.  The sound of Hot Poets and the Somerset wetland punctuates this bogcast giving ideas to think through and share with your friends.

Wet Land: Bogcast 2, a podcast for Peat-Fest South-West by Art and Energy with RE-PEAT

Recorded by Art and Energy and RE-PEAT for Peat-Fest South-West and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Buried: Bogcast 3 for Peat-Fest South-West

Listen to The Mossy Forest Visualisation written and recorded by Paul Hardman, originally developed for Glastonbury Festival, transporting listeners into an imagined world of whispering trees, rain, and light.

Join Paul for a relaxation exercise with square breathing, a body scan and finally a Mossy Forest visualisation.  Go with the flow, explore and be curious!

A Mossy Forest guided visualisation with Paul Hardman and Art and Energy

Life Force is our fourth bogcast, join us as we explore voices that have fought for change and taken action against the climate crisis. We will learn how small actions taken to restore and advocate for peatlands have contributed for a greater force for hope and change.  We will look at how we can all become part of this movement.  Recorded by Art and Energy and RE-PEAT for Peat-Fest South-West and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Beginnings: Bogcast 1, a podcast for Peat-Fest South-West Bogcast

The Art and Energy Collective

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