Author Archives: Vicky Bowskill

From Macro to Micro

The ‘From Macro to Micro’ project was an innovative collaboration between the Open University, Natural England, Dudley Council and King Edwards VI College that used an exciting mix of science and art to connect students with their local geological landscape. A group of A-Level geology and art students had the opportunity to visit the BlackContinue reading “From Macro to Micro”

How does nature affect neurodivergent experience?

Everybody has an internal sense of how they are feeling – hungry, anxious, tired, happy, cold, need the toilet. It’s called interoception, our 8th sense. People experience and process their feelings of interoception in different ways, and sometimes we may be challenged or confused by these feelings.  That’s entirely normal.  However, this sense can beContinue reading “How does nature affect neurodivergent experience?”

Embracing inclusion through soil, soul and society

Time in nature offers a host of health and wellbeing benefits but green spaces in the UK are not equally welcoming for everyone. Barriers may be physical, cultural, educational – and all too often, invisible. Dadima’s CIC is a community walking group in the Chilterns, created by Geeta and Subash Ludhra to provide a welcomingContinue reading “Embracing inclusion through soil, soul and society”

Forget the calendar: haymaking must reconnect with the shifting seasons

From the sepia farm in my grandmother’s scrapbook to my PhD research in our remnant floodplain meadows, hay and wildflowers have been a golden thread of family culture. But it’s time for a change in our haymaking habits… Read the full story at Inkcap Journal Find out more about this research at Hay Days: restoringContinue reading “Forget the calendar: haymaking must reconnect with the shifting seasons”

Hay Days: restoring our floodplain landscape through haymaking

This article first appeared on the Floodplain Meadows Partnership website following a talk at their 2023 conference ‘Restoring meadow communities: plants, soils, people’. Floodplain meadows are an ancient part of the multi-functional agricultural landscape of Britain that provide not only food and fodder, but also essential services such as flood prevention and carbon storage. TheirContinue reading “Hay Days: restoring our floodplain landscape through haymaking”

Accessibility in #SciArt and #DataViz

I’ve recently discovered the excellent Data Viz Today podcast with Alli Torban and was delighted to discover episode 63 with Frank Elavsky on how to integrate accessibility into DataViz with tons of great advice and resources. As a neurodivergent scientist and visual communicator this issue is close to my heart and deserves considered attention inContinue reading “Accessibility in #SciArt and #DataViz“

Voices from the Floodplain: a poem

This free verse poem is composed from the words of many floodplain farmers who took part in interviews and questionnaires as part of my Hay Days PhD research project into the management of floodplain meadows for sustainable farming. Arranged and read by me, Vicky Bowskill, and presented along with a montage of images from projectContinue reading “Voices from the Floodplain: a poem”

Book review: Meadow, the intimate bond between people, place and plants

Author: Iain Parkinson. Photography: Jim HoldenKew Publishing (5 May 2022)ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1842467476, ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1842467473 This book is truly a delight – and I’m not just saying that as I have the privilege of being included in it’s pages, perched atop a bale of sweet meadow hay! I was just aContinue reading “Book review: Meadow, the intimate bond between people, place and plants”

Of hares and harebells

Hares and harebells are both iconic species of our meadows that are inextricably linked with our agricultural heritage and our cultural landscape. One of my favourite meadow mammals is the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus). Over the centuries we’ve woven a rich mythology around this enigmatic creature and it’s always enchanting to see them onContinue reading “Of hares and harebells”