Beneath our feet lies a world of extraordinary complexity and the fate of our planet may well depend on how well we understand and protect it. Robert Ashton's Down to Earth is a revelatory journey into the living soil that sustains all life, from the microbes that power our food systems to the ancient connections between plants, fungi and the earth itself.
 
In conversation with a representative of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Robert will explore what soil can teach us about sustainability, farming and our relationship with the natural world - and what we can all do, from allotment holders to policymakers, to nurture this precious resource.
 
A must-attend event for gardeners, naturalists, farmers and everyone who eats. 
Format: Interview & Q&A
Themes: Non-Fiction, Adults, Climate Focus, Gardening, Local Interest, Festival of Nature
 
Robert Ashton Books: Down to Earth, Where Are the Fellows Who Cut The Hay?
Robert Ashton worked on farms in his teens, studied at agricultural college and spent the first decade of his career selling fertiliser. He graduated from the UEA with a Creative Writing MA in 2020 and writes about our evolving relationship with the natural world. A Quaker, he lives at Leiston.
 
Hellen Bynum - Senior Farm Wildlife Adviser, Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Suffolk Wildlife Trust is the nature charity for Suffolk – the only organisation wholly dedicated to protecting the county's wildlife and restoring wild landscapes.