New film reveals secrets of rarely seen remote Scottish wilderness & launches an urgent appeal to protect the UK’s largest UNESCO Biosphere
A new short film, which premieres on 16th October 2024, is calling for urgent action to secure a future for all living things in one of Britain’s most remote and fragile natural habitats. It is the first film to explore a globally significant area in the UK’s largest UNESCO Biosphere, which is essential to protecting biodiversity, mitigating climate change and sustaining life, is currently facing multiple threats.
Produced by Lilac Howell Films on behalf of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership, Heart of the Biosphere – A Year in the Life of Merrick-Kells and Silver Flowe takes viewers on a captivating exploration to discover the unique beauty and complexity of one of the hardest to reach areas at the core of the Biosphere in southern Scotland.
The film showcases the urgent need to support and enhance efforts in conservation and nature restoration in the area, as this unique wilderness faces multiple threats including climate change and biodiversity loss.
The Merrick is widely known as southern Scotland’s highest peak, but few realise that nested around its flanks is Silver Flowe, one of the most important patterned blanket bogs in the whole of the UK. The area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Area of Conservation, and recognised under the international RAMSAR convention for the habitats and species it supports.
Merrick-Kells and Silver Flowe are home to some of the country’s most iconic species including peregrines, golden eagles, otters and wild goats, as well as the rare and beautiful Azure hawker dragonfly, a species only found in Scotland. The lack of human activity and intervention make the area a refuge for wading birds, pine martens, invertebrates, mosses and wetland plants, including the carnivorous round-leaved sundew made famous on the logo of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere. These species and many more depend on peatland and grassland conservation to survive in the face of multiple concurrent risks generated by global warming and human activity.
Speaking ahead of Heart of the Biosphere’s world premiere at Newton Stewart Cinema ( a community-led venue only 20 miles from Silver Flowe), Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Director Ed Forrest said: “Heart of the Biosphere is a call to action to protect the precious upland landscapes and habitats of Galloway, which are vital to sustaining life as we know it. Patterned blanket bogs are globally important for their incredible carbon-storing properties and the phenomenal diversity of plant and animal species that they support, but there is a huge amount of work to be done to ensure their continued survival.
“Helping others understand the importance of these remote ecosystems to ecological health, cultural heritage and socioeconomic wellbeing is imperative to achieving this. The short film we have commissioned is the first to explore this unique area and its importance in the tapestry of Scottish landscapes, and we are excited to transport viewers right into the very heart of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere.”
Heart of the Biosphere was shot over a continuous 12-month period to capture the seasonal changes at Merrick-Kells and Silver Flowe, which is acclaimed as one of the last true wilderness areas in Scotland. The production team were backed by expertise and logistical support from a range of local and national organisations including Forestry & Land Scotland, NatureScot, South West Scotland Environmental Information Centre, and the RSPB. The Newton Stewart premiere is the first event in a planned tour that will see Heart of the Biosphere screened at community hubs and festivals around the Biosphere and further afield. Its second showing will take place on 22nd October at the Robert Burns Centre in Dumfries as part of the Wild Goose Festival 2024.
Anthony Howell, Director of Lilac Howell Films, said: “It was a privilege to spend a year working with the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership, immersed in this truly astounding location and having the privilege to capture sights and sounds that so few people get to experience in real life. The project was very much a team effort and one which had a very light touch on the ground, with a single-member crew filming on site supported by partner organisations and the Biosphere’s officer team.
“The landscapes within the UNESCO Biosphere are incredible, which is also the perfect word to describe their importance in supporting communities and people’s way of life as we follow the rivers that flow out of the Galloway Hills. We are thrilled that Heart of the Biosphere is bringing these wild uplands alive and sharing the area’s very special sense of place with a hugely diverse audience here in Scotland and around the world, helping connect people with the location and with ideas for positive action that secures its future.”
Welcoming the launch of the film, Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise – the region’s economic and community development agency which has supported the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership with core funding since 2020 – said: “We are delighted that SOSE has supported production of this landmark film, which encompasses not only the beauty of the UNESCO region but the critical importance of our natural capital. Inspiring bold investment is key to Net Zero and biodiversity goals and driving strategic change that will help the South of Scotland grow and thrive. Our congratulations to the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere team for producing such a valuable piece of work that will inspire discussion and innovation in the long term.”
Tickets to the Newton Stewart premiere can be booked here, and the Wild Goose Festival screening in Dumfries on this page.
The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership is a registered Scottish charity (SC044137) working with multi-sector partners across southwest Scotland to deliver projects in conservation, education, sustainable development, and climate resilience. For more information about how to support their work, please email info@gsabiosphere.org.uk.
