12th February 2026, Wolvercote Baptist Church Hall from 19:30
Little Things that make the Woods Work
After the formal AGM business is concluded, we welcome poet and scientist Dr Sarah Watkinson. Her talk : ‘Little Things that make the Woods Work’, is based on research for her non-fiction work.
As an Emeritus Research Fellow in Plant Sciences at the University of Oxford, Sarah is continuing her work on how fungi break down wood and plant material, and how fungi in the soil help keep woodland ecosystems healthy. She now uses this research to help a wider public understand the science behind growing concerns about how ecosystems cope with climate change. In 2019, Sarah became the first Writer in Residence at Wytham Woods. She continues to work with researchers there to help share work on nature-based ways of tackling climate change, including how protecting and restoring nature can reduce its impacts. Sarah’s first full poetry collection, Photovoltaic, longlisted for the Laurel Prize and judged by a panel including Simon Armitage and Glyn Maxwell, grew out of what she learned from researchers in Wytham Woods.
All are welcome – Members and non-Tree Group members.