Bathscape reflections: Shaping a Landscape City

Bathscape Partnership

The Bathscape Partnership is a coming together of like-minded organisations with a shared ambition to address threats faced by the beautiful natural landscape surrounding Bath, and to better recognise its value to the health and wellbeing of all people in the city.

Its vision was for an enhanced ‘Bathscape’, a landscape that was more easily accessed and actively enjoyed by a greater and more diverse number of people. In close consultation with local people the Partnership carefully defined and shaped the Bathscape Scheme. With a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, combined with generous match funding from partner organisations, funding was raised to deliver the Bathscape Scheme. You can read more here - https://www.bathscape.co.uk/about/what-is-the-bathscape-partnership/

Bathscape reflections: Shaping a Landscape City Conference

Tuesday 23rd September 2025, 12 - 6.30pm

Join us for an afternoon bringing together experts, practitioners, researchers, and inspirational community groups, to discuss all things Bathscape and beyond.

Through a series of interactive sessions, speakers will reflect on Bath’s landscape—past and present—and invite the audience to think creatively about what lies ahead.

Together, we’ll explore the impact and achievements of the Bathscape partnership so far, while also delving into broader questions about the future of Bath’s natural and built environment, and how we can ensure better access to nature for all.

You'll also have the chance to meet local organisations working across Bath’s communities. They’ll share their inspiring projects, show how they’re helping to shape Bathscape’s future, and spark conversations about what comes next and how we can collaborate to get there.

Outline of conference timings

12 to 1pm - register, and then join us for a delicious buffet lunch provided by Bath Community Kitchen, and meet local organisations.

1 to 1.10pm - Welcome and introductions

1.10 to 1.25pm - Keynote speeches - Dan Merrett, Bathscape Manager and Andrew Grant, Director - Grant Associates, and Chair of Bathscape Board

1.30 to 2.30pm - Panel led discussion - Past, present & future: Accessing the therapeutic landscape' with panel members Julie Barnett (Chair), Professor of Health Psychology - University of Bath; Lucy Bartlett, Community Projects Officer – Bathscape; and Zina Abdulla, PhD Researcher - University of Bath

2.30-2.50pm - Break and informal discussions

2.50 – 3.50pm - Panel led discussion– Past, present & future: 'A dynamic landscape city in an uncertain climate future' with panel members Alex Sherman (Chair), CEO of Bath Preservation Trust and Bathscape Board Member; Marion Harney, Professor of Building & Landscape Conservation - University of Bath and Chair of WHS Group; Funda Kemal, module leader and lecturer in Architecture - Bath Spa University; founder member of not-for-profit organisation ‘Architecture Is….’ and Gitty Korsuize – Freelance urban ecologist (Utrecht)

4 to 5pm - Panel led discussion – Past, present & future: 'Land use in the setting of a landscape city' with Tom Boden (Chair), General Manager for the Bath Portfolio - National Trust and Bathscape Board Member; Amy Coulthard, Market Development Director - EnTrade; Hamish Evans, Head Farmer - Middle Ground Growers; Claire Loder and Jude Rice, Co-founders of Blooming Whiteway

5.15 to 6pm - Inspiring Bath's future - 10 minute talks in Kaposvar Room with Princess Esther Selassie Antohin - Fairfield House, and Founder and Executive Director, Heritage Watch Ethiopia Association; Bob Allies – Landscape Architect and Bath's Architect in Residence; and Fiona Bell – Founder of Bath Urban Treescape and Crop Drop.

5.15 to 6.30pm - Networking and poster presentations around community group/organisation tables (with refreshments) in Banqueting Hall.

To be confirmed - exhibition tables: Blooming Whiteway, Cotswold National landscape, National Trust, Front Gardens For Wildlife project, BRERC, More Trees B&NES, Grow Batheaston, Middle Ground Growers, Bath Natural History Society, Friends of Sydney Gardens, CPRE, ReNature ReConnect, National Trust, Climate and Nature Strategy Engagement.

You can join us for the whole afternoon or for individual panels but please register by booking a place.

We will be based in the Guildhall Bath - www.bathvenues.co.uk/accessibility

There will be event photography on the day and our panel members will also be recorded. Please let a member of the team/photographer know if you’d like to be excluded from any photos.

Please contact us with any questions in the meantime: info@bathscape.co.uk

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Forest of Imagination - from 23rd September, people can also visit one of the city’s lesser-known green spaces – the former golf course on Entry Hill for this year’s incredible Forest of Imagination. The space will be reimagined to fascinate and engage. Forest will launch on 23rd September and be open to the public until 2nd October.