A film to highlight threats facing the UK’s largest biosphere Achi-News

Also focusing on the surrounding area, ‘Heart of the Biosphere – A Year in the Life of Merrick-Kells and Silver Flowe’ takes viewers on a fascinating 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, which is being shown for the first time on October 16, calls for urgent action to ensure a future for everything living in the area which is one of Britain’s most remote and fragile natural habitats.

It was shot over a continuous 12 month period to capture the seasonal changes at Merrick-Kells and Silver Flowe.

A still shot from the Heart of the Biosphere. (Photo: Lilac Howell Films) Climate change, loss of biodiversity, and human activity are highlighted as some of the threats facing the area of ​​special scientific interest. Speaking ahead of its premiere at the nearby Newton Stewart Cinema, the director of the film’s producers, Lilac Howell Films, said he was “thrilled” to be working on the feature and hopes it can spread awareness of the area’s conservation efforts.

Anthony Howell said: “It was a privilege to spend a year working with the Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership, immersed in this truly stunning setting and having the privilege of capturing sights and sounds that so few people experience in life real.

“The project was a team effort and one that had a very light touch on the ground, with a one-member crew filming on site with the support of partner organizations and the Biosphere team of officers.

“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.

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“We love that Heart of the Biosphere brings these wild uplands to life and shares the area’s very special sense of place with a hugely diverse audience here in Scotland and around the world, helping to connect people with the setting and with ideas for positive action that secures her future.”

The Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere is recognized as a Special Area of ​​Conservation 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 peregrine falcons, golden eagles, otters and wild goats, as well as the rare and beautiful Azure dragonfly, a species found only in Scotland.

Shot of a Red Kite. (Photo: Lilac Howell Films) The lack of human activity and interference makes the area a refuge for waders, beetles, invertebrates, mosses and wetland plants, including the carnivorous round-leaved sedge made famous on the Galloway and South Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere logo. These species and many more depend on peatland and grassland conservation to survive in the face of multiple simultaneous risks generated by global warming and human activity.

After its first screening at the community-run Newton Stewart Cinema later this month, Heart of the Biosphere will be screened at community hubs and festivals around the Biosphere area and beyond. Its second screening will take place on October 22 at the Robert Burns Center in Dumfries as part of the 2024 Wild Goose Festival.

Speaking ahead of the Newton Stewart Cinema event, Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere Director Ed Forrest spoke about the impact he hopes the film will have.

He said: “Heart of the Biosphere is a call to action to protect Galloway’s valuable upland landscapes and habitats, which are essential to sustaining life as we know it. Patterned wetlands are important globally because of their incredible carbon storage properties and the huge diversity of plant and animal species they support, but there is a great deal of work to be done to ensure their continued survival.

The carnivorous slug made famous on the Galloway and South Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere logo (Photo: Lilac Howell Films) “Helping others understand the importance of these remote ecosystems to ecological health, cultural heritage and socio-economic well-being is essential to achieving this. The short film we have commissioned is the first to explore this unique area and its importance in the tapestry of Scotland’s landscapes, and we are excited to transport viewers to the very heart of the Galloway and South Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere.”

The film was supported by a variety of local and national agencies and conservation charities across Scotland. The production team was supported by expertise and logistical support from organizations including Forestry & Land Scotland, NatureScot, the South West Scotland Environmental Information Centre, and RSPB Scotland.