edgehrow: a creative response to how human impact skews nature

Briony Spandler is a final year BA (Hons) English and Creative Writing student whose passion for eco-writing has led her to choose hedgerow litter as inspiration for her dissertation project.

“My dissertation is a creative response to one local, remote hedgerow that’s littered with Single Use Pollution (SUP)”, Briony explains.

Briony's innovative interdisciplinary topic is refreshing and different, delivering a creative response to growing local, national and global pollution.

“I’ll be observing the hedgerow for one year, investigating the science behind the trash and reading a range of eco-writing".

Inspiration struck when Briony first noticed the littered hedgerow: “I’m always sad to see nature trashed but this remote hedgerow entangled with the detritus of negligent humans just broke my heart”.

To tie it into her degree, she’ll create a book of poetry and prose inspired by her observations of the hedgerow: “I’m looking forward to designing the layout and typography and illustrating it too, dusting off old professional skills acquired in my former life as a graphic designer”.

As well as this, Briony is concluding the year-long observation with a litter pick, the results of which will be sent to Trash Free Trails, a non-profit organisation that aims to empower riders, runners and roamers to reduce single use pollution from nature trails with a whole suite of information and tools to help to actively make a difference.

Trash Free Trails encourage volunteers to collect litter and report their findings which are then scientifically recorded and added to their State of Our Trails report.

Alongside this, the non-profit campaigns for policy changes to positively impact the environment and work with companies whose products make up the commonly found SUP on trails, while also holding them accountable.

“I want my project to inspire action”, states Briony. “I asked Trash Free Trails if I could promote their Leave a Positive Trace campaign and they were super supportive”.

This led to Briony being invited to Trash Free Trails’ State of Our Trails Summit 2023 in Eryri National Park (Snowdonia), Wales, which took place over Thursday 7 and Friday 8 September.

“I networked with scientists, eco-activists, eco-writers, and experts representing lots of national nature organisations. It was an incredible experience,” said Briony.

“I also got to meet some really inspiring people, like writer and campaigner Dr Jon Moses, who is the co-director of Right to Roam”. Right to Roam is a campaign aiming to extend the Countryside and Rights of Way Act to allow more access to privately owned land in the countryside in England.

The annual mini-conference invites businesses, charities, not-for-profits and individuals working in or around the trails for two days of inspiring lectures, thrilling outdoor adventures and dynamic debate exploring the future of sustainable trails.

The 2023 edition of the Summit saw Trash Free Trails present their current research and recent activity as members of the UN Global Plastics Treaty, as well as collaborating on tangible actions to support future cross-industry alliances.