Anthropocenic

The Anthropocene is the "Age of Humankind” -in this epoch there is no distinction between human culture and nature as its counterpart. In this new geological epoch, human culture, industry, and technology impact the Earth system dramatically. It has also become apparent that human societies and economies can only thrive within the limits of the planetary boundaries.

Farnham Heath, the anthropocenic changes: Sally Ferguson Watercolour, x 2. Coniferous 38 x 57 cms, Heath 77x 57 cms. By the end of the First World War, woodland cover in the UK had reached an all-time low of 5%, and afforestation was carried out to create a national reserve of timber. Planted either on the poor soils of heathland and bog or within existing, less profitable woodlands, coniferous plantations often lose many of the species characteristic of the preceding habitat. Since conifer trees tend not to drop their needles each year, the underlying soils lack organic matter. In addition, the soils that conifer trees thrive in tend to be much more acidic, which makes them hostile environments for most earthworms. This lack of worms means there isn’t anything to process the decaying matter in the soil, except fungi and soil arthropods ( mainly mites)

Lowland heathland is one of planet Earth’s rarest and yet most ecologically rich and interesting habitats, hosting dozens of bird, invertebrate, plant and reptile species that cannot thrive elsewhere. Rarer than tropical rainforest…. Britain hosts 20% of the world’s lowland heathland, and Surrey is home to over a dozen of these essential reserves. 13% Farnham Heath is a place I often go to, and this is a composite of many images from the heath. Creatures, fungi and plantlife, pattern and colour and detail. Biodiversity right here! 

Both these images are available as artists prints: enquire to sallyferg9@gmail.com