Page 71 - Discovery Guide

Curlews can live for more than 30 years, which can disguise declining levels of breeding success as their ideal habitat is squeezed by improved drainage, overgrazing or development.
William chronicled every stage of his curlew walk with still photos, sketches and videos – amassing dozens of
hours of recordings along the way. In conversations with his collaborators and interviews with people encountered along the route, William explored collective memory and the direct impact of our relationship with the landscape on the identity and well-being of participants.
Later this year, William will exhibit his work in a series of exhibitions across the county, which will incorporate a multi- screen moving image installation of his journey, together with a set of drawings, watercolour paintings and a detailed map of curlew habitats.
William is also exploring the possibility of creating a long-distance footpath based on his route as a lasting legacy of his journey.
“Throughout the dozens of conversations, I recorded during the walk, the plight of the curlew opened up fascinating insights into how people across Lancashire feel about topics such as land use, the climate crisis and health and wellbeing” said William.
One of the legacies of the walk will
be a series of reflective workshops in which William will be joined by Professor Julian Manley from University of Central Lancashire. The workshops will take
a deep dive into human experiences and relationships with landscape and environment.
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