What is the Green Belt?

And what should it be?

Green Belt 2.0 is an opportunity to question and explore the relationship between the rural and the urban. We are in the midst of multiple societal and environmental crises – housing and climate breakdown being two of the most urgent. The role that Green Belt land in England will play in tackling these emergencies is of growing importance.

This project was a R+D piece, exploring these tensions and using creative technologies to bring this conversation to a wider audience. We used film, animation, photography, live illustration, drone capture, open-data mapping and sound recording to capture this discussion through an experimental approach.

The result is a creative spark. A conversation starter. A catalyst for change.

What do you think Green Belt 2.0 should be?

Get in touch. This is just the beginning. We want to keep this project growing and find more collaborations. All suggestions welcome at this point.

“THE VENN DIAGRAM OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY CREATES A REAL SWEET SPOT… THERE’S A REAL EXCITEMENT AND HUNGER TO DO MORE.”

– MADDY LONGHURST, GREEN FUTURE ASSOCIATES

Green Belt 2.0 is a Grounding Technologies project funded by Bristol Creative R+D and WECA to investigate how creative technology might support place-based, just climate action. 

Project Lead: Maddy Longhurst
Production: Reuben Armstrong
Mapping: Mark Thurstain

Drone: Richard Maxwell
Drone Assistant: Thomas Karolyi
Footage courtesy of Jon Aitken & Jack Offord
Photography: Reuben Armstrong
Illustration: Camille Aubry
Sound Recordist: Richard Maxwell

Locations: Three Hares Farm & Yew Tree Farm
Catering: Three Hares Farm, Papadeli & East Bristol Bakery

Data: Public sector information licensed
under the Open Government Licence v3.0
Ordinance Survey © Crown copyright 2023

Script: Reuben Armstrong & Maddy Longhurst
Edit & Animation: Reuben Armstrong
Voiceover: Maddy Longhurst
Recording Studio: Films at 59
Sound Mix: Jamie Frye

Music:
Idokay – Life’s Journey Begins
Buddha Kid – Birds Above
Ardie Son – A Soaring Swan Sister

Contributors:
Ayesha Ahmed-Mendoza – Black2Nature / local Green Belt resident
Ben Moss – Right To Roam / local Green Belt resident
Catherine Withers – Yew Tree Farm
Humphrey Lloyd – Three Hares Farm
Jackie Head – Eyes On Bristol Airport / local Green Belt resident
Jeremy Iles – Urban Agriculture Consortium
John Bennett – Goblin Combe Woodland Trust / We Can Make
Julio Santamaria – Glocal Volunteer
Kirsty Hammond – Heart of BS13 Climate Action / Just Transition author
Lily Khandker – Black2Nature
Maria Fernandez – Right To Roam / Healing Weeds
Mary-Jane Wilshire – CPRE The Countryside Charity - Bristol & Avon