Prof. Thomas Crowther: Nature's Echo: Harnessing ancient feedback loops to heal a changing planet
- 24th Mar 2026
- 5.30pm - 7pm
- Guests to arrive at 5pm
- £12.50pp
- £10 for Heligan Members
Join Professor Thomas Crowther as he presents the grounded scientific basis for environmental optimism. For anyone who feels overwhelmed and powerless about the planet’s future, this evening will replace despair with conviction.
Nature wants to heal itself, and we can help.
From the birth of galaxies to the spread of life on Earth, the greatest transformations in our universe have been driven by quiet, self-reinforcing processes known as feedback loops. Although they are currently spiralling towards environmental collapse, these immense natural forces can become powerful engines for social and ecological regeneration—if we can only work with them and not against them.
Drawing on cutting-edge ecological science, ancient philosophy, and gripping personal narrative from the frontlines of global restoration, Dr. Thomas Crowther presents the grounded scientific basis for environmental optimism. You will discover:
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how feedback loops drive everything from the explosion of life to our own inner suffering.
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why the illusion of a separate “self” may be the root of our environmental crisis.
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how nature can rebound when we relieve the social inequality that degrades it.
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why the belief in a brighter future is a prerequisite for environmental success.
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how millions of people are already putting these principles into action, building momentum towards global environmental recovery.
For anyone who feels overwhelmed and powerless about the planet’s future, this evening will replace despair with conviction. By interrogating the assumptions that form your perceptions of reality, it is possible to build a constructive and grounded basis for environmental hope. Both inspiring and empowering, Nature’s Echo transforms us from passive bystanders of planetary collapse to active participants in the greatest regenerative opportunity in Earth’s history.
By tapping into ancient feedback loops, we have the power to drive the inner personal healing that can jumpstart massive environmental regeneration.
About Prof. Thomas Crowther
Dr. Thomas Crowther is a professor of global ecology and the founding chair of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. He is the president of the BRANCH Institute, an international network of research groups in leading universities across six countries, focused on the linkages between global biodiversity and human wellbeing.
In 2020, he founded Restor, an online platform that supports hundreds of thousands of community-led nature initiatives to access data and sustainable financing. In 2021, Restor was named an Earthshot Prize finalist, and this work was highlighted in his TED talk on global biodiversity.
Crowther was described in the Guardian as the “Steve Jobs of Ecology,” reflecting his work on the transformations between human systems and the natural world. A professor in King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Crowther’s research journey has been featured in films including ‘From Devil’s Breath’ and ‘Secrets of the forest’, and he was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader for his work on global biodiversity protection.
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