The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere’s Sustainable Event Charter – recognises our commitment to sustainability, climate action and care for the land we call home.
Achieving the Events Charter certificate is part of a wider aim to inspire environmental interaction and understanding and is part of our ongoing collaboration with the Biosphere Partnership to raise awareness of the region’s precious ecosystems and the climate challenges they face.
The GSA biosphere will have their own base at the Deughside village at the festival this year, as well as a dedicated talk in our Disgee polytunnel venue. This year’s also programme includes talks and workshops with the RSPB, local historians about Galloway place names and Galloway Dark Skies Park, for opportunities to unlock precious information about this region.
As the festival returns to the Carsphairn hills this May, our theme of ‘Survival’ (‘MAIRSINNEACHD’ in Gaelic) highlights the urgency of the planet’s environmental crisis and is especially timely given the recent wildfires in the Galloway Hills, which impacted more than 7,000 hectares of land – most notably the ecologically important ‘Core Areas’ of the UNESCO Biosphere.
A collaborative photoshoot has captured the impact of the wildfires and also the resultant regrowth, demonstrating the ability of the natural environment to recover. The images feature folk composer and fiddler Kate Young, who is set to perform at Knockengorroch festival later this month, captured by film and photographer Ruth Barrie. The images capture both the devastation of wildfire and nature’s quiet recovery.
Knockengorroch, established first as a community and climate centred ‘Rainbow Gathering’ in 1998, has been a longstanding signatory to the Biosphere’s Proud Supporter scheme and has been awarded the organisation’s Sustainable Event Charter in recognition of our environmental policies and support for communities, nature, and the regional economy.
As an annual Scottish music event that provides camping space and facilities to thousands of attendees, Knockengorroch is keen to educate festival-goers on how to look after Scotland’s ancient lands, including the proper use of open flames and other activities that could potentially risk wildfire occurrence, especially during periods of drought. May is traditionally Scotland’s driest month and temperature records have been repeatedly broken over the past 25 years due to climate change.
Festival Director Liz Holmes said:
“The current water scarcity and recent dramatic wildfires that have seen so much environmental destruction really highlight how we need to listen and pay attention to the condition of the environment around us. Being awarded the UNESCO Biosphere Sustainable Event Charter really chimes with our approach which is about human integration with our surroundings, not separation and disconnection. Our theme ‘Survival’ is about paying attention to what the planet is telling us and doing what we can to help. It’s also about resilience and hope – and hope is one of the things that music can bring.”
Nature Recovery Officer for Galloway and East Ayrshire Biosphere Antoine Lemaire said:
“Knockengorroch is a festival with international reach and a message of action and inspiration. It is a fantastic partner for us as part of the worldwide network of UNESCO Biospheres and our shared ethos of collaboration towards Sustainable Development Goals. We are delighted to award Knockengorroch the GSA Biosphere Partnership’s Sustainable Event Charter for 2025 recognising their work to raise awareness of the essential connections between people and nature, and the role that every individual can play in safeguarding our wildlife and habitats for the generations to come.”
