Nicola Watson, one of our keynote speakers at the DCF February Conference reflects on what was ‘a magical day’.
Sometimes, when working or talking with colleagues it’s easy to become enthused by possibilities, projects and opportunities and find oneself saying yes to all that comes along. I’m so glad that I had such a fit of enthusiasm during a stimulating meeting with DCF colleagues and offered to present at this year’s conference. Thanks to Liv Storey and Sam Sutton-Tsang, not only did I get to immerse myself in nature-connectedness, the theme I chose to present, I also got to listen and learn from colleagues bringing a diverse range of knowledge and ideas to share with students.
The students who attended were appreciative and supportive. It was an emotional roller-coaster for many who were there as we came face to face with the daunting challenges facing individuals and humanity as a whole, but the spirit was one of empathy and hope.
One moment which stood out for me was when a student showed me a new bird-identifier app. She downloaded the song of a goldcrest, a bird I had talked about during my presentation. When the conference closed, a colleague suggested we went for a drink to reflect on the day. It was busy and noisy inside the pub so we sat outside. After a few minutes, I noticed a solitary bird flitting about in the only shrub next to us. It was a goldcrest.
