Skai Campbell

What does it mean to be a forest in South London? Who called this city home before we gave it a name? What remains of the ancient woods that were felled for urban expansion? Looking at its past and present through a fantastical lens, this project explores Sydenham Hill Woods, the largest remaining fragment of an ancient woodland that once covered South London, and asks us to interrogate how we interact with local wildlife.  South London used to be covered by an ancient woodland called the Great North Wood, which stretched from Deptford to Selhurst. During the Industrial Revolution, the demand for supplies such as timber and charcoal dropped, and as a result, so did the perceived value of the woods. This led to large areas of it being sold and developed, leaving only a few scattered fragments. My work leans into the idea of the Great North Wood not being entirely gone, and there being a lingering presence of the woods and all of its former residents. In the world I have created, this lingering presence appears as a magical force, animating fungi and calling forth ghosts of the past.  In my exploration of this site, I combined first-hand observations of the wildlife present, research into the history of the woods, and insights from conversations with conservationists involved in its management to conceptualise a new method of engaging with environmentalism in the space. I wanted to use storytelling to build interest in this location, and ultimately lead more people to engage with nature. Through the summer I aim to extend this story that I have conceptualised through the creation of a short comic, which I hope will be able to reach a wide audience and spark a fascination in the woods, and other green spaces in South London.