The Thames Landscape Strategy at 25
Partners, stakeholders and representatives from over 100 separate groups that the TLS works with joined the Thames Landscape Strategy for a week-long celebration of its 25th anniversary in June 2019. Watch Sir David Attenborough’s speech to mark the event: https://youtu.be/nWSZ1DUcJ80
The partnership toured the River Thames being shown examples of spaces which have been transformed through the Thames Landscape Strategy over the past 25 years totalling a staggering £25,000,000 clocking up 350,000 conservation volunteer hours along the way.
To mark the milestone two conferences were held including an international symposium on the management of historic views at Kew Gardens in memory of the prominent campaigner for the protection of important panoramas James Batten. The key note speaker was Hal Moggridge. Earlier in the week, over 80 guests discussed ways that a financial value can be placed on the Arcadian Thames at a workshop organised by Kingston University.
On Thursday 13th June the Thames Landscape Strategy celebrated its anniversary with a reception at London’s City Hall attended by 250 representatives of the TLS partnership. Guests of honour were TLS Patrons HRH The Duke of Gloucester, Sir David Attenborough and Kim Wilkie.
The culmination of the anniversary saw 200 guests attending a gala fund raising event at Sudbrook House in Richmond for the award of the Richmonds Medal that is presented (jointly by the TLS and Scenic Virginia who had sent a delegation to the UK to help mark the 25th anniversary) to an individual who has helped to conserve either the James River in Virginia or the Arcadian Thames. Previous recipients have included Sir David Attenborough and actor and conservationist Robert Duval. This year’s joint recipients were Lord Watson the President of the Father Thames Trust and leading landscape architect Kim Wilkie the founder of the Thames Landscape Strategy.
Jason Debney the Director of the Thames Landscape Strategy said: “We celebrated our quarter century in style. Over the years we have restored the riverside and seen a transformation of the world-famous Arcadian Thames that few thought possible. It was an honour to mark this occasion with our friends from across the TLS partnership and Virginia”.
Download a summary of the 25th Anniversary events below