Developed in partnership with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, the Endangered Exchange initiative follows 'The Herds', the groundbreaking public art project that visited Heywood last year as part of Manchester International Festival and Rochdale's year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture, encouraging communities to renew their bond with the natural world.
The striking 15 metre high x 10 metre wide mural features species that tell an interconnected story: a hen harrier, a hobby, large heath butterfly - classed as endangered in the UK, emperor dragonfly, sphagnum moss that holds water and allows peat to form, and wildfires. Referencing the projects connection to Keyna, the phrase 'Save our tomorrow today' is written in Swahili - a call to notice what is around us, understand how connected it all is and to protect these landscapes before the warning becomes a loss we cannot reverse. The new mural has been designed to represent mounting pressure being placed on landscapes that may appear strong but are held together by delicate relationships between water, plants, insects, birds and climate. The artwork also features Kanga, a striking fabric that reflects the rich culture of Kenya.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust's peat team took the artists for a tour around Astley Moss a couple of weeks ago to share some of their passion for our peatlands, and long-term volunteer Dave Woodward spoke at great length about the history of the site and why it's been so important to him.
