The Freedom to Transform in Nature.

When out on Country it's not uncommon to find old stumps which are left to decompose with the passage of time. The trees fate had been decided by the elements of nature or interference of man. What is left are the traces of the trees history, through it's indents and circles.

When you take the time to pause and looker closer you often find traces of life within the stump. It can become a habitat for insects and seedlings, perfect surface for fungi to grow but for children it's an open invitation for exploring and investigating.

When in urban nature children have the freedom to form their own connection to the environment. For some the stump is perfect for imaginary play as the child takes on the identity of a tree. Whilst standing tall they can move their limbs like branches in the wind or decorate the stump using natural materials to create transient art.

The stump already had moss growing in it's crevices which was enhanced by threads of green fungi and brilliant yellow dandelions placed by gentle hands through care and patience. It was a stump left to breakdown in nature was now part of a child's story.

The love shown to the stump was photographed as evident that children do understand about care and empathy when in urban nature. It inspired me to include the image as part of my inspired collective packs for the Inspire Conference 2025. Each pack is designed to bring out the creativity in everyone by challenging their artistry and imagination with a selection of materials.