About the event

Askham Bog is one of the most extraordinary natural treasures in Northern England, described by Sir David Attenborough as a ‘cathedral of nature conservation’.

Join our President Alastair Fitter at Pike Hill Golf Club - for a captivating event uncovering the bog’s 15,000-year geological origins, its unique layers of ancient history, and its status as one of the region’s most ecologically diverse wildlife havens.

Learn why this rare remnant of ancient peatland has become deeply woven into York’s cultural and environmental heritage. You’ll also hear the inspirational story of how the people of York and conservationists helped protect this irreplaceable landscape from modern development threats - continuing a legacy that champions biodiversity and natural beauty.

Don’t miss this immersive journey into the heart of one of Yorkshire’s most remarkable wild spaces.

A little bit about Alastair

Professor Alastair Fitter is President of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. An ecologist and naturalist, he retired from the University of York in 2012, where he is Professor Emeritus of Ecology. Alastair was awarded a CBE in 2007 for services to environmental science and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2005. He has been a member of the YWT for over 50 years and has had a long involvement with its founding reserve, Askham Bog.