South West AGM Event

On the Day

10.20am – Arrival and walk to Bear Wood Event Space

10.30am – 10.45am – Refreshments

10.45am – 11.45am – AGM

11.45am – 12.15pm – Talk - Landscape Design for Humans and Primates - The Bristol Zoo Project African Forest Lowland Gorilla Attraction - Steven Morrison and Kyrstyn Oberholster, Grant Associates

12.15pm – 1.15pm – Lunch

1.15pm – 2.30pm – Talk and Tour - Bear Wood at Bristol Zoo Project- Marcus Bird, Operations Director, Elmtree Landscapes

2.30pm—3.00pm – Networking, Tea, Coffee & Biscuits

3.00pm-4.00pm – Explore the Zoo (optional) and Depart

Details

The ‘Landscape design for humans and primates Bristol Zoo project, African Forest Lowland Gorilla Attraction’ talk will present the concept and how the project was developed to work with site constraints and existing woodland and how the design was informed by consultation with zoologists and zoo keepers to meet the needs of the enclosure’s special inhabitants. The talk will address some of the challenges of construction and adapting an authentic gorilla friendly planting palette to the constraints of the local climate.

The area chosen for the new African Forest exhibit was previously an existing woodland with mature trees. Therefore, this particular area is highly suited to the character needs of the Gorilla species and the desired landscape setting.

Grant Associates

Grant Associates is a pioneering international landscape architecture practice. Their work reconnects people with nature in insightful, delightful and distinctive ways whilst addressing the global challenges of urbanisation, the climate crisis and biodiversity extinction.

Kyrstyn Oberholster

BSc(LArch) cum laude, BL(Hons) MLarch(Prof) cum laude

Associate

Kyrstyn the challenge of finding a balance between the urban development needs and the environment’s potential to provide for these needs, by ensuring not only a resilient landscape, but a thriving one. She is passionate about exploring how urban ecology drives species evolution and investigating the crucial future balance between humanity and nature in the Anthropocene. Kyrstyn was a Lecturer at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL. She co-led the MA/MLA Landscape Architecture design studio, which aims to advance design for climate change by rewilding the urban. Kyrstyn has presented her own research at an ILASA conference, as well as on Cape Talk Radio and has had her work published in Pro Landscaper Africa.

Kyrstyn has been involved in the design of the Bristol Zoo Project outline masterplan and the African Forest exhibit design since 2021. Taking the African Forest project from concept, planning, tender through to construction.

Steven Morrison MSc

Senior Landscape Architect

Steven has worked at several companies throughout the UK, delivering an accomplished portfolio of projects in UK, Ireland, Europe and Central Asia.

He is accustomed to working closely with clients, key stakeholders, community groups and other consulting professionals on a wide range of landscape design projects.

Steven’s agricultural heritage has made him design with an appreciation of the existing grain of the land, taking into consideration the seasonal changes which alter the aesthetics and form of the landscape. He aspires to create designs that sit in harmony with the surrounding landscape and are beneficial to the local community.

Steven has been involved in taking the African Forest project from tender through to construction.

Bear Wood at Bristol Zoo Project is an exciting immersive wildlife experience that opened in 2019, transporting visitors back to a time when ancient British woodlands were home to European brown bears, wolves, lynx and wolverines. At the heart of the exhibit is the raised timber Bear Walk, constructed by BALI Member Elmtree Landscapes Ltd — a winding walkway 650 metres long, 2.4 metres wide, and reaching up to 7 metres in height, allowing visitors to walk through the woodland canopy and observe the animals below in a natural setting.

Elmtree Operations Director Marcus Bird will present photos and insights from the construction of Bear Walk, answering technical questions from members. This will be followed by a walk and talk along the structure itself, offering the chance to view the craftsmanship up close while enjoying a unique perspective of the bears and wolves beneath.

Marcus Bird

Marcus Bird is Operations Director at Elmtree Landscapes, with over 30 years’ experience delivering and managing technically complex commercial landscaping projects across the public and private sectors. A highly respected industry professional, he brings deep technical expertise, a solution-focused approach and a strong track record of exceptional client service.