Public Speaking

September 28, 2022

In the last half century, insect populations worldwide and wild flower meadows have faced significant decline. Climate change, pesticide-use and habitat loss have all played their part, but how can we individually, and collectively in our communities, make steps to reverse this decline at a local level? Hannah proposes that one overlooked and often misunderstood wildflower species, could stand as a beacon of hope, for bee populations particularly, and shares how we can change the narrative and reframe these often thought of enemies of the garden and urban footpath, as abundant and fascinating wildflower heroes of local biodiversity.

Hannah Sylvester has a passion for championing overlooked and valuable plant life, and helping the public notice the flowers at their feet, they would otherwise have walked past without a care. A qualified and registered Herbalist and long-term Nature Educator, she has been a Lecturer and Programme Lead for the last remaining botanical medicine undergraduate degree in the UK. Now she continues her ongoing education work of 12 years, curating her plant podcast, Edge of the Hedge and taking groups of people out into nature, to share stories, nurture wonder and build excitement about the wildflowers and ‘weeds’ that are so commonly underappreciated, to help people see the weeds at our feet, with new eyes. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

"When teachers and families work together, everyone wins," says education technology entrepreneur and TED Fellow Heejae Lim. She shines a light on an underutilized resource in US public education -- a family's love for their children -- and shows that, with the right tools and tech, schools can remove language barriers, foster meaningful connections and help every student thrive.