Tim Smit in Conversation

Sir Tim Smit KBE is one of Britain’s most imaginative environmental thinkers, a pioneer who has spent his life proving that bold ideas can change the world. Best known for co-founding the Eden Project and rediscovering The Lost Gardens of Heligan, he has transformed disused and forgotten places into global symbols of hope, creativity and ecological renewal.

Tim is a compelling storyteller, a challenger of complacency, a talented music producer and a champion of reconnecting people with the living world. His conversations are frank, generous, challenging and often surprising. He joins Mary Colwell for an open, lively, and heartfelt conversation on nature, culture and the future, woven through with music that has inspired him.

Mary Colwell is an author, producer and campaigner for nature. She is the author of 4 books, including most recently The Gathering Place (Bloomsbury). In 2022 she was awarded the prestigious RSP Medal for her contribution to nature and conservation and she successfully spearheaded the campaign to introduce a GCSE in Natural History into the school curriculum.

Sir Tim Smit is a Dutch-born British businessman, best known for his work on the restoration of The Lost Gardens Of Heligan and the Eden Project, both in Cornwall. Tim read Archaeology and Anthropology at Durham University, but after graduating Tim worked for ten years in the music industry as a composer and producer in both rock music and opera, gaining no less than seven platinum and gold discs for his work with artists such as Barry Manilow and the Nolan Sisters. The Eden Project build began in 1998 and the full site opened its doors in 2001.