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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Royal Historical Society lunchtime online seminar, Thursday 24 September, 1 to 2pm: Historical Context, The Climate Crisis. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/historical...

eventbrite.co.uk

Historical Context: The Climate Crisis

A panel discussion, hosted by the Royal Historical Society, in which expert historical researchers provide context for current events.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Royal Historical Society lecture, free and online, 'In All Our Footsteps', 6 to 7.30 pm at Institute of Historical Research, London, 25 September. Register at: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rhs-lectur...

eventbrite.co.uk

RHS Lecture: 'In All Our Footsteps?' with Professor Glen O'Hara ONLINE

'In All Our Footsteps? Rights of Way and the Battle for the Land after the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act' - Online

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

ARCHIVE ALERT! Footpath Preservation / Open Spaces Society archives that were to be transferred from the Parliamentary Archives to The National Archives have instead been deposited with Special Collections at the Museum of English Rural Life, Univ.of Reading. Please repost this to spread the word.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Not envhist but can't help sharing the info that my doctor's surgery (aka healthcare practice) no longer has reception staff - instead they are "care navigators".

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Looking forward to presenting my paper 'A Mixed Grill': the Lake District National Park and West Cumberland's Atomic Coast' at ASEH 2026 in Kansas City. Part of the 'Wilderness and Militarized Spaces' panel, 26 March, 1200 to 1.15pm in the Plaza, Pavilion Two - Pavilion Level @aseh.bsky.social

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Reposted by Dr Gary Willis

Conflict and Environment Observatory @ceobs.org · 10/03/2026

We've just updated our overview of environmentally damaging incidents in the Israeli-US war against #Iran. We've identified more than 300 incidents and remotely assessed 232 for harm. Read more about these incidents and trends here: ceobs.org/operation-ep... #IranWar #Iran 1/5

A map of countries in the Middle East. There are coloured markers at locations where there have been incidents causing environmental harm between 28 Feb and 10 Mar 2026. The colour of the marker relates to the magnitude of environmental risk. The most high risk incidents are situated along the Gulf coast and near Tehran.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Yay! Submitted my draft manuscript to Bloomsbury Academic: 'The Military-Industrial Enclosure of Britain's Countryside in the Second World War: Fields Into Factories' @bloomsburyacademic.bsky.social A way to go before publication but still, will allow myself some modestly priced fizz tomorrow night.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

Thursday 12 February 6pm London time, online only: 'Fifteen Years of New York City's High Line'. www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

history.ac.uk

Fifteen Years of New York City’s High Line: A Closer Look at its Impact on Urban Design

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Reposted by Dr Gary Willis

Andrew Seaton @andrewseaton.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

CALL FOR PAPERS - Modern British History and the 'Environmental Turn'. A two-day workshop organised by @maxlong.bsky.social and myself at Lincoln College, Oxford, 16-17 September. Deadline for abstracts is 15 May. Details in poster below, please share.

This two-day workshop will explore several questions. How can environmental history complement or offer alternatives to existing historiographical narratives and periodisations in British history? What new actors, events, or phenomena might come to the fore? How should it foster engagements with places beyond its national borders or with other disciplines? Is environmental history different from longstanding traditions of ‘landscape’ or ‘urban’ histories of Britain? What contributions can historians make to environmental advocacy and policymaking? And how might a focus on the environment reshape teaching in British history?

To take part, participants should submit a 300 word proposal for a short ‘position paper’ (approx. 2500 words) that will be pre-circulated at the workshop. These position papers will address the place of environmental approaches and themes within modern British history (1800 to the present) from the perspective of the participant’s own research. Participants will orally summarise their papers at the workshop. The event is free to attend and includes lunch and refreshments.

Submissions are welcomed across a range of perspectives and topics, including but not limited to: energy, extraction, non-human actors, pollution, toxicity, rural and urban landscapes, everyday environmental histories (including how they are shaped by class, gender, and race), imperialism and decolonisation, ‘green’ policy, activism, and the political economy of the natural world.

Please send proposals and a one-paragraph biography in a single PDF to andrew.seaton@manchester.ac.uk by 15 May 2026. Please also direct enquiries to this address.

This event is organised by Dr. Max Long (Oxford) and Dr. Andrew Seaton (Manchester).

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

What a nice way to start 2026 - HMRC have told me I'm due a tax rebate of £408 for 2024/25, and they intend to give it to me in the next five days. Any envhist books I should buy with it?

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

Great Xmas present from my wife; which I'll very much enjoy reading: Hugh Clout's 1996 'After The Ruins' about the restoration of the Northern France countryside after the First World War: www.exeterpress.co.uk/products/aft...

exeterpress.co.uk

After The Ruins

After the Ruins uses both official and unofficial records to explore a relatively ignored aspect of recent rural history: how the fields, farms, villages and market towns of Northern France were resto...

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

Just started reading Irus Braverman's 'Settling Nature: the Conservation Regime in Palestine-Israel' - how the Israeli State steals Palestinian land under the guise of nature conservation in order to fuel the Zionist colonial-settler project.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

Fight back against illegal Israeli colonizers of Palestine's West Bank, who are trying to destroy the Palestinian olive harvest. Buy Palestinian olive oil from Zaytoun: zaytoun.uk

zaytoun.uk

Zaytoun - Ethically Sourced Fine Foods from Palestine

Ethically sourced olive oil and fine foods from Palestine. Medjoul dates, za'atar & other award winning products from Palestinian producers.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

The conference on 7 November is now available to go to online via Microsoft Teams; email Lars Cook (below) or it might be available if you register for the 'Bannocks & Bombs' event on Eventbrite.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Have just been round it- fantastic as always. Still another hour of it if you're anywhere near Senate House, Bloomsbury and want to drop in

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

It's also on Eventbrite. Search for 'Bannocks & Bombs! Scotland & World War Two

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

This coming Friday 7th November; am presenting my paper (below) at UHI Perth's 'Bannocks and Bombs' conference. Free and in-person @uhiperth.bsky.social

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Reposted by Dr Gary Willis

History Today @historytoday.com · 31/10/2025

During the #SecondWorldWar the government’s efforts to obscure Britain’s skies put it at odds with the National Smoke Abatement Society. 🔒 Gary Willis’ article from the November issue is now in the archive www.historytoday.com/archive/feat...

historytoday.com

The Smog of War: The Battle for Britain’s Clean Air

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 30/10/2025

An excellent event for finding out about various archives

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Reposted by Dr Gary Willis

Heather Craddock @hcraddock.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

Talking Records: Pollution in the Archive is now open for registration! 🏭🌊 In person symposium at The National Archives on 4th December: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/talking-re... Afternoon of online talks on 5th December: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/talking-re... #envhum #envhist

eventbrite.co.uk

Talking Records: Pollution in the Archive (in person)

Explore histories of pollution, contamination, and environmental damage in the archive at this one-day symposium at The National Archives.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

My article in History Today is now out, about the Government's programme of deliberate smoke production during the Second World War to try to obscure industrial targets from the Luftwaffe. @pastpreservers.bsky.social

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

Book your ticket now for Dr Henry Irving's late afternoon talk on 10 December at The London Archives @thelondonarchives.bsky.social on recycling in London during the Second World World www.thelondonarchives.org/whats-on/fro...

thelondonarchives.org

From Bones to Books to Blitz Scrap

Learn about the history of wartime recycling (then called ‘salvage’) in this illustrated talk by Dr Henry Irving at The London Archives.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

Looking forward to presenting my paper: 'High, Open, Bleak and Boggy: How Scotland's Environment Shaped Its Involvement In The Second World War' at the 'Scotland and World War Two' conference at Perth UHI on Friday 7 November, 9am to 3pm. Contact Lars Cook at Lars.Cook.Perth@uni.ac.uk for more info.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

Just had a city break in Stockholm. Amazing visit to the VasaMuseet. A must for every historian, whatever their specialist period/issue.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

Am rather worried that if I dream of holding up a Support Palestine Action piece of card that Yvette (Labour Friend of Israel) Cooper's thought police will come knocking on my door.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

My latest blog is up, about the Council for the Preservation of Rural England's activities during the Second World War; based on a paper I gave at the Institute of Historical Research in February; @katrinanavickas.bsky.social @dudleymarianna.bsky.social blogs.kent.ac.uk/munitions-of...

blogs.kent.ac.uk

‘Prepared To Make a Fine Fuss’: The Council for the Preservation of Rural England’s Long Second World War – Munitions of the Mind

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 15/07/2025

4 years 3 months sentence for destroying a national landmark? A laughable punishment, and they'll be out in two years on parole to add insult to injury. Should have been twice as long a sentence, at least. media.zenfs.com/en/the_indep...

media.zenfs.com

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

With my National Archives User Advisory Group Academic & Environmental Representative hat on, here's a plug for TNA's Government Web Archive: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/webarchive/

nationalarchives.gov.uk

UK Government Web Archive

We capture, preserve, and make accessible UK central government information published on the web from 1996 to present.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Delighted to have been accepted on to the National Archives' Independent Researcher list, covering C20th UK History, general research, British Army and the RAF @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy; www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/irlist/defau...

nationalarchives.gov.uk

Independent researchers | The National Archives

Find an independent researcher - search by research specialism

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

Will be speaking about the Dambusters' Raid as an act of environmental warfare on the second day of the RAF Museum's annual conference in September; @rafmuseum.bsky.social www.rafmuseum.org.uk/midlands/wha...

rafmuseum.org.uk

RAF Museum Conference 2025 - RAF Museum

A two day conference that discusses new perspectives in military aviation research, running from 3 - 4 September 2025. Discounted tickets available.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 07/05/2025

Delighted that my abstract's been accepted for the RAF Museum's conference on 4/5 September. Am presenting a paper showing Operation Chastise/Dambusters' Raid to be an act of environmental warfare in addition to the established narratives of technical boffinry and dashing heroism.

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

Looking forward to hearing @dudleymarianna.bsky.social and @matthewjkelly.bsky.social at Queen Mary University's 'British History Today' Thursday/Friday 1 & 2 May: projects.history.qmul.ac.uk/qmcbs/britis....

projects.history.qmul.ac.uk

British History Today – Queen Mary Centre for British Studies

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

Looking forward to chairing the 'Redefining Physical and Interdisciplinary Frontiers' session at 1030 on Friday 11 April at the American Society for Environmental History's annual conference in Pittsburgh @aseh.bsky.social

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Dr Gary Willis @garywenvhist.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

5.30 to 7pm, Tuesday 4 March in-person at IHR, London and online, David Matless talking about his book, 'England's Green: www.history.ac.uk/events/engla...

history.ac.uk

England’s green: nature and culture since the 1960s

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