The Walking Library for Forest Walks was commissioned by The National Forest Company. The Walking Library for Forest Walks posed a number of questions to prompt suggestions for books good to take into the forest.
- What book would help you see the forest for the trees?
- What book would provide seeds for thought and future forests?
- What leaves would you want to turn and share?
- What forest stories stretch both legs and minds?
In response to COVID-19 restrictions, an additional question was subsequently added:
- Which book transports you to the forest without leaving home?
Nearly 100 suggestions were received and about 60 of these purchased. The original intention had been to launch this new library by walking it in the National Forest in May 2020. COVID-19 restrictions made this impossible. Instead, Dee made some short video recordings from her home, placing extracts from books which responded to photographs sent to her of the National Forest.
Dee Heddon holds the James Arnott Chair in Drama at the University of Glasgow. She is the co-founder, with Dr Misha Myers, of The Walking Library. Since 2012, Dee and Misha have curated a number of editions of The Walking Library, many of them commissioned works. Dee has also published extensively on walking aesthetics. She is the Primary Investigator on the AHRC-funded Walking Publics/Walking Arts project.