Style speaks: Chris Packham

Style speaks

to Chris Packham

On belonging

I’ve had the privilege of travelling to exotic habitats around the world – from ice deserts to sand deserts to rainforests, which is always rewarding, and titillating, and invigorating – but the woods are my home. I’ve got four walls, but frankly I feel more comfortable, less anxious, more complete as a person in the piece of woodland that I know and love so very much.

On sense and Shinrin-Yoku

I come to the woods every day to get my fi x. As a child, I thought that was because it was where all the things that principally fascinated me were – which was true, of course – but now we have come to realise that Shinrin-Yoku (forest bathing) provides a huge mental health benefi t. It’s a less challenging environment for me than any urban one; I’m comforted by its smells and sounds, its sights and structure.

On Dinosaur Isle

As a kid, I was massively keen on dinosaurs – they seemed such intangible animals, once living within miles of where I grew up in Southampton; whenever a new fi nd was published in the Southern Evening Echo the levels of excitement were phenomenal. Coming to the Island – which we did several times – and looking for fossils was the dream; my mother was very keen on sitting on the beach, which was the antithesis of my Dad and I’s existence, we were far too restless. I never found my dinosaur, though other people did thank goodness.

On Island memories

I’ve got lots of fond memories of the Island; I still have the photos of when I came over for an Aston Martin rally at Bembridge Airport around 1980. When I met Charlotte (Corney, owner of the Isle of Wight Zoo) the Island became a second home for me. And, of course, I’ve done lots of fi lming on the Island over the years. More recently I’ve been coming back because of the Sea Eagle reintroduction: it’s amazing, incredible to think those birds are back on the Island. Magnifi cent. What a place.

On a wilder Wight

The Island is becoming – or has the potential to become – an ecotourism destination. Already you’ve got red squirrels and dormice; if the Isle of Wight puts back ospreys and beavers that would be such an exciting suite of animals for people to see and enormously benefi cial to the environment and economy. In an isolated community, creativity can really prosper – the Island is small enough to get things done, which is great.

On punk music

I count myself as very fortunate to be involved in the punk movement in the mid to late ‘70s which was so profound and powerful. For me it does the opposite of being out in the woods – rather than open everything up it shuts everything down; I can completely immerse myself in sound to the point that it’s a blanket, a form of comfort. My favourite band is Jesus and Mary Chain whose melodic wall of feedback is so swamping I put it on and nothing else can get in: it’s volume and energy; overpowering and overwhelming, a complete sound.

On zombies and human impermanence

My comfort movies are probably not too comforting for other people, you’ll probably be appalled – I’m a zombie fi lm fan; also, things like Pacifi c Rim and Transformers. For someone like me, when you’ve got all these spiralling and crashing perspectives going on, it really is like a cerebral rollercoaster – I’ll put bits of those fi lms on like someone else might have a sip of nice brandy. I also love how a good apocalypse fi lm can teach us we’re not going to be here forever, and actually the alternative is quite picturesque because it shows humanity will recover. I absolutely love that.