News Archive

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2011

Developing approaches to ex-post assessment of regulatory change impacts at the farm level: prototype study

1/8/2011

The CCRI has just submitted a final report to Defra for a research project which explored the potential for methodological improvement of the impact assessment (IA) of regulatory change.

Two sets of regulations affecting the agricultural sector were examined: the 2008 Nitrate Pollution Control Regulations, and the 2006 Agricultural Waste Regulations. The focus of the study was on exploring and understanding the causal factors accounting for differences between predicted impacts in the ex-ante impact assessment, and actual impacts in a post-implementation review carried out between January and April 2011.

In the case of the Nitrate Regulations the estimated total costs and benefits between the two assessments were found to be broadly similar, but there were significant differences between some impact categories (e.g. record keeping; storage costs, spreading costs). In the case of the Waste Regulations the ex-ante impact assessment over-estimated the costs to farmers of compliance with the Regulations. This was largely due to lack of consideration of the value of waste materials and the scope for recycling.

In both sets of regulations the key differences between ex-ante and ex-post studies could be largely attributed to ‘assumptions’ underlying predicted impacts, and the low level of ‘sector knowledge’. Assumptions made in the ex-ante IA regarding take-up of various alternative behaviours were not supported in practice, leading to differences in estimated costs to farmers. Linked to this was limited ‘sector knowledge’ which led to some erroneous estimates regarding changes in farmer behaviour.

The research recommended some approaches to improving the regulatory impact process, including the use of workshops/case study methods that would modify assumptions about strategic behaviour that underpin cost and benefit estimates, improved understanding of the potential effects of technological change, scenario modelling to provide insights into the potential impacts of unpredictable external drivers, such as market prices, and qualitative analysis of costs and benefits to improve understanding of the nature of impacts at farm level. Improvements were also suggested for post-implementation review of regulatory change. The research suggested modifications in order to move to a situation where consultation is integrated into a more streamlined ex-ante IA and post-implementation review. The result would be improved understanding of regulatory impacts, which could then feed into the policy review and development stage, as well as inform future rounds of impact assessment and appraisal.

Dr John Powell led the research and was assisted by Chris Short, Dr Paul Courtney and Jane Mills. The full report can be found on the Defra website http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=do0102.pdf

CCRI Visiting Professor Bill Slee appointed to the Commission on Rural Education

25/07/2011

CCRI Visiting Professor Bill Slee has been appointed to the Commission on Rural Education by the Scottish Government Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).

The Commission will examine how the delivery of rural education can maximise the attainment and life chances of young people in rural areas, and will report back next spring with a number of recommendations on the way forward for the delivery of education in rural areas in Scotland.

Professor Slee is a previous director of the CCRI, and is currently Head of the Socio-Economics Research Group at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen. He is an experienced researcher in the field of rural development with particular expertise in the balance between the social and the economic dimensions of rural communities. He is one of two academics appointed to the Commission, the other being Cara Aitchison, also a former CCRI researcher, who is now Dean of Education at Edinburgh University.

The Commission's remit is as follows:
. To review the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 and its application;
· To examine how the delivery of rural education can maximize attainment and outcomes to give pupils the best life chances, and to examine, where appropriate, how this can be applied more widely;
· To make recommendations on how to reflect best practice on the delivery of all aspects education in rural areas (pre-school through to higher & further education);
· To examine the links between rural education and the preservation, support and development of rural communities and to make recommendations on how these links might be strengthened if necessary;
· To examine and make recommendations on funding issues surrounding rural education.
·

Review of the Cod Recovery Plan – an opportunity for fishermen to have their say!

20 June 2011

The Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) has been commissioned to carry out an investigation of the social and economic impacts of the Cod Recovery Plan, and has today made an appeal to fishermen to tell us what affect the Cod Recovery Plan has had on their businesses and how they think the policy could be improved.

For many years now, cod stocks in the North Sea, the North Western Waters and other European fishing zones have been under threat. Over-exploitation of fish stocks in these waters led to the introduction of the EU ‘Common Fisheries Policy’ in 1983, and, more recently in 2004, a ‘Cod Recovery Plan’, which was a long term management plan to promote conditions to enable cod stocks to increase. The Cod Recovery Plan placed restrictions on the amount of time European fishermen are allowed to spend at sea, as well as allocating a quota (total allowable catch). This plan is now under review.

The research has been sponsored by the European Commission Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, in collaboration with the NSRAC (North Sea Regional Advisory Council) and NWW-RAC (North West Waters Regional Advisory Council), and will inform discussions concerning the future of the Cod Recovery Plan.

Senior CCRI Researcher Dr John Powell said,

“This project provides the opportunity for fishermen to tell us about their experience of the Cod Recovery Plan, and how it has affected their businesses and fishing operations. It also gives them the opportunity to put forward their opinions and ideas on how things could be improved”.

The CCRI offers fishermen an interview by telephone (in English only), or alternatively by way of an online questionnaire, which is available in both English and French.

English Version:
http://kwiksurveys.com?u=codrecoveryplan_eng
French version:
http://kwiksurveys.com?u=le_plan_cabillaud_fr

The CCRI staff involved are Dr Matt Reed, Dr John Powell and Nick Lewis. They can be contacted on email as follows: mreed@glos.ac.uk; jpowell@glos.ac.uk and nlewis@glos.ac.uk

Professor Janet Dwyer's Inaugural Lecture - Pathways to sustainable agriculture, 1980-2020: forty years of policy learning in Britain and the EU

18/6/2011

Professor Janet Dwyer

Professor Janet Dwyer presented her inaugural lecture at the University of Gloucestershire’s Oxstalls campus on 14 June 2011.

With more than twenty-five years’ experience of policy making and research in sustainable agriculture and rural development, Janet’s lecture considered the key policy lessons from the period, reflecting that Britain was one of the first EU Member States to innovate in the area of agri-environment policy, and was instrumental in getting environmental schemes for farmers accepted into the Common Agricultural Policy during the 1980s. The lecture summarised and analysed the history of these schemes, along with other policies targeting agriculture, including regulation and cross-compliance, all of which have grown in scale and policy significance since then.

Today, as Europe debates new proposals for CAP reform to take us up to 2020, ‘greening’, and the delivery of environmental services from agriculture, are a major focus of discussion, Janet drew from her own research over the past decade to consider whether current policies really build upon the lessons – both good and bad – from the past. She suggested that it is an enduring weakness in the democratic and institutional processes of policy development, that change is often just as much about the politics of the day as it is about progress based upon past experience. “Too often”, she said, “mistakes are repeated and bad ideas can all too easily become internalised within accepted policy ‘norms’ simply because no-one has questioned them too deeply.” She called for policies in future to be based around creating and supporting local ‘communities of learning’, bringing together farmers, scientists and other stakeholders to develop sustainability in practice through experimentation and dialogue.

If you would like to receive a transcript of the lecture, please contact Jill Harper.

Book your free place at Professor Dwyer's Inaugural Lecture

13/05/11

Don't forget to reserve your place at Professor Janet Dwyer's Inaugural Lecture, which takes place on Tuesday 14 June 2011, between 18:00-19:00 hrs in the Lecture Theatre LC003, at the University of Gloucestershire Oxstalls Campus. The title of the lecture is 'Pathways to sustainable agriculture, 1980-2020: forty years of policy learning in Britain and the EU?'

Attendance is free, but if you wish to attend please reserve a place by e-mailing Jill Harper or by telephone +44 (0)1242 714122. Refreshments will be available after the lecture.

Professor Dwyer's whistle-stop tour of Wales

8/4/2011

Professor Janet Dwyer was on a whistle-stop tour of Wales earlier this week as the invited speaker at a series of four seminars organised by FWAG Cymru - the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Wales - on 5 and 6 April 2011. The topic for the seminars was 'CAP reform - the bigger picture', and the four events, spread out over North, Mid and South Wales, attracted over 100 farmers and other interested parties. The events were sponsored by Birch Farm Plastics.

Janet's presentations provoked lively discussions and were aimed at helping those at the 'sharp end' of agricultural policy to understand the wider politics and process of reform, as well as discussing the likely outcomes for the UK and Wales, in particular. As Janet explained, farming is more important to the Welsh economy and culture than is the case in England and yet the UK's position on the reforms tends to be most strongly shaped by the situation as seen from Whitehall. In the discussions, several suggestions were made for influencing the reform process in ways that might be beneficial for farming and the environment in Wales.

Janet's in depth knowledge was invaluable to the success of the events, which is reflected in some of the very positive feedback received from participants.

Lunar-solar rhythmpatterns: tracings of the material cultures of tides

1/4/2011

In 2010 Dr Owain Jones worked with Dr Michaela Reiser, from the University of the West of England, to develop the idea of sonifying the extraordinary tidal rhythms of the Severn Estuary in order to bring to public and political attention the very rich ecological and cultural heritages of the estuary, and the threats they face. In June 2010, they exhibited a computer generated 'sonification' of the tidal rhythms at Avonmouth Docks at the Bristol Festival of Nature. Owain has now written a paper, entitled “Lunar-solar rhythmpatterns: tracings of the material cultures of tides”, which has been accepted for publication in the per-reviewed social science journal Environment and Planning A.

Visit our Sustainable Flood Memories blog!

31/03/11

As part of the ESRC flood memories project, the project team has set up a wordpress blog in order to reach a wider public and engage them with the project. It’s aim is to spark discussion around the Severn floods, ways of remembering and forgetting, and about the progress of the research project.

We invite you to look at the first post - click here - and to keep visiting the site or subscribe to the blog if you are interested. Also, we would also encourage you to circulate the link to the blog to people who may find it interesting.

Can organics feed the world?

28/03/11

Matt Reed has a new blog on Earthscan, in which he contemplates whether organics can feed the world. Read now!

Final Report available for download! Assessing and developing an integrated local delivery (ILD) model that inspires and enables local communities in the delivery of national environmental targets

24/3/2011

The CCRI has completed the final report for a project, which was secured by a research grant of £6,700 from Natural England to work with Gloucestershire Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) in identifying the principles that underpin an integrated local delivery (ILD) model. The final report ‘Inspiring and Enabling Local Communities: An integrated delivery model for Localism and the Environment’ evaluates the ILD model developed by FWAG over a number of years and originated as part of a Heritage Lottery Funded Landscape Partnership project in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Natural England, a key partner with FWAG in these initiatives, is interested in encouraging the delivery of environmental land management at a landscape scale to alleviate fragmentation of biodiversity and provide a mosaic for climate change adaptation. Furthermore, Natural England see the development of locally based integrated land management arrangements as crucial to the delivery of a number of nature conservation policies, alongside other environmental targets.

The project has identified and evaluated those principles within the ILD model which inspire and enable local communities to deliver national environmental targets by reviewing the ILD model and conducting a series of interviews with members of a local management group, including statutory agencies and members of the local community. The final report suggests the most effective aspects are transferable to other areas and projects. Furthermore the report identifies and outlines a series of next steps to develop the concept of ILD further. The project, led by Chris Short, has reported back to Natural England and FWAG, as well as Defra, including a meeting with Jim Paice, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, and this has led to considerable interest from those working in this area. Download Final Report.

Professor Brian IlberyPresentations

17/03/11

Professosr Brian Ilbery gave a presentation on 'Risk and plant disease management: grower-agronomist relationships' on 14 March 2011 for the Great Western Research seminar series on 'sustainability', organised by the Centre for Rural Policy Research, University of Exeter.

Brian will also be making a presentation on 25 March at a Food Forum seminar at the Food Studies Centre, SOAS, University of London. His presentation will be entitled, 'Organic farming in England and Wales: does geography matter?'.

New CCRI Seminar date!

14/03/11

As part of the CCRI Seminar Series, on Thursday 7 April 2011, Meyrick Brentnall of Gloucester City Council will be speaking regarding the potential of a Regional Park along the washlands of the River Severn through Gloucestershire, and the idea of Regional Parks more generally.

The seminar will take place at the Oxstalls Campus of the University of Gloucestershire, between 12.15 - 1.15pm. Room to be announced.

Urban Trees Research Conference: Trees, People and the Built Environment

10/3/11

The Institute of Chartered Foresters is holding an urban trees research conference at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on 13-14 April 2011.

The conference aims to present ground breaking and highly relevant research from both the natural and social sciences, and will bring together the widest range of practitioners, researchers and professional organisations concerned with urban landscapes or the built environment.

Information and Booking can be found at www.charteredforesters.org/conference/ or call 0131 240 1425

Launch of the Commons Initiative by the Foundation for Ecological Security takes place in India

4/3/11

Christopher Short and Dr John Powell were invited to help facilitate and participate in the launch of the Commons Initiative by the Foundation for Ecological Security. The Commons Initiative is an inter-agency initiative to progress the cause of commons in India, especially among policy makers.

The inaugural workshop of this group took place in Hyderabad in South eastern India on January 15th 2011. The event coincided with the 12th Global Conference of the International Association of the Study of the Commons at which both Chris and John delivered workshops and presented papers. The event was the follow-on conference from the one held in Cheltenham in July 2008.

Dr Franz KrauseCCRI appoint Research Assistant for Sustainable Flood Memories project

03/03/11

The CCRI is pleased to announced that Dr Franz Krause has been appointed Postdoctoral Research to work on the ESRC-funded research project concerned with “Sustainable Flood Memories. Franz is an anthropologist with interests in the relations between humans and their environments, especially rivers and water. He has conducted fieldwork on water-related issues in Finnish Lapland, the Philippines, and Mali.

Paper published in Fisheries Research

3/3/11

Dr Matt Reed and Dr Paul Courtney have had a paper published in Fisheries Research. Details are: Urquhart, J., T. Acott, M. Reed and P. Courtney (2011) Setting an agenda for social science research in fisheries policy in Northern Europe. Fisheries Research, 108(2-3) pp. 240-247.

Professor Ilbery and Damian Maye - recent publications

3/3/11

Professor Brian Ilbery and Dr Damian Maye have had the following publications published or recently accepted:

Ilbery, B. and Maye, D. (2011) Clustering and the spatial distribution of organic farming in England and Wales. Area, 43, 1, 31-41.

Maye, D. and Ilbery, B. (2011) Changing geographies of food production. In: Sidaway, J., Daniels, P., Shaw, D and Bradshaw, M. (eds.) Introduction to Human Geography. Pearson Education Limited, Harlow (fourth edition), forthcoming.

Mills, P., Dehnen-Schmutz, K., Ilbery, B., Jeger, M., Jones, G., Little, R., MacLeod, A., Parker, S., Pautasso, M., Pietravalle, S. and Maye, D. (2011) Integrating natural and social science perspectives on plant disease risk, management and policy formulation. Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, forthcoming.

Damian Maye rapporteur at BRASS conference

3/3/11

Dr Damian Maye acted as external rapporteur to Terry Marsden's paper about accountability, governance and regulation at The Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability & Society (BRASS) food sustainability conference held at Cardiff University on 8th February, 2011. The event looked at the role of social science research in understanding and promoting sustainable food systems.

Dr Owain JonesOwain Jones leads Royal Geographical Society workshop

3/3/11

Dr Owain Jones was the co-organiser and workshop leader for the Geography and the New Empirics, Royal Geographical Society, London, which took place on 20-21 January, and which was organised by the Social and Cultural Geography Research Group. The event attracted around 50 participants from geography, sociology, anthropology and art, and addressed the changing nature of the empirical in terms of the new forms of data (such as the emotional and the affective) and the new scales of data Geographers deal with. For more information.

Owain gave three further presentations in February. The first was on 3 Ferbaury, when he was an invited lead discussant for a workshop organised by the Arts and Humanities Research Council ‘Researching Environmental Change’ Network, Learning to Live with Water: Flood histories, Environmental Change, Remembrance and Resilience. The workshop was entitled, “Flood heritage: exploring flood archives for understanding the known pathways to resilience”. The second was on 22 February, when he was an invited speaker at the Strange Naturalisms workshop Royal Holloway University of London. On 25 February, Owain was the Chair and lead discussant for the RGS Geographies of Children, Youth & Families Research Group “Understanding Transitions Through Methodological Innovations”, which was a workshop for PhD students and Early Career Researchers held at the University of Leicester.

CCRI is moving office!

18/02/11

The CCRI will be moving office on 1 March 2011. The new address will be:
Oxstalls Campus
(University of Gloucestershire)
Oxstalls Lane
Longlevens
Gloucester
GL2 9HW

Telephone numbers and email addresses remain unchanged. Most staff will have access to e-mail during the move, which takes place between 1 and 3 March, but our main phone system will be out of action during that time. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused.

Agricultural Knowledge Systems in Transition: Towards a more effective and efficient Support of Learning and Innovation Networks for Sustainable Agriculture (SOLINSA)

17/02/11

The CCRI was one of ten partners, in eight European countries, in a successful bid to carry out a 3-year European Commission FP7 collaborative research project, and will be taking a key role leading one of the work packages. The acronym for the project is SOLINSA, and it began on 1 February 2011.

The overall objective of this project is to identify effective and efficient approaches for the support of innovation for sustainable agriculture and rural development. In order to achieve this, the project will explore networks within case studies in each of the partner countries examining barriers and opportunities for effective knowledge exchange. The study will be carried out in 3 fields: a) consumer oriented networks; b) non-food oriented networks; and c) purely agricultural networks or networks for sustainable land use.

The other partners working on the project come from France, Latvia, Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, Netherlands and Germany. The CCRI staff members involved are Julie Ingram, Nigel Curry, James Kirwan, Damian Maye and Katarina Kubinakova.

More information can be found on the EU website.

CCRI Seminar Presentation

24/01/11

The CCRI invites you to attend a free seminar, which will take place on Thursday 27th January at the University of Gloucestershire.

The seminar is entitled "Lost in translation - challenges of relevance and application in flood and soil science" and will be presented by Professor Hazel Faulkner from The Flood Hazard Research Centre at Middlesex University.

The seminar will take place at University of Gloucestershire Park Campus, Cheltenham, in room PK TC104 and will begin promptly at 1.30pm. Click here for more information on the CCRI Seminar Series. This seminar is organised jointly with the University of Gloucestershire Centre for the Study of Floods and Communities.

Farmer attitudes and evaluation of outcomes to on-farm environmental management

20/01/11

Jane Mills is leading a CCRI team for a new two-year study for Defra, which examines farmer attitudes and evaluation of outcomes to on-farm environment management. The CCRI will be working alongside the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA), Centre for Rural Policy Research (University of Exeter) and Bodsey Ecology Ltd.

Defra has long recognised the role of the farmer and land manager in delivering environment benefits. There has been a long-standing commitment to the provision of environmental benefits through incentives and regulation and more recently an increasing emphasis on voluntary industry-led provision through the Campaign for the Farmer Environment (CFE). The aim of this research is to explore the link between farmers' attitudes to environmental management, their subsequent behaviour, and the perceived and actual environmental benefits. This will help inform Defra's understanding of the way to approach interventions to achieve and maintain environmental benefits on farmland despite alterations in regulatory, incentivised and voluntary approaches. In particular, it will assist Defra in reviewing the progress that CFE is making towards achieving its environmental goals and the success of the voluntary approach in engaging farmers in environmental management.

The four specific research objectives of the research are to identify:
1) The factors (attitudinal, financial, etc) driving environmental activities;
2) The perceived and observed benefits (environmental, other) of environmental management activities;
3) The balance of environmental management activities and benefits accruing from formal and informal provision; and
4) The interactions between land under formal agreements and land outside of agreements

The research involves preparation of a Research Outline Paper which will outline the scope of the study, incorporating evidence from other research, telephone interviews with industry and stakeholder experts and an expert workshop. The research will also analysis existing data sets, such as the Farm Business Survey and CFE postal survey, to identify the relationships between farm and farmer characteristics and the provision of formal or informal environmental management. CCRI will conduct sixty in-depth farmer face-to-face interviews to explore farmers' attitudes, motivations and barriers to environmental management and their land management behaviour and detailed whole farm ecological surveys will be undertaken by Fera and Bodsey Ecology to identify the environmental benefits of formal and informal environmental management practices.

Detailed summaries of each farmer interview will be produced and the interviewers and ecologists will come together collectively to review each farm and to analyse the links between farmers attitudes' and subsequent behaviour and outcome. This process will also reveal the differences and similarities between perceived and observed environmental outcomes. The research findings will be presented at an expert workshop to obtain feedback on the findings in light of the expert's knowledge and experience.

Working with Jane in the CCRI team is Dr Peter Gaskell, Christopher Short, Dr Matt Reed, Professor Janet Dwyer, Dr Julie Ingram and Nick Lewis.

CCRI commissioned to assess upland farmers’ attitudes to the Uplands Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) Scheme

17/01/11

The Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) has been commissioned by Defra and Natural England to undertake a study to evaluate upland farmers' attitudes to the Uplands Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) scheme which was introduced in July 2010. The study involves a telephone survey of a 1,000 upland farmers throughout England, including both Upland ELS participants and those without an agreement. The telephone survey will be proceeded by 40 in-depth face-to-face interviews to explore in more detail the issues raised in the telephone survey. The objectives of the study are:

  • To assess the awareness of and attitudes towards Uplands ELS among farmers and land managers in the Severely Disadvantaged Areas.
  • To identify the factors affecting uptake of Uplands ELS in general and of particular options within the scheme.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of targeted Uplands ELS advice and support.
  • To evaluate the above on the basis of: previous participation in an agri-environment scheme; region; farm type; tenancy/ownership and farm size.

Uplands ELS is a new strand of Environmental Stewardship to support hill farmers with payments for environmental management, and the findings of the study will contribute to the evidence base required to monitor and evaluate its implementation.

Carol Kambites has sole authored paper published online

06/01/2011

Dr Carol Kambites has had an sole-authored article published online in Local Environment, entitled 'Sustainability and attitudes to locality: the discourse of town and parish Councilors'. Details of the publication are Volume 15, Issue 9 & 10 October 2010 , pages 867 – 878. The article is now available online and will also appear in printed version later in the year.

Review of the Exmoor Mires Restoration Project completed

06/01/2011

The CCRI recently completed a review of the Exmoor Mires Restoration Project. The Exmoor Mire Restoration project began in July 2006, which involved restoration work taking place at 12 moorland locations on Exmoor. Activities included the re-wetting of over 300 hectares of moorland, blocking ditches with bales, wood and peat dams and water management. The final project report presented 49 recommendations covering all aspects of project activity and concluded that the restoration project has achieved a substantial amount of ditch blocking on Exmoor within a short period which has successfully encouraged an increase in abundance and richness of plant species associated with wetter conditions.

The report suggests that lessons learnt from the project will provide a firm basis on which to develop the larger ‘Mires on the Moors’ project, which commenced in November 2010. The final report can be downloaded from the Exmoor National Park website.

CCRI provide expertise to European Network on Rural Development

6/01/2011

Professor Janet Dwyer is currently working as an expert to the European Network on Rural Development in a working group on the Theme of the Delivery of rural development programmes 2007-13. The group is chaired by the European Commission 'DG Agri' and holds regular meetings in Brussels to discuss progress and commission case study reports and other work from different countries. Dr James Kirwan is assisting Professor Dwyer. The work will be completed by June 2011.

Rhiannon Fisher appointed as Research Associate

9/12/2010

Rhiannon FisherRhiannon Fisher (pictured right) has been appointed as research associate to work on the Social Science study for the Badger Vaccine Deployment Project.

Already working on the project since May, Rhiannon will now continue working on the project for the duration, which is three years. She will be assisting with all aspects of the project including literature reviews, data collection and analysis and report/paper writing. Just over 300 telephone interviews with farmers have just been completed and the team is now beginning the analysis of the data. In January, the next major phase of the research will begin, which will involve in-depth face-to-face interviews with farmers, veterinarians and animal health officers.

Summary of project.

New projects won by CCRI!

30/11/2010

The CCRI has been successful in several recent research tenders, including the following:

An ecosystem services pilot in the South West: building a framework for delivery
The CCRI has been commissioned by the Exmoor National Park Authority and Natural England to develop a delivery framework for ecosystem services within the uplands. The research involves working closely with farmers in Exmoor who are part of the catchments linked to the Wimbleball reservoir and also form part of the Natural England Upland Ecosystem Services pilot areas. The approach taken by the research is to investigate, through a series of in-depth interviews with farmers, whether the different farm business strategies can be reconciled with the need to protect and enhance the ecosystem services on that farm and within the local area. The in-depth interviews will be support by the use of quantitative data available for the area and a series of workshops to verify the proposed delivery framework. The project is led by Professor Janet Dwyer with key input from Chris Short and will report early in the New Year.

Addressing Biodiversity and Habitat Preservation through Measures applied under the CAP
Janet Dwyer and Jane Mills have won a tender to play a small part in a large Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) led project.

'Evaluation of South West Uplands Initiative
Peter Gaskell led a successful tender to undertake a project for the Cornwall Development Company.

Assessment of single farm payment on graziers in UK & Ireland.
The CCRI, in partnership with the Foundation for Common Land, has also been commissioned by the European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism to assess the impact of the Single Farm Payment Scheme in England on the active graziers of common land. The SFPS is an area-based payment, the first across much of Europe as payments have in the past been centred around historic use of the area. Over the past few years there has been some anecdotal evidence that this system is having a negative impact on the grazing of common land in England. This project uses existing data and a series of workshop to assess the basis for these claims in order to highlight this so that further area-based schemes can take this into account. The research is led by Chris Short with input from Pete Gaskell and colleagues from the Foundation for Common Land.

More information regarding these projects will be available on the CCRI website in due course.

 

CCRI Winter School 2010

30/11/2010

CCRI held its annual winter school at Hawkwood College near Stroud on 22nd and 23rd November. The winter school is designed to support post-graduate research students, by providing an opportunity to make a presentation about their research to staff and fellow students and in turn to receive feedback on their ideas. This year, seven CCRI students were joined by six students from other universities, contacted through the Rural Geography Research Group of the RGS/IBG, and thirteen members of the CCRI staff.

As well as presenting, students were able to put questions to panels on the PhD process and on methodology and to take part in a session on the support needs of part-time students. Guest speaker, Keith Halfacree of the Department of Geography at Swansea University, gave an interesting talk on perspectives on the rural, entitled 'Magic of the Secret Garden?' Social events included a quiz.

Farmers face a challenging future

30/11/2010

Dr Peter Gaskell led research teams from CCRI (Jane Mills, Julie Ingram, James Kirwan, Janet Dwyer and Nick Lewis) and the Food and Environment Research Agency.on a Defra funded contract to investigate the economic and environmental impacts of changes in support measures for the English Uplands. The report, which has been submitted as evidence to the Defra Select Committee Inquiry into the Uplands, suggests that hill farmers may face a challenging future due to CAP reform. The final report can be downloaded from the Defra website.

 

Chris Short leads training session for Exmoor National Park Authority

30/11/2010

Chris ShortChristopher Short (pictured right) was invited to lead a training session for Exmoor National Park Authority on the issues of Ecosystem Services during November. The event was organised for National Park members, committees and staff and provided and introduction to this new concept before going on to consider the Natural England pilot project in the South West, which the CCRI is also assisting Natural England with. In the afternoon a good number visited a nearby farm that is working with the Westcountry Rivers Trust on how farm practices can be adjusted to improve water quality.

CCRI Seminar Series - Next presentation Thursday 2 December 2010

29/11/2010

Dr Angela Cassidy from the University of East Anglia will be presenting at the CCRI Seminar Series on Thursday 2 December on 'Badgers and bovine TB: a messy science/policy controversy in the UK press'. The seminar takes place at the University of Gloucestershire Park Campus in Room TC203 between 12.15 – 13.15 hrs. All are welcome to attend.

ESRC award for research into 'sustainable flood memory'

25/11/2010

Dr Owain Jones is part of a University of Gloucestershire interdisciplinary team, led by Professor Lindsey McEwen, which has won an ESRC award for research into sustainable flood memory. The project is entitled: ‘Sustainable flood memories and the development of community resilience to future flood risk: a comparative study of three recently flooded communities’. The grant is for £242K and will run over 30 months.

This research will investigate the extent to which local communities who have a history of past extreme flooding events are better equipped practically and psychologically to cope during and after new flood events, and with the risk of future flood events, in the context of climate change and heightened flood risk. It will comparatively research three differently composed and situated communities which experienced flooding in River Severn, Gloucestershire in July 2007 and will investigate how these communities responded to the catastrophic 2007 flooding and if and how their memories of the 2007 flood are now being developed into individual, family and community memories that will help these communities better cope with future flood risk and flood events. Particular attention will be paid to how different forms of material culture might play a role in recording and disseminating folk memories of flooding, both past memories and the 2007 flood events. These forms will change with technology and will range from traditional flood markers, through photographs, cine, video to the websites (e.g. of parish councils) and social networking and other ICT (e.g. mobile phones, social networking sites). The research will then consider how these types of developing memories of flooding and sense of place can be supported, developed and enhanced by agencies charged with the development of flood management and flood response policies.

During the course of the project there will be a dedicated webpage with latest news, plus an interactive blog. These are in the process of being set up and details of the web addresses will be published in the near future.

Chris Short of the CCRI will also be contributing to the project by providing a bi-monthly evaluation of project progress.

Chris Gaskell appointed to the Science Advisory Council for Wales

22/11/2010

CCRI Board Member, Chris Gaskell, has been appointed to the Science Advisory Council for Wales (SACW).

This Council is an independent advisory group of distinguished experts with no statutory or financial responsibilities. It will report and provide advice to the Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales on a full range of science, technology, engineering and mathematics issues.

SACW will also consider the overall view of science being deployed to assist Wales’s economic and social progress and represent the highest level of independent scientific advice to the Welsh Assembly Government.

The new Council will be chaired by the Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor John Harries, and will include an independent co-chair, Professor Chris Pollock (the former Director of the Institute of Grassland & Environmental Research in Aberystwyth).

CCRI research findings presented at Defra workshop

22/11/2010

Jane Mills and Peter Gaskell presented the findings from the research project "Estimating the Incidental Socio-Economic Benefits of Environmental Stewardship" at a workshop event run by Defra on 21st October at the BIS Conference Centre in London. The research was carried out by the CCRI for Defra between March 2009 and March 2010, and assessed the incidental socio-economic benefits of Enironmental Stewardship schemes in England in order to identify their socio-economic impact on the wider local economy.

The workshop event was entitled "Estimating the benefits of Environmental Stewardship schemes in England" and the attendees discussed the research findings and future research needs.

The project final report can be downloaded from the Defra website.

Matt Reed on the Earthscan blog

20/11/2010

Matt Reed has a posting on the Earthscan blog, an article entitled "The Organic 'X-Factor'" which you can read and comment on by clicking here.

Owain Jones makes keynote speech in Madrid

19/11/2010

Dr Owain Jones was a keynote speaker on UK Rural Culture and Art at the International Conference “Inland – Art, Agricultures and Countryside” on 21-23 October at the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid. This event formed part of the ‘Inland – Campo Adentro’ project, which was presented in Madrid at the start of the summer. It is a discussion and practice-oriented project that examines the role of territory, geopolitics, culture and identity in the relationship between the city and the countryside in Spain, and seeks to set out a pro-rural cultural strategy. See http://www.cdan.info/web/Boletines/1009/Newsletter_1009_NOT_3-Inland-project-art-agricultures-and-countryside.htm for more informaton.

Professor Janet DwyerJanet Dwyer presents at international conference in Italy

19/11/2010

Professor Janet Dwyer (pictured right) gave a presentation at an international conference on the topic of marginal areas and the appropriate policy response. The conference was held in Rome on 4-5 November and was entitled "The territorial approach in agricultural and rural policies. An international review".

The conference was opened by Giuseppe Blasi, Director of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies. The other Speakers included representatives from organizations such as the European Commission, the United Nations, the Ford Foundation and other prestigious research institutes, all from different geographical areas to show evidence of territorial approach effectiveness in socially and economically distinct rural contexts. View official programme

LEAF project key findings presented at LEAF President's Event

18/11/2010

Professor Janet Dwyer presented the key findings from a recent study undertaken by the CCRI for LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) at the LEAF President’s event (AGM) on 16 November.

The study, which was led by Jane Mills who was assisted by Janet Dwyer and Nick Lewis, was entitled "The Benefits of LEAF Membership: a qualitative study to understand the added value that LEAF brings to its farmer members". LEAF is an organisation that aims to helps farmers produce good food, with care and to high environmental standards, which is identified in-store by the LEAF Marque logo.

A sample of LEAF farmer members was interviewed either by telephone or face-to-face, covering all the main UK farm types, most UK regions, and a good range of farm sizes. These members used a variety of the services which LEAF provides, including the LEAF Audit and LEAF Marque accreditation. The interviews were in-depth and based around a semi-structured questionnaire, to ensure that all covered a similar range of topics.

 

The study identified three main areas where farmers benefit from LEAF membership: financial, environmental and social. The key findings suggested that LEAF membership offered clear, tangible and valuable benefits, including significant financial benefits to farmers in relation to on-farm cost savings, additional income, market benefits and adherence with regulatory requirements. Benefits included improving energy efficiency and reducing use of chemicals and fertilizers without compromising output, as well as increased awareness of the environment, which led to improved biodiversity, soil structure and water quality. It was also found that the LEAF Marque accreditation can be essential for members in securing valued supermarket contracts, retaining existing customers or commanding a premium price for products.

The AGM attracted just over 100 attendees, a mix of LEAF members and interested parties including Mark Price, the MD of Waitrose, who gave a keynote speech on the values of Waitrose and why the LEAF Marque helps bring them alive. You can see and listen to a summary of the project findings presented by Professor Dwyer at the AGM on Youtube.

The final report of the study can be found on the LEAF website . A short summary is on the CCRI projects page.

Nigel Curry gives keynote address at Mentro Allan annual conference

18/11/2010

Professor Nigel Curry gave the keynote address at the annual conference of Mentro Allan, the Welsh national healthy exercise scheme programme, on 21 October.

Nigel, together with Dr Mike Clark, is currently working with Exeter University on a project aimed to chart exercise behaviour patterns of participants in the Mentro Allan scheme and assessing the extent to which they have been modified as a result of active encouragement to increase exercise. The project is due to complete in April 2011. See project summary.

Will Manley's appointment to Cotswolds Conservation Board extended to 2014

18/11/2010

Will Manley has been invited by the DEFRA Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Richard Benyon to accept an offer for a extension to his appointment to the Cotswolds Conservation Board. Will, who is based at the RAC, has accepted the appointment which now runs to 2014.

The Cotswolds Conservation Board is an independent organisation that exists to conserve and enhance the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The Board is made up of 37 members, 14 of whom are appointed by the Government.

Plunkett Foundation Annual Rural Social Enterprise Conference

18/11/2010

The Plunkett Foundation's Annual Rural Social Enterprise Conference 'Better Business' takes place on Thursday 25th November 2010, 10am to 4pm Telford International Centre, St Quentin Gate, Telford, Shropshire. The Conference is aimed at anyone interested in social enterprise and rural development.

The 10th in the series, Better Business will explore how social enterprise offers the strongest and most viable model for rural communities to take ownership of the issues that affect them. Click here for more information.

New! CCRI Short Course Programme for 2011

2/11/2010

Commencing in February 2011, the CCRI is running a series of four 1 day courses on the theme of 'Essentials of Community Development' which are designed to give you the understanding, tools and skills you need to design, develop and project manage community development activity.

Session 1 - Making Your Community Sustainable: Thursday 17th Feb 2011
Session 2 - Projects & Partnerships: Thurs 3rd March 2011
Session 3 - Collecting & using good quality information: Thursday 17th March 2011
Session 4 - Exploring alternative approaches to developing sustainable communities: Thursday 31st March 2011

These four short courses can be taken as a complete programme or individually. Click here for more information, including fees and how to register.

Seminar Thursday 4 November

1/11/10

A CCRI seminar takes place this Thursday, 4 November, which is co hosted by the Centre for the Study of Floods and Communities. The seminar is entitled "Beyond Commentary: integrating an artist's practice into Flood Risk Management" and will be presented by Simon Read of Middlesex University.

See http://www.ccri.ac.uk/Events/Seminarseries.htm for more information.

Brian Ilbery appointed to 'Bioscience for Society Strategy Panel'

29/10/2010

Professor Brian Ilbery has been appointed as a member of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council's 'Bioscience for Society Strategy Panel'. The appointment starts on January 1 and is expected to be for three years. The objective of this particular panel is to provide strategic input on societal issues surrounding the conduct and outcomes of research conducted by the BBSRC. The intention is to provide a high level overview of the opportunitites and appropriate avenues for engaging with different stakeholders. More details about the aims and membership of the Bioscience for Society Strategy Panel can be found at: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/organisation/structures/panels/society/society-index.aspx

2010 Policy Conference inspires lively debates on the future of rural policy making

20/10/2010

The next decade promises to bring many challenges and innovations in rural policy making, and societal debates regarding the future use of land, climate change, demographic trends and the threat of global resources have thrown the rural agenda back into the spotlight. With this in mind, rural policy makers, stakeholders and researchers from across England, Wales and Scotland gathered together at the Queen’s Hotel in Cheltenham yesterday for the 2010 Rural Policy Conference, to debate the likely consequences of these challenges for the future of rural policy.

Organised by the CCRI, the event was preceded by four live on-line seminars (Webinars), which set the scene and provided background information for the conference. The conference was also structured into four themed discussions that focused broadly on the diversity of influences and factors that challenge rural areas at the current time. A cast of prominent key speakers were on hand to facilitate stimulating topical debate.

Richard Wakeford, from Scottish Government, opened the discussions on the subject of ‘Communities in Transition’ giving an overview of some of the challenges facing rural communities across the world and drawing comparisons as to how many of these themes were echoed today in the challenges to rural communities in the UK. His presentation looked at some rural communites in China, in particular the Chongqing region where reforms have modernised the rural community. Dr Kate Braithwaite from the Carnegie Foundation stressed the importance of ‘sense of place’ for people to feel they belong, and described what she argued as ‘six hot topics’ for research to help build communities and meet aspects of the Big Society agenda. Professor Malcolm Moseley of the CCRI discussed recent research projects conducted by the CCRI and how these emphasised that community participation needs to be personally rewarding for those taking part in order for it to be sustained.

The second session focused on ‘Food Security’, and Dr Damian Maye of the CCRI provided a contemporary overview of a ‘changing foodscape’ and how food security has become a topic of global concern, but how also debates on food security are inextricably linked to wider land use issues. Next was Professor Terry Marsden who discussed how policy makers were beginning to learn some of the lessons from the recent crisis in food prices and the barriers to decision makers realising the magnitude of the problem. He also outlined possible solutions to a situation of increasing food insecurity.

After lunch the third session considered the role of ‘Technology and Science’ on rural life. Professor Philip Lowe, from the Centre for Rural Economy, University of Newcastle, reflected on the work on the RELU programme in explaining the role of ‘scientists’ and ‘experts’. Dr Matt Reed (CCRI) considered the decline of the honey bee and the role of technology in re-shaping our experience of rural life through the example of cloned cows.

The final session reflected on the 'Uses of Land' with Dr Matt Lobley, Centre for Rural Policy Research, University of Exeter, reflecting on the competing demands on land use, emphasising that the use of land is one of the principal drivers of global environmental change. He looked at the energy inefficiency of contemporary agriculture, and the pressures of the rise of new forms of energy production in addition to requirements for food production and environmental protection. Mark Robins of the RSPB contemplated on the state of the planet, the failure of the environmental movement to inspire rather than scare people and the continued failure of some lobby groups to acknowledge the environmental predicament of our planet. The final speaker of the day was Professor Janet Dwyer (CCRI) who considered the key land use policy influences and challenges for the coming decade through research with which she has been involved, looking at lessons from history and how new focal points, key instruments and approaches are developed.

The powerpoint presentations can be viewed on our website by clicking on the relevant links. Please note that some of these may be large files >6mb. More information can be found on the conference web page

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"Dead Bees, Cloned Cows and the 'Zombie' Rural" completes Webinar series

13/10/2010

Dr Matt Reed presented the fourth and final 'Webinar' yesterday, in the lead up to the 2010 Rural Policy Conference.

The seminar, entitled "Dead Bees, Cloned Cows and the 'Zombie' Rural", considered the way that we think about rural areas in the light of new developments in technology and global communications. Through the examples of recent declines in honey bee numbers and the use of clones in British farming, it argued that it was no longer possible to think about rural areas as only existing within national ‘envelopes’. Rather it is necessary to think of the global flows that influence rural areas and how those influence places. Using the idea of a ‘zombie’ concept – an idea that survives but is no longer useful -from the sociologist Ulrich Beck, the seminar argued that we need to update our thinking about societies in rural areas.

An interesting debate ensued which will be expanded more fully at the policy conference, which takes place at the Queens Hotel on Tuesday 19 October. More information...

The powerpoint slides, including the audio, will be available online shortly.

Third Webinar: Communities in Transition

Dr Carol Kambites

06/10/2010

On Tuesday 5 October, Carol Kambites (pictured right) presented the third Webinar (of four), which looked at 'Community', 'Social Capital' and the 'Big Society', and which offered some reflections in the light of CCRI research.

The presentation sparked some interesting debate regarding the 'Big Society' - which was defined as the transfer of power and responsibility from government and local government to local communities. The likely impact on rural services was debated as well as what interventions are needed to encourage community action, especially in those communities with less social capital. There was general agreement that both practical and financial support will be needed. . The debate concluded with a discussion on the role of parish and town councils in the ‘big society’, and whether parish councils still have a role to play in the local community.

The Webinar presentation will be available online shortly

Matt Reed will present the fourth Webinar on Tuesday, 12 October, at 13.00 hrs (GMT). This final Webinar is entitled "Dead Bees, Cloned Cows and the 'Zombie'; Rural". The CCRI 2010 Rural Policy Conference takes place at the Queens Hotel in Cheltenham on Tuesday 19 October.

Second webinar: The Future of Food

29/09/10

James Kirwan and Damian Maye presented the second of four webinars yesterday. This one addressed The Future of Food. These on-line seminars are designed to stimulate debate on research topics that will be discussed in more detail at the forthcoming CCRI Policy Conference.

The seminar argued that the future of food is inextricably linked to the growing interest in Food Security over recent years and outlined four 'discourses'/action imperatives (sustainable intensification, localisation, sustainable diets and waste) in terms of how society might appropriately respond to the 'crisis'. The session ended with a lively discussion that considered, inter alia, the scale at which food security should be discussed, the role policy should play, future governance structures and potential impacts on rural areas.

View Slides and audio

View Discussion text

Dr Owain Jones convenes session at the Royal Geographical 2010 Annual International Conference

27/09/2010

Dr Owain Jones (pictured right) convened a session on Social and Cultural Geographies of the Coast at the Royal Geographical 2010 Annual International Conference, together with Dr Kim Ward from Exeter University. Owain also presented two papers at the conference. The first was on Poets, Arts and the Severn Estuary at the 20th Century Poets and Geography session with the artist Davina Kirkpatrick, and the second a paper on Absence and Landscape, in the Geographies of Absence session.

British Science Association Festival 2010

Professor Brian Ilbery23/09/2010

In his role as President of the Geography Section of the British Science Association, Professor Brian Ilbery (pictured right) ran a successful session on 'Food security and infectious diseases' at the annual BSA Festival on 16 September at Aston University, Birmingham. Professor Ilbery both convened and chaired the session, which included papers by Professor Tim Lang (City University), Professor Peter Mills (Harper Adams University College), Gareth Enticott (Cardiff University) and the CCRI's Damian Maye.

The session was attended by 30 people and well received. It generated some press interest and the Royal Geographical Society/Institute of British Geographers intends to publish the papers in a special themed issue of the Geographical Journal in 2012.

Christopher Short presents paper at International Conference

23/09/2010

Christopher Short presented a paper, which was co-authored with Dr Owain Jones, at an international conference held at Sheffield Hallam University on 15 –17 September, entitled ‘The End of Tradition? Aspects of Commons and Cultural Severance in the Landscape’, which looked at the threats to biodiversity from cultural change and the abandonment of traditional management.

The paper is part of the dissemination of a project funded by Natural England and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group on the evaluation of a participatory approach aimed at assisting local communities to deliver national environmental targets. View project details. A full version of the presentation will be published in the journal Landscape Archaeology and Ecology later in the year.

CCRI researchers have paper published in British Food Journal

23/09/2010

The CCRI recently conducted a research project for Defra, together with the Centre for Rural Policy Research at Exeter University, on 'Local and national organic marketing channels'. A paper drawing on the key findings of the research was co-written by four CCRI researchers, and has been published in British Food Journal. The details are as follows:

Ilbery, B., Courtney, P., Kirwan, J. and Maye, D. (2010) Marketing concentration and geographical dispersion: a survey of organic farms in England and Wales. British Food Journal, 112, 9, 962-975.

Professor Ilbery to sit on International Organic Expert Panel

23/09/2010

Professor Brian Ilbery has been invited to sit on an International Organic RDD (Research, Development and Demonstration) Expert Panel to assess research applications to the International Centre for Research in Organic Food Systems (ICROFS) in Denmark. The Panel was endorsed by the Danish Council for Strategic Research, part of the Danish government. Applications have to be assessed by October 20.

First webinar kicks off 2010 Rural Policy Conference

22/09/2010

Chris Short presented the first of four webinars (on- line seminars) yesterday, which will provide background information and set the scene for the forthcoming 2010 Rural Policy Seminar, which takes place at the Queens Hotel in Cheltenham on Tuesday 19 October.

The first webinar looked at the complex subject of Land and its Uses, and considered some of the challenges placed on land and the way we use it. The twin challenges of a competitive agriculture in economic terms alongside a sustainable agriculture in natural resource terms were considered in different situations and in conjunction with climate change. The continued concern regarding environmental decline was outlined and it was suggested that the environment is consistently undervalued for a range of reasons. The recent policy emphasis of 'ecosystem services', paraphrased as a response to the question 'what has the environment ever done for us?', was considered in relation to the challenges on existing resourses and numerous strategic and administrative objectives at local, regional and national levels.

A wider ranging discussion took place during the webinar with participants sharing ideas about the educational visits to farms by schools and the need for education that stressed the multi-objective nature of land use. The issue of gaining management control to land against a backdrop of the relatively static issue of land ownership were seen as both challenges and opportunities. Finally, the issue of 'land abandonment' was considered, both in terms of abandonment by people and/or of a sustainable management system.

You can join the debates on the CCRI Facebook and Twitter sites. 

You can view the PPT presentation online
You can also view the text discussion

It is not too late to register for the conference, but only a few places remain. You can book online now and tune in for the next webinar which takes place on Tuesday 28 September 13.00 hrs (GMT), on the subject of ‘The Future of Food’. Full details of the conference are on our conference web page.

RGS-IBG Annual Conference, London. 1st-3rd Sept 2010

20/09/2010

Damian Maye and James Kirwan from the CCRI convened four sessions, on behalf of the Rural Geography Research Group, at the RGS-IBG Annual Conference in London on the 2nd September 2010. The sessions addressed the issue of food security and its potential implications for agri-food studies and included a range of conceptual and empirical papers that offered critical insights into food security in different geographical contexts, including how it is influencing how geographers and others are studying and responding to this and related agri-food issues.

A total of 18 papers were presented, organised across 4 sessions. These are detailed on our conference web page where they are available for download.

CCRI evaluating Local Food Programme

09/09/2010

The CCRI is currently evaluating the Local Food Programme, which aims to distribute grants to a variety of food related projects in order to help make locally grown food both more accessible and more affordable.

The programme, which was launched in 2007, was developed by a consortium of organisations and is managed on their behalf by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) who commissioned the evaluation. The programme runs until December 2014, with all projects having to be completed by March 2014.

The types of projects involved include food co-ops, allotments, education and learning (food related), farmers' markets, community food growing, box schemes, composting, the celebration of food cultures, community supported agriculture, food distribution, community gardens and city farms.

The CCRI, together with f3 (local food consultants), will conduct an ongoing evaluation of the programme and will also examine the overall administration of the scheme and make an assessment as to the programme's legacy and need for future funding support.

Work on the evaluation started in December 2009 and will continue through to March 2014. Dr James Kirwan of the CCRI is the project leader, supported by Professor Brian Ilbery and Dr Damian Maye from the CCRI and Joy Carey from f3.

2010

Visiting New Zealand Academic gives presentation at CCRI Seminar Series

01/09/2010

Dr Chris Rosin, visiting from Centre for the Study of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CSAFE), which is based in the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, gave a presentation as part of the CCRI Seminar Series on 31 August 2010.

He spoke about current research work at CSAFE, and gave an overview of the centre's transdisciplinary approach to much of what they do. Dr Rosin then went on to talk more specifically about the ARGOS (Agriculture Research Group on Sustainability) project and some transdisciplinary work within this portfolio that compares audit schemes for kiwi fruit production. Click here to find out more about CSAFE

Chris Rosin (above) makes a presentation for the CCRI Seminar Series

Damian Maye co-edits Environment and Planning A

16/8/10

Damian Maye has co-edited, with Mike Goodman and Lewis Holloway, the latest issue of Environment and Planning A which is themed on ethical foodscapes. This can be accessed online. The issue includes a paper co-written by Damian with Brian Ilbery and Ruth Little (main author) entitled 'Collective purchase: moving local and organic foods beyond the niche market'.

Owain Jones co-edits special edition of Surveillance, Children and Childhood

09/07/10

Owain Jones is the co-editor, together with Valerie Steeves, of a special edition of Surveillance, Children and Childhood (Volume 7 - Number 3/4), which can accessed free online.

Radio 4 broadcast from 8th National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens

2 July 2010

On Thursday 1st July over 160 delegates attended the 8th National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens, held at the University of Gloucestershire and organised by the CCRI.

BBC Radio 4 was at the event and recorded a debate on the motion 'This seminar believes that little change to the current town and village green regulations is required'. Proposing the motion was Kate Ashbrook from the Open Spaces Society and opposing the motion was Cameron Watt from the National Housing Federation. Not only was the motion was passed, it will be broadcast on BBC 4's 'You and Yours' on Monday 5th July.

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Natural England provided some sponsorship for the event and this enabled a large number of upland farmers who graze areas of common land in England and Wales to attend. These upland pastures are an important part of their agricultural businesses, providing grazing for stock over the summer months, which allows fodder to be made on enclosed land on the farm to feed stock in the winter months.

Government officials attended from both England and Wales to provide updates on recent changes to regulations and schemes, and there were a number of interesting discussions on how these changes can work on commons. The event also saw the public launch of the Foundation for Common Land, an organisation that is seeking to raise the profile of and to represent upland farmers who manage these upland commons that are crucially important for biodiversity, heritage, landscape, mitigation against climate change and local communities. Some upland graziers, often terms 'commoners', offered their thoughts on the creation of Commons Councils, a new local 'bottom -up' body based on one or more commons that would be approved by the Secretary of State as formally responsibly for management on that area.

The Association of Commons Registration Authorities, the local authorities who hold the registers of common land and town and village greens, also made a presentation and delegates were keen to hear about how these registers, established in the 1970s, might be transferred to electronic registers and the current trial in some authorities on updating them.

Event organiser Chris Short said "This years event was the best yet because it had the widest range of speakers and topics and a real buzz of enthusiasm for all those with an interest in these fascinating and valuable public 'assets' to work together and that is what this event is all about - bringing people with very different objectives together."

The CCRI has played a vital role in disseminating information on principal developments in common land legislation through the National Seminars on Common Land and Village Greens, which it has organised and hosted since 1999. The CCRI also organised and hosted the 12th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of Commons Conference at the University of Gloucestershire in July 2008.

Conference organiser, Chris Short, (pictured right) with Kate Ashbrook, Open Spaces Society, and Cameron Watt, National Housing Federation at the 8th National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens.

Latest Common Land Seminar Programme

23/06/10

The latest programme for the 8th National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens is now published. Click here to download.

RuDi team receive University of Gloucestershire Excellence Award

22/6/10

The CCRI RuDI project team has won a University of Gloucestershire Excellence Award. The Excellence Awards celebrate and reward teams of staff who, in the course of the year, have demonstrated an exceptional contribution to the Mission of the University. The RuDi team, judged to have delivered 'research excellence', was presented with this prestigious award at the University Teaching Learning and Assessment Conference on 17 June.

The research project 'Assessing the Impacts of Rural Development Policies (RuDi) - has involved a ten-country consortium conducting a major analysis of the design, implementation and emerging impacts of Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) funded under the so-called second pillar of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy over the period 2007-13.

The CCRI project team comprised Professor Janet Dwyer (CCRI Project Leader), Dr James Kirwan, Damian Maye, Sandrina Pereira and Ken Thomson.

David Gibbon to present CCRI paper at 9th European International Farming systems Association Symposium

19/06/10

A paper by Jane Mills, David Gibbon, Julie Ingram, Matt Reed, Chris Short and Janet Dwyer, entitled ‘Collective action for effective environmental management and social learning in Wales’ will be presented by David Gibbon at the 9th European International Farming systems Association Symposium which is to be held in Vienna from July 4th to 7th 2010.

The paper explores key factors that might lead to successful agri-environmental collective action in order to deliver landscape-scale resource management within agri-environment schemes. It comes under the theme ‘Knowledge systems, learning and collective action’ and the sub-workshop in which the paper will be presented is entitled 'Innovation and Change Facilitation in Rural Development'. The paper has also been selected (with 8 others) to be reviewed for possible publication in a special issue of the Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension in March 2011.

Janet Dwyer is conferred with title of Professor

Dr Janet Dwyer, Co-Director of CCRI

18/06/10

The title of Professor (of Rural Policy) has been conferred on CCRI's new Co-Director, Janet Dwyer.

Professor Dwyer joined the CCRI in November 2002 following four years as a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) in London. Prior to that, she was a Senior Land Use Policy Officer at the Countryside Commission. She has a PhD in ‘Agriculture and Rural Conservation Policy in the UK and France', which was awarded by the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Professor Dwyer is an experienced European policy researcher who has successfully initiated and managed a wide range of projects on nature conservation, rural development and agri-environment policy, EU Agricultural and Regional policy reform, agri-environment indicators and environmental standards for both agriculture and forestry. She has an enduring interest in rural policy, particularly for land use and EU agriculture and rural development. She has acted as expert adviser for various commissions and studies, and is currently Currently expert adviser to the EU Court of Auditors’ evaluation of Agri-Environmental Policies in the EU, expert adviser to the European Environment Agency in its work on CAP funding and the environment, and member of the expert panel for the evaluation of Regional policy's role in rural development.

This latest conferment brings the CCRI tally of Professors to four.

CCRI RuDi Project Team attend final conference in Brussels

18/06/10

CCRI project members of the RuDi project were in Brussels on 15 June for the final RuDi conference `Beyond indicators: evaluating the process of EU rural development policies´. More than 110 people participated in the event and the key findings and recommendations of the project were well received, by both the stakeholders and the policy-makers.

Loretta Dormal-Marino, the Deputy - Director General for Rural Development of Directorate General Agri (DG Agri) attended the conference, as did Danielle Tissot from DG Research, who funds the project under the 7th Research Framework Programme. Patrick Salez (DG Regio) and Mark Cropper (DG Agri) were also present to speak about the future of rural development policy.

Participants were wide-ranging; including researchers, representatives and policy makers from the European Commission, Leader groups (who are one of the final beneficiaries of the policy), national governments, and other key actors in the field of rural development.

The research findings and recommendations have been presented at a crucial time as they will be able to inform the policy making process of DG Agri, who is currently considering its proposals for the 2014-2020 framework period. The research will also help to establish an interface between science and policy for future collaborations.

The conference considered the research findings and policy recommendations for four topic areas:

  • 1. Designing better policy at EU and national levels for the coming funding period
  • 2. Improving policy delivery: both currently and in future funding periods
  • 3. Improving the evaluation of RD policies and facilitating institutional learning
  • 4. What is the future of RD? Key challenges for rural development

More information, including the policy findings and recommendations, can be found on the RuDi website

The CCRI project team comprised Professor Janet Dwyer (CCRI Project Leader), Dr James Kirwan, Damian Maye, Sandrina Pereira (all pictured above) and Ken Thomson.

Janet Dwyer appointed Co-Director of CCRI

08/06/10

Dr Janet Dwyer has been appointed Co-Director of the CCRI. Janet, whose research interests include European and UK policy for sustainable agriculture and rural development, will be working alongside Director Professor Nigel Curry, to further develop the CCRI portfolio in a changing and ever more competitive market. Professor Curry states:

"I am delighted to have Janet working alongside me as Co-director of the CCRI. As the CCRI's portfolio becomes more diverse and the market for research funding gets increasingly competitive, it is really important that we can develop a division of responsibility across a number of different management functions. Whilst there are complexities associated with running a Research Institute across a number of higher education establishments, the strengths of working together are considerable. Having Janet working with me to manage these complexities is a great advantage.”

Janet can be contacted on email jdwyer@glos.ac.uk or telephone +44 (0) 1242 714128

The Breath of the Moon: Listening to Tidal Rhythms in the Severn Estuary

09/06/10

Countryside and Community Research Institute Senior Researcher Dr Owain Jones, together with Michaela Reiser, Senior Lecturer in Digital Media at the University of the West of England, are to make audible the tidal rhythms of the Severn Estuary at the Bristol Festival of Nature at Bristol Harbourside on the weekend of 12/13 June.

The Severn estuary has the highest tides in Europe and the second highest tides in the world. The tides are incredible spectacles of nature in themselves, and the inter-tidal lands they create are internationally important wildlife habitats and also important for archaeology and other heritages. All this rich cultural and bio diversity is in close proximity to the large industrial developments, and the 3,000,000 people who live in large urban conurbations and small rural communities around the estuary’s shores.

Owain and Michaela’s exhibit will consist of a computer generated 'sonification' of the tidal rhythms at Avonmouth Docks; a poster showing photographs and 12 ‘fantastic facts’ about the Estuary, including the uncertain future it faces; and a handout of facts and images for people to take away.

CCRI announce 2010 Policy Conference

27/5/10

The CCRI is delighted to announce its 2010 policy conference - Conflict or Consensus? The Next Decade of Rural Policy - which will take place on 19 October at the Queens Hotel in Cheltenham.

Following on from the success of the 2009 policy conference - Rural Policy and Local Assets’ conference – the 2010 conference offers an exciting new format in the form of four on-line seminars which will set the scene for the conference discussions by providing background information and a briefing on the latest research.

The conference aims to bring together policy makers, rural stakeholder and academics, with keynote speakers and ample time for discussion. In addition to subject experts from the CCRI team, there will be several prominent key speakers to facilitate stimulating topical debate, including Dr Kate Briathwaite MBE, Director of the Rural Programme of the CarnegieUK Trust, Professor Terry Marsden, Director of The ESRC Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society and Dr Matt Lobley, Assistant Director the Centre for Rural Policy Research, University of Exeter. Other speakers will be confirmed in due course. Please see our conference webpage to find out latest news of speakers and other information.

The organisers are Dr Matt Reed and Bekki Griffiths. Please email them if you have any questions regarding the conference. Places are limited, so if you wish to reserve your place now please email the conference team. Alternatively, you can telephone +44 (0)1242 714122

A visit fAlan Woodsrom Australia

27/05/10

The CCRI welcomed Alan Woods from Richmond College of TAFE, in western Sydney, this week. Alan was awarded a NSW Premiers' Teacher Scholarship in 2009 to undertake study in England and Germany on the topic of sustainable agricultural practices in peri-urban areas. He visited the CCRI to discuss his interests in beef cattle production and pasture management and associated planning issues around cities including sustainable practices and planning of developments close to towns. Alan is writing an interesting and amusing blog of his visit which you can read on http://www.alanwoodseurope2010.blogspot.com/

Major European Conference - 'Beyond Indicators: Evaluating the Processes of EU Rural Development Policies'

26/5/10

European policy makers, member states representatives, researchers and other key actors in the field of rural development, will be gathering at the final conference of a major European rural development research project in Brussels on Tuesday 15 June 2010, entitled 'Beyond Indicators: Evaluating the Processes of EU Rural Development Policies', which will present the main findings and policy recommendations of a major European rural development research project.

The conference aims to provide a better understanding of the diversity of EU Rural Development Programmes, their priorities, and implementation. It will also give an insight into the process effects of Rural Development programming, implementation and evaluation and will provide a forum for discussion of possible improvements of policies that more effectively target the challenges of Rural Development in Europe. The conference takes place at a time when the Commission is considering its proposals for the 2014-2020 framework period.

The conference will also provide an opportunity for networking between Rural Development stakeholders and the RuDI consortium to foster mutual learning and knowledge sharing for the development of better policies. The keynote speakers are from DG Agriculture, DG Regio and OECD.

The conference will take place on Tuesday 15 June 2010, at Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union, Rue Montoyer 47, 1000 Brussels, Belgium Participation is free of charge. You can register online at http://www.rudi-europe.net/rudi_conference.html or send an e-mail to: conference@rudi-europe.net

Conference Schedule

The research project 'Assessing the Impacts of Rural Development Policies (RuDi) - has involved a ten-country consortium conducting a major analysis of the design, implementation and emerging impacts of Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) funded under the so-called second pillar of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy over the period 2007-13.

The Countryside and Community Research Institute is one of the ten project partners comprising universities and research institutes from the UK, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden, Czech Republic, Greece, Austria, Slovenia and Estonia. The project is co-ordinated by the Institute of Rural Development Research at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Franfurt/Main.

View Press Release

Programme for the 8th National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens now available!

26/5/10

An exciting programme for the 8th National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens has now been announced.

The programme boasts an impressive list of speakers, including experts from Defra, Natural England, Open Spaces Society and Commoners' Associations. See full list of speakers. See latest programme.

The seminar takes place on Thursday 1st July 2010 at the University of Gloucestershire's Park Campus in Cheltenham. The cost of the event is £100 for the day, including refreshments and a buffet lunch. Bed & Breakfast accommodation will be available on campus on the night of Wednesday 31st June at an additional cost of £50 per person.

There are still places available, and you can book your place online now!

More information is available on our dedicated webpage

The event is sponsored by the recently formed Foundation for Common Land, as well as Defra and Natural England, with support from several other organisations, including the Association of Commons Registration Authorities who will also be contributing an afternoon workshop to the seminar.

The event is aimed at commoners, landowners and agents, practitioners, recreational users and institution, and all those involved in the management of commons and village greens.

The CCRI has played a vital role in disseminating information on principal developments in common land legislation through the National Seminars on Common Land and Village Greens, which it has organised and hosted since 1999. CCRI Senior Research Fellow Christopher Short is the convenor of the series. The CCRI also organised and hosted the 12th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of Commons Conference at the University of Gloucestershire in July 2008.

Christopher Short takes part in innovative knowledge exchange visit to Northern Spain

26/5/10

During May Christopher Short was invited by the European Forum for Nature Conservation and Pastorialism to take part in an innovative knowledge exchange visit to Northern Spain. The aim of the visit was to take both farmers grazing common land in England and those studying commons to see at firsthand how areas of communal grazing are managed in the mountain and upland areas around the Spanish Cantabrian Mountains. The group of eight met with farmers and government researchers and project officers from three regions in northern Spain. It is anticipated that the trip will lead to a further exchange visits and the development of research and knowledge exchange projects. One immediate outcome was for at least one delegate from Northern Spain to be invited to the National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens on July 1st to talk about the situation in this area of Spain and the initiatives used to support the traditional management system which the government accept is the most sustainable way to manage these high and extensive areas of shared pasture.

CCRI report to Arkleton Trust on Adaptation to Climate Change

26/05/10

The CCRI has very recently completed a report for the Arkleton Trust entitled "Adaptation to Climate Change by Local Communities in Rural Europe; a Review of some Recent Experience". The joint authors are Dr Carol Kambites, Katarina Kubinakova and Professor Malcolm Moseley. The report comprises in large part an inventory of 84 local projects spread across 20 European countries, with brief descriptions of each written on the basis of various on-line searches and enquiries. Some general observations are made looking across the whole range of projects. In no sense is the inventory comprehensive or even a random sample, but it may prove useful for further research and for seeking out models of good practice. Arkleton has commissioned similar surveys relating to parts of Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australasia; further details may be obtained form the Arkleton Trust administator Nikki Swan

Janet Dwyer makes presentation in Brussels

25/5/10

On 19 May, Dr Janet Dwyer presented some reflections from the RD instruments and RuDI projects on the CAP Pillar 2 at a conference in Brussels in a presentation that was entitled ‚What we have learned from evaluating EU rural development policies?’ The conference formed part of the US-EU rural development policy project led by Professor David Blandford (Pennsylvania State University) and Professor Berkeley Hill (University of London) and was organised and hosted with the help of Valentin Zahrnt at the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE). Click here or more information.

Stela Valchovska is awarded her PhD

22/05/10

Stela ValchovskaStela Valchovska (pictured right) has been awarded her PhD, subject to minor changes.

Stela is a PhD student funded through a University of Gloucestershire studentship. Her thesis is entitled 'Entrepreneurship among post-socialist agricultural producers: the case of Bulgaria'.

CCRI research shows that rural communities benefit from Government Environmental Stewardship (ES) Scheme

19/5/10

Research undertaken by the CCRI for Defra and Natural England has shown that farmers who make the commitment to land management schemes aimed at protecting biodiversity and the natural environment also provide additional income, employment and other social benefits for their local communities, thus strengthening rural communities and sustaining local jobs.

The research assessed the incidental socio-economic benefits of Environmental Stewardship (ES) schemes in England in order to identify their impact on the wider local economy. In particular, it assessed the extent of local multiplier effects and employment creation as a result of agri-environment expenditure.

The key findings showed that as a direct result of the ES, 665 new full time equivalent jobs in local communities were created between 2005 and 2009, and an additional £64.7 million was generated by the local economy. The final report reinforces how government funding can lead to increases in local income and employment, as well as the development of farmers’ social networks and farm business skills.

Further information on the report can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/economics/foodfarm/

CCRI press release

CCRI welcomes visitors from Czech Republic

19/05/10

At the beginning of May, the CCRI was pleased to welcome Jaroslav Prazan and colleagues from the IUZE institute in Prague, with whom they have been working as part of a ten country consortium on a European project 'Assessing the impact of Rural Development policies (RuDi)'.

The RuDi project is funded under the EU's Seventh Framework programme (FP7) for Research and Technological Development (RTD) and aims to improve the understanding of the processes and structures underlying the formulation, implementation and impacts of European rural development policies, and examines priority setting, design, targeting and delivery processes of the 2007-13 programming period. In the scope of the study, the Czech Republic team has been investigating issues of economic diversification and challenges with effective implementation of agri-environment schemes. They visited the CCRI between 5 -7 May to find out about its work and activities, and current range of interests and research topics.

The presentation of the main findings and policy recommendations of the RuDI project will be made at the final conference on Tuesday 15 June 2010 in Brussels. More information can be found on the RuDi website.

James Jones to advise sub-panel of the Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel of the States of Jersey

21/04/10

James Jones has been appointed as an advisor to the sub-panel of the Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel of the States of Jersey. He will be providing them with help to oversee the Review of the Rural Economy Strategy 2011 - 2015 for the island.

Rebels for the Soil - new book and blog

17/04/10

Matt Reed's new book, Rebels for the Soil. The Rise of the Global Organic Food and Farming Movement, is due to be published on 21 May 2010. In connection with this, Matt has a blog at Earthscan on the subject of organic consumerism where you are invited to join in the debate at http://www.earthscan.co.uk/blog/post/Organic-Consumerism-and-urgency.aspx . You can also pre-order the new book at Earthscan.

Janet Dwyer's evidence cited in House of Lords EU Committee Report

17/04/10

Dr Janet Dwyer gave oral evidence to the House of Lords EU Committee Inquiry into 'Adapting to climate change: EU agriculture and forestry' in January 2010, and in the Committee's final report, her evidence was cited several times and the Committee has recommended a number of policy changes based specifically upon Janet's suggestions.

Janet also gave a presentation on 'The future role of Axis 3 - broader rural development and quality of life' at the SWCoRE sponsored conference on ‘The future of the CAP beyond 2013’, at Bicton College, Devon, on 5 March 2010.

Last, but not least, she hosted a policy symposium and presented a paper on 'Evaluation of EU Rural Development Policy and pointers for the future', at the UK Agricultural Economics Society conference in Edinburgh on 30 March 2010.

Professors Curry and Moseley to speak at 'Integrated Rural Development Approach post 2013' colloquium

17/04/10

Professors Nigel Curry and Malcolm Moseley will be speaking at a colloquium on 'the Integrated Rural Development Approach post 2013' at Bristol on 28 April 2010. The seminar is being convened by the South West ACRE Network, in association with the South West Rural Affairs Forum and the European Commission. Nigel Curry and Dr Janet Dwyer also prepared a detailed background paper as a resource for the seminar.

Owain Jones presents paper at Trees and Forests in British Society' conference

16/04/10

Dr Owain Jones presented a paper at the 'Trees and Forests in British Society' conference organised by the Centre for Human and Ecological Sciences and held at Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh between 13 - 15 April. The conference explored the demands that society places on forestry and the role it is expected to play. Owain's paper, which was entitled 'Forest landscapes: embodiment, identity and materiality', suggested that new affect-based understandings of place and landscape in a range of social science approaches can be of great use to the forestry policy community in understanding of how individuals and communities engage with forest spaces in imaginative and in embodied (practical) terms, and also in how the complex composition of forest spaces (as cultural, ecological, political, economic, and living entities) can be appreciated. These ideas are connected to questions of wellbeing and social benefit through the ways people construct their individual and collective identities in terms of sense of self and sense of place.

The paper also critically reviewed innovative, theoretical and methodological approaches to place, landscape and heritage which have been developed in recent years in geography, anthropology, sociology and elsewhere in order to introduce these approaches into forestry management conversations about place, landscape and visitor engagements with them.

Link to programme.

Owain Jones is also giving a paper for the PLaCE/LAND2 Visiting Speaker Series 2009-2010 at the School of Creative Arts, University of the West of England, on Thursday 22 April. His presentation will be entitled 'Landscape, Loss and Memory'. Download flyer for more information.

Papers published from 12th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of the Commons

17/03/10

A selection of papers from the The 12th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of the Commons, which was organised by the CCRI in July 2008, have been published this month in the International Journal for the Study of the Commons, Volume 4, Issue 1 (2010).

Over 500 delegates from over 70 different countries attended the conference, which, through five days of excellent participation and stimulating discussion, raised awareness of how mis-management is damaging our 'global commons' and contributing to ecological poverty, and sought to explore how these 'commons' should be managed at local, regional, national and global levels to promote a more sustainable world.

The editorial includes a reflective piece by Dr John Powell and Christopher Short (both CCRI) who organised the event. View Journal.

CCRI wins major project to assess Badger Vaccine Deployment Project

16/03/10

The CCRI has been commissioned to lead a major social science study to accompany the Government's Bovine TB Badger Vaccine Deployment Project (BVDP), to be launched this summer [2010].

The social science study has been funded for four years in the first instance and will assess the level of farmer confidence in the use of vaccination before, during and after vaccine deployment. It will also identify motivators and barriers that could influence the future use of TB vaccines. The research is being funded with a grant of just over £630,000 from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The CCRI will lead the project, in collaboration with colleagues in Exeter and Cardiff Universities, Drew Associates Limited, the Veterinary Laboratories Agency and the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera).

Project Leader, Dr Damian Maye, says, "The bovine TB problem is seriously affecting the livestock industry and there are a lot of strong views amongst the farming community on the issue of bovine TB and whether culling or vaccination is the best way forward.
“We will begin with a baseline study of 75 farmers in eight separate areas before the vaccine is rolled out this summer, asking farmers their views on vaccination as a means of dealing with bovine TB. Once the programme is underway we will carry out qualitative work with smaller groups of farmers, vets and Animal Health Officers in each area to ask them how they have found the process, and whether their views have changed over time and why.
“Over the life of the project we will be able to build up a picture of attitudes which may affect farmers’ future use of bovine TB vaccines and what lessons can be learned and practical know-how developed to inform the future use of (injectable and oral) badger vaccines.
“This is a fascinating piece of longitudinal social science research. It has real academic value and will be useful to both the farming industry and to policy makers.”

CCRI announce 8th National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens

16/03/10

The Countryside and Community Research Institute is pleased to announce the 8th National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens, which will take place on Thursday 1st July 2010 at the University of Gloucestershire's Park Campus in Cheltenham.

The event is sponsored by the recently formed Foundation for Common Land, as well as Defra and Natural England, with support from several other organisations, including the Association of Commons Registration Authorities who will also be contributing an afternoon workshop to the seminar.

The event is aimed at commoners, landowners and agents, practitioners, recreational users and institution, and all those involved in the management of commons and village greens.

The focus of the seminar will be on best practice to actively protect and manage common land and town and village greens in England and Wales, embedding the opportunities in the Commons Act 2006 into current and future management practices. Defra and Natural England will provide an update on the implementation of the Act and other related policies, and there will be presentations from commoners and others who are currently putting the Act into practice. The afternoon session will be more interactive and delegates will have the opportunity to raise their own particular issues in the wide range of workshops and discussions.  Click here for more information.

The cost of the event is £100 for the day, including refreshments and a buffet lunch. Bed & Breakfast accommodation will be available on campus on the night of Wednesday 31st June at an additional cost of £50 per person. You can book your place online now!

The CCRI has played a vital role in disseminating information on principal developments in common land legislation through the National Seminars on Common Land and Village Greens, which it has organised and hosted since 1999. CCRI Senior Research Fellow Christopher Short is the convenor of the series. The CCRI also organised and hosted the 12th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of Commons Conference at the University of Gloucestershire in July 2008.

Paper published in Social Science & Medicine

10/03/10

A paper entitled "Negotiating the boundary between medicine and consumer culture: Online marketing of nutrigenetic tests", co-authored by Dr Matt Reed with Paula M. Saukko Nicky Britten and Stuart Hogarth, has been published in Social Science & Medicine, Volume 70, Issue 5, March 2010, Pages 744-753.

Damian Maye on visiting scholarship in Australia

06/03/10

Dr Damian Maye is spending the whole of March in Australia, where he has taken up a visiting scholarship at Monash University, Melbourne. He is visiting the Department of Sustainability, Environment and Society, School of Geography and Environmental Science in order to develop a research proposal on animal and plant health in Australia, together with Dr. Jacqui Dibden and Dr. Vaughan Higgins. Whilst there, he will also be presenting two research seminars on the emerging food security debate.

Paper accepted for publication

06/03/10

Professor Brian Ilbery and Dr Damian Maye have had a paper accepted for publication in Area, the academic journal of the Royal Geographical Society.

Ilbery, B. and Maye, D. (2010) Clustering and the spatial distribution of organic farming in England and Wales. Area, forthcoming.

Free Event: Understanding rural communities using social survey data

26/02/10

As part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science, The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) are running an event that will give a new generation of professionals a fascinating insight into how social survey data produces rural evidence and informs policy debates. The CRC will demonstrate rural analysis techniques. Survey practitioners will showcase examples. The Rural Economy and Land Use (RELU) Data Support Service will show the potential of survey data held at the UKDA for rural analysis.

Venue: Defra Innovation Centre, 21-23 Valpy Street, Reading, Bucks. RG1 1AR.

Date: Tuesday 16 March 11:00am - 3:00pm

The event is free, but you should pre-book your place by contacting crcadmin@ruralcommunities.gov.uk. Download programme.

Characterisation of markets for organic goods

10/02/10

A research report commissioned by Defra has concluded that the organic sector needs additional mechanisms to offer technical and marketing support to its producers to help develop the organic sector. The report further concluded that sharing of knowledge and collaboration should be more effectively utilised, including during transitional phases when producers are converting to organic production systems.

The CCRI worked on the project together with Warwick HRI, University of Warwick , who also led the project, and ABACUS Associates

The research, which aimed to characterize the organic market in order to identify the factors that influence its function, was conducted mainly by consultation with producers, manufacturers and retailers through workshops, conversations and interviews.

Full Press Release

The role of the local community in flood management - Seminar Presentation

10/02/10

The increased incidence of flooding has become a hot topic for debate in recent times as the UK records more periods of heavy rainfall and intense storms. Most scientists agree that climate change will worsen during this century, putting an increasing number of people at risk and intensifying the importance on how to effectively manage flood risk.

One response to the increasing incidence of flooding in the UK has been to shift more responsibility towards local communities, and to suggest that they become increasingly involved in the Flood Risk Management process and do more to help themselves.

The CCRI, in conjunction with the University of Gloucestershire’s Centre for the Study of Floods and Communities, will be presenting a lecture entitled 'Looking for 'Local Community': understanding the social processes involved in coping with and adapting to floods, in urban and rural context', which will focus on the explorations of community, shared identities and discourses of community, and reflects on the role of local community in helping residents to cope more effectively with flooding and other disasters.

Flooding

The lecture will be presented by Tracey Coates from the Flood Hazard Research Centre at Middlesex University, and is based around her recently submitted PhD, and includes some local case studies. It will take place on Tuesday 9 March 2010 at 12.15pm to 1.15pm in Room FW015A, Fullwood, Park Campus, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham.

Everyone is welcome to attend. Please email jharper@glos.ac.uk to reserve a place. More information can be found on the publicity flyer

Click here for full details of the CCRI Seminar Series.

CCRI Short Courses for spring

09/02/10

The CCRI is pleased to announce two short courses, which will be taking place this spring in conjunction with the Short Course Unit at the University of the West of England.

The first takes place on 14 April in Cheltenham and is entitled 'New perspectives on managing shared resources - exploring collective action from the local to the global', which aims to explore the concept of shared resources or 'resources held in common'.

The second takes place on 21 April, also in Cheltenham, and is entitled ‘Understanding European rural policy and programmes: the future of rural development under the CAP'. This short course will to provide a general introduction to the Rural Development policies of the EU and how they have been developed in the UK, in comparison to other EU countries. It will also provide an overview of the longer term significance of this element of EU policy and funding, and what is likely to happen to it, in future, after 2013.

An early bird discount of 25% is currently available.

Click here for more information, or contact Dr. Matt Reed, telephone 00 44 (0) 1242 714138 or the Short Course Unit at University of the West of England on 00 44 (0) 117 328 3210 or by email to: sc.unit@uwe.ac.uk

The short courses offered by CCRI are built upon solid academic and research expertise. The CCRI organised and provided speakers for the 12th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of Commons Conference, which was held in Cheltenham in July 2008, which raised awareness of how mis-management was potentially damaging 'global commons' and contributing to ecological poverty, and sought to explore how these 'commons' should be managed at local, regional, national and global levels to promote a more sustainable world. Rural community development is a core theme of research and has been the subject of numerous research projects, including service delivery in the rural environment and community involvement in local development.

Professor Curry invited to visit University of Alberta

09/02/10

Professor Nigel Curry (pictured right) has been invited to visit the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, to discuss the development of research agendas in respect of rural older people with the University's Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Rural Connectivities Team.

The week's study tour will include a visit to the Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities in Augustine, and will take place at the end of March as part of a grant provided by the CIHR.

The visit will specifically relate to the Grey and Pleasant Land project on which Nigel and the CCRI is currently working, together with the University of Plymouth (lead partner), Bournemouth University, University of the West of England, Cardiff University and Swansea University. The project is investigating how older people living in rural SW England and Wales interact with their local community, and what social and economic issues are important to them. It is funded under the 'New Dynamics of Ageing' programme, a seven-year research initiative - the largest research programme on ageing to date in the UK - which is a unique collaboration between five UK Research Councils – ESRC, EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC and AHRC – supporting scientists from across the disciplines to work together on research which will benefit the quality of life of older people.

Professor Nigel Curry has also had had four refereed journal articles recently published. These are:

(2009) Business Productivity and Area Productivity in Rural England, Regional Studies, 43(5), 661 - 675 with DJ. Webber and A Plumridge.

(2009) The Disempowerment of Empowerment: How Stakeholding Clogs up Rural Decision-making. Space and Polity, 13(3) 211 - 224

(2009) Rural Planning In England: A Critique of Current Policy Town Planning Review, 80 (6), 575 - 596 , with Stephen Owen

(2010) Differentiating Trust in Rural Decision Making Drawing on an English Case Study. Sociologia Ruralis, 51(2) 34 - 51

Brian Ilbery appointed External Examiner at University of Swansea

02/02/10

Professor Brian Ilbery has accepted an invitation to act as an External Examiner in Human Geography for BA/BSc Geography degrees at the University of Swansea. The post starts this year and will continue for 3 or 4 years.

Brian has recently acted as an external examiner for the MSc in Protected Landscape Management at the University of Aberystwyth and BA/BSc degrees in Geography at the Universities of Middlesex, Bournemouth and Aberdeen.

Dr Janet Dwyer called to give oral evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee

28/01/10

Dr Janet Dwyer has been called to give oral evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Union's inquiry into the adaptation of agriculture and forestry to climate change. Janet will also be speaking at the next Agra Europe 'Outlook 2010' conference at the Hilton Courthouse Doubletree Hotel in London on 17 March, on the subject of the future for rural development within the CAP.


Professor Brian Ilbery appointed to Assessment Panel for fourth round of RELU

Professosr Brian Ilbery

17/01/10

Professor Brian Ilbery has been appointed to the Assessment Panel for the fourth round of RELU, which has called for proposals on the theme 'Adapting rural living and land use to environmental change' developed in conjunction with the multi-agency Living With Environmental Change (LWEC) Programme.

Brian will join a panel which includes other academics, stakeholders and representatives from the various RELU funding agencies. This latest RELU call has two objectives:

  • to build networks and capacity for creative knowledge exchange and learning between researchers and policy makers, businesses, practitioners, local communities and the wider public, with a view to strengthening adaptive capacities, primarily within the UK.
  • to explore and promote novel approaches and partnerships for interdisciplinary research and analysis on living with environmental change in rural contexts.

The Rural Economy and Land Use Programme (RELU) is a multi-million pound initiative funded by ESRC, BBSRC, NERC, Defra and the Scottish Government.

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