New Landscape Decisions Animation
Landscapes are places of wonder. Whether it is their natural beauty or their utility, we love them for many different reasons. Yet our landscapes are under threat from droughts, floods, and climate change, as well as increasing demands from land use change.
In a new animated video produced in partnership with the Like Minded, we explain how the Landscape Decisions Programme is addressing these challenges. You can view the video at our YouTube channel.
Making Socio-Ecological Art and Science Collaboration Work: A Guide
Our Changing Treescapes project team have released a new guide, Making Socio-Ecological Art and Science Collaboration Work.
The guide provides invaluable advice on how artists and arts-based researchers can work alongside natural and social scientists to develop inclusive environmental research projects. It details practical steps for finding and commissioning artists who have the appropriate skill sets and expertise, while also addressing concerns within the wider research community that bringing an arts perspective into applied research can be challenging.
The full guide is available to read for free at the link below.
Introducing our new Policy Interface Fellows
We are delighted to announce the award of four new Policy Interface Fellowships to Dr Victoria Jenkins, Dr Leo Peskett, Dr Sophie Tindale, and Dr Martin Wilkes.
The Policy Interface Fellowships are intended to support the integration of research on landscape decision-making into policy. The four Fellows will each oversee a unique project aimed at ensuring interdisciplinary research and policy interfaces are improved both for the current Landscape Decisions Programme projects and for future research in the area of landscape decisions.
New Deben Soundings Report
The Imagining the measure of change team have released a new report on their Deben Soundings project. The report details the work that has been undertaken during the project by visual artist Simon Read and coastal scientist Helene Burningham. Working together with the Deben Estuary Partnership (DEP), they have established an integrated research network of people and action that explores different approaches to enable and encourage community participation in the governance of the Deben Estuary landscape.
The Imagining the measure of change: Art, science and the estuary community project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council under the Landscape Decisions Programme. More information on the project can be found at the Deben Soundings website.
New Report: Making Landscape Decisions to Meet Net Zero Carbon
The Landscape Decisions Programme Coordination Team (PCT) is pleased to launch a new report ‘Making Landscape Decisions to Meet Net Zero Carbon: Pathways that consider ethics, socio-ecological diversity, and landscape functions’
Written by a multidisciplinary team from across the programme brought together by the PCT, this report focuses on three key landscape types (agricultural, peatlands and forests), and the associated practices and impacts with relevance to the net zero carbon agenda. The report discusses the need for change, what change should look like and how it might best be achieved.
It offers key recommendations to address some of the contradictions of the current net zero carbon strategy; the need to invest in transdisciplinary approaches for landscape management decisions; ensure the right ecosystem is promoted in the right place, with no single land-use solution prioritised above others; and increase local and devolved decision-making capabilities.
Integrating perspectives from natural and social science, humanities, and the arts to understand and evaluate how modern landscapes can absorb the impact of potential zero-carbon policies, we are confident this report will be of interest to policymakers, stakeholders, and academics.
Interests in conflict and in harmony event
On 10 February, the Imagining the measure of change: art, science, and the estuary community (IMOT) project team will be hosting the latest of their Deben Soundings series of events.
Members of the team will be meeting in Waldringfield for a walk from the Maybush Inn downstream to Hemley saltmarsh. They will be joined by David Kemp, Coastal Team Leader for the Environment Agency, and Jon and Linda Wilkins of the Waldringfield Flood Defence Group.
The small settlement of Waldringfield sits at the centre of multiple spheres of interest, attracting visitors to sail, swim, relax on the beach and walk the estuary embankment, but also sitting alongside rich and varied wetland habitats that are host to rare species of wildfowl and wading birds.
Yet while these interests could, in different circumstances, be a recipe for chaos, around Waldringfield they have developed a measure of harmony and mutual dependence. The walk will therefore provide a fascinating exploration of how a complex range of interests within a semi-natural landscape can avoid slipping into conflict.
If you are interested in joining the walk, please meet at the Maybush at 10am. Following the walk, there will be a light lunch at 1pm. You can find more information on the event series at the project’s website.
Announcement of Opportunity
LANDSCAPE DECISIONS POLICY INTERFACE FELLOWS 2021
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
We are pleased to announce that the Landscape Decisions Programme has been awarded funding by NERC to invite proposals for Landscape Decisions policy interface fellowships. The submission deadline for these exciting new fellowships is 12 noon on 14 March 2022
Apply here
Written in the Land – Reflections and Exhibition
Working with multiple projects in the Landscape Decisions Programme it became clear that those who are most familiar with and understand the land are often struggling to be heard when decisions are being made. Work commitments, a lack of experience (or both) often means that they don’t have time to attend meetings or go to protests, and might not be confident in expressing their feelings in writing.
At the end of 2021 the Landscape Decisions Program worked with two established writers Emily Diamand and Patrick Laurie to offer a unique writing course which aimed to show that helping people who work with the land find a ‘voice’ through writing is an achievement worth funding! While our course was only able to offer limited places, we are pleased and proud to say that it was a resounding success and encourage others to consider similar endeavours!
The participants provided feedback about their own perceived outcomes, including increased confidence in their writing and voice, and the importance of meeting writers from a similar background. The group has decided to carry on meeting, organising this themselves, and one of the participants has started a blog to share his writing!
The writers have gained a lot of valuable experience in the practice of working with farmers and land workers, ranging from practical issues to tailoring content to specific needs.
The Landscape Decisions Programme is pleased to be able to celebrate participant’s success by hosting this online exhibition of their work
The Unlocking Landscapes Network Interim Report is here!
PI: Dr Clare Hickman, & Co-I: Dr Sarah Bell share information and insights about the work of the network so far.
This exciting network is demonstrating how arts and humanities research can develop valuable insights for landscape policy and practice.
Detailing some of the innovative ways they they worked around the constraints of the Coronavirus pandemic, the team share their experiences and outline their plans in this report.
Landscape Decisions Summer 2021 Workshops
Join us for this innovative workshop series
Using research being undertaken by LDP projects as examples and catalysts for discussion and shared learning, Workshop 1 will explore balancing acts integral to land-use decision-making. Workshop 2 will investigate ways of thinking about how humans make decisions. Workshop 3 will consider effective ways of facilitating good land-use decisions. The last Workshop was informed by participant suggestions made in the initial registration process and will be centred around forecasting innovative methods and tools
Register on the microsite
Landscapes of the Mind Network Transformational Moments Event
May 4th 5th 2021 09.30 – 12.30 each day
Can you think of a moment where being ‘in’ or ‘with’ landscape/nature guided you in some way, transformed the way you thought about something, or changed your direction (for work, or otherwise)?
We would love for you to share your transformational moments. Share your story in any way you like, verbally, through music, a PowerPoint presentation, dance, illustrations, photographs, or a combination! If you wish to contribute, please add your name to the spreadsheet in this folder and upload any high res material. You can also share material on the day in our open sessions.
We’re making our ‘moments’ into a short film and web content, but we’ll only highlight your work with your consent. If you can’t make the event but still wish to contribute, no problem, contact Anna at ahicks@bgs.ac.uk and we can set up a 1:1 chat.
Find out more about the LOTM network at the beginning of each of the sessions
Our network is working towards ways we can elevate creative practice to broaden the dialogue, and influence decisions if possible, about how landscapes are remembered, preserved or changed.
Tipping Points Project Love & Soil ‘slow’ conversation film premiere!
Monday 10th May 2021 – 19:00-20:30 BST
Following on from the highly successful Tipping Points Love & Soil initiative, that brought together farmers, conservationists, researchers and artists to talk about farming and the environment, the Landscape Decisions Programme is pleased to announce the premiere of “Love and Soil”, a film featuring a thoughtful collection of images, words and sounds. Followed by a Zoom discussion.
In contrast to the often polarised frenzy on social media, Love & Soil was a discussion in the messy middle, a conversation that took place during March and April 2021, giving people time to think and respond over weeks, not minutes. Those taking part spoke thoughtfully about their shared love of farming and of nature, and of how the different sides must work together. This film gives an insight into their unique and fascinating conversation.
Art is not an Island – Stories documenting the impact of creative practitioners upon the Isle Of Eigg and North Uist in Scotland.
Watch ‘Art is not an Island‘ Stories documenting the impact of creative practitioners upon the Isle Of Eigg and North Uist in Scotland. Narrated + produced by Ewan Allinson. Directed + Filmed +Edited by Maria Rud. Soundtrack by DJ Dolphin Boy. This film was created for the AALERT 4DM Project, commissioned by Project PI Eirini Saratsi
Creative Conversations Workshop from the AALERT 4 DM project
Organised by the AALERT 4DM project the Creative Conversations Workshop on 26th March 2021 will consider arts-based research related to landscapes and the environment, and discuss barriers and opportunities for further integrating these approaches into decision making.
AHRC Executive Chair Christopher Smith highlights the work of ‘Landscapes of Post-War Infrastructure
In the article Christopher mentions an occasion when he ‘watched a group of photographers, poets and artists talking about their different approaches to modernist industrial architecture, the subject of a Manchester School of Architecture research project supported by the UK Research and Innovation Arts and Humanities research Council (AHRC) and Natural Environment Research Council. ‘The Landscapes of Post-War Infrastructure’ thought creatively about powerful infrastructure like motorways, reservoirs and power stations. Photography, poetry and film were married with archival research and a broader understanding of the social forces which drove this innovation. This helped the team assess the quality of original planning decisions and made me understand these interventions across the breadth of human intervention in the environment. It is just one example of how attending to a problem through the same processes, but different methodologies and practices, leads to deeper, richer understanding’.
Tipping Points Project Love & Soil ‘slow’ conversation
Prompted by a plea for farmers and environmentalists to ‘hold hands’ a bit more and bring together people who recognise that we are all on the same side together, the Tipping Points Love & Soil conversation has been happening throughout March. After the conversation closes on 28th March 2021 the Tipping Points team along with their partners Northern Heartlands will work with a film producer to curate a thirty-minute film of the ‘slow conversation’, giving a flavour of the discussion, the film will be available to view online with links here on the Landscape Decisions Programme website, so that a wider audience can get involved.
The Landscapes of Post War Infrastructure – Artists’ Conversations
As the UK languished in the third Coronavirus pandemic lockdown the Landscapes of Post-War Infrastructure team ran a series of three, online conversations, with pairings of visual and literary artists whose works also address infrastructure. These original on-line discussions took place in January 2021 in collaboration with the modernist society
MUDMAT – the webtool goes ‘live’
The main output from the MUDMAT project – a webtool developed by The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), and Forest Research Agency (FR) is live. The tool offers farmers, planners and tree planters guidance and a way of calculating how they can maximize the benefits of planting tree shelterbelts for ammonia recapture.
The tool includes information on a number of important aspects of planting, such as recommended planting distances and configurations, species which are better at ammonia capture and other aspects of design so that new planting for this purpose can optimize potential benefits and units located near existing woodland can be situated to capitalize on potential benefits.
We are delighted to welcome 7 new Fellows to the Landscape Decisions Programme. Fellows will be instrumental in bridging the component elements of the Programme and ensuring that all our exciting research is synthesises and integrated.
Listen to our new Fellows, Adam Calo, Christopher Lee, David Baker, Emma Gardner, Janet Fisher, Jonathan Walker and Leo Peskett introduce their projects on the Landscape Decisions YouTube channel
Isaac Newton Institute workshop abstracts and presentations available online
Abstracts and presentations from the Integrating quantitative social, ecological and mathematical sciences into landscape decision making workshop organised by the Isaac Newton Institute are now available online
Creative approaches for understanding and influencing landscape decision making virtual event
Friday 18th September 2020
Organised by the AALERT 4 DM project in collaboration with the Landscape Decisions PCT
Integrating quantitative social, ecological and mathematical sciences into landscape decision making virtual workshop
7th September 2020 to 11th September 2020
Organised by the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences
The Design Innovation and Land-Assets Landscape Heritage Research Network and associated sister project Design Innovation and Land-Assets: Towards New Thinking & Communities are leading a call for abstracts for a Special Issue of CoDesign – International Journal of CoCreation in Design and the Arts.
Imagining the Measure of Change Exhibition
Week-long informal exhibition within an open gallery space
18th – 22nd September 2020
The IMOT project team would like you to join them for the first public event of the project – Imagining the Measure of Change: art, science and the estuary community
The event is coordinated by Simon Read and Helene Burningham in collaboration with the Deben Estuary Partnership
Multispecies Storytelling call for papers
A call for papers has gone out for a conference to be held on 26th/27th November 2020 (watch this space for further info on the conference), organised by the Multispecies Storytelling network, the conference will ask how multispecies approaches can be used to understand more-than-human heritage and explore the epistemological, methodological and policy implications of such thinking.
The network are inviting proposals from various disciplines including media studies, communication studies, cultural studies, geography, history, philosophy, literature, sociology, art, and anthropology. As well as ‘traditional’ papers, we welcome creative works that engage with the conference themes. Follow the links to find out more!
Fitting Models & Quantifying the Uncertainty of Predictions Virtual Workshop
Wednesday 15th July 2-4 p.m.
This is an addition to our Virtual Event series and is a workshop style event for those interested in: FITTING MODELS AND QUANTIFYING THE UNCERTAINTY OF PREDICTIONS
Networking in spite of COVID-19
Virtual Event with Multiple sessions in June & July 2020
The Landscape decisions programme is delighted to announce a series of linked events taking place online. These will replace the planned face-to-face Landscape Decisions: Making Connections networking event that had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic