Sharing experiences on catchment change

Originally uploaded by Soil & Water Science

We recently ran a workshop in the River Eden valley, at the Crown Inn in Morland to share catchment, climate and land use change experiences, in living memory. The meeting was introduced by guest speaker Dr Peter Falloon from the Met Office Hadley Centre in Exeter, who set an interesting tone presenting the data and uncertainties in weather and climate patterns in the Eden over recent years. It was enthusiastically attended by farmers from the Lune and Eden Valley, as well as academics and other stakeholders. One observation by one of the more experienced farmers was a note that the big changes he had witnessed over his lifetime were (1) mechanisation and (2) the influence of genetic innovation, particularly for dairy animals. A few snaps from the evening - including a dinner of stew and chips and a couple of pints - are here.