Land Water Blog

The Godfather speaks....

2010-10-03T20:52:00.001+01:00

Jerry Lemunyon, the Godfather of the P index, talks about future research needs....a short nterview by Phil Haygarth at the International P Workshhop in Seville

Phil Jordan demonstrates the catchment sampling system.....

2010-04-29T16:18:00.002+01:00

Last week I was in Co Mayo to witness Phil Jordan demonstrating the set-up for the sampling of his mini-catchments programme....

Miranda Kavanagh calls for raised awareness

2010-04-15T12:01:00.002+01:00

Miranda Kavanagh talks about raising awareness
Originally uploaded by wq0109

The Director of Evidence spoke to me this week at the Windermere FBA summit calling for increased awareness of Environmental issues as a means waking up the nation to solutions. Spot in Miranda…so let’s make it happen…

North Wyke ECSFDI training event

2010-03-12T08:50:00.004Z

A successful day was enjoyed by all participants (ECSFDI staff and research scientists). This was helped along by glorious sunshine.

Key messages from the day:
1) the need for robust guidance for on the ground staff is critical, 2) we require better ways to get the evidence to farmers to influence behavioural change (currently it is still coming from too many conflicting sources, often commercially funded), 3) simple but scientifically based rules of thumb are vital to help transfer knowledge to farmers and other land managers e.g. 1,000,000 people = 100 sheep in terms of approximate loading of FIOs to the catchment (Dave Kay, CREH), 4) we must learn from existing studies in the UK and around the world (in Ireland establishing the catchment programme has been a great success, but it must continue past 2011 to detect change in water quality due to reducing soil P status and changing farmer's behaviours; in addition they only used catchments with 100% buy in from farmers), 5) we need frameworks that can be used to understand the systems being studied e.g. a farm and be utilised to communicate not only between research scientists, but also between scientists and operational staff and with policy makers (Phil Jordan's (Teagasc) use of the Haygarth et al source-mobilization-delivery-impact continuum to link with environmental standards is an important advance as is the ecosystem service framework), 6) we need more holistic (chemical, biological and physical hazards and biodiversity) scientific studies on the effectiveness of mitigation methods e.g. riparian buffers for multiple functions e.g. diffuse pollution of water, GHG emissions, biodiversity and flood risk (good examples of this are Rich Brazier's research on the Holnicote Estate on Exmoor that is funded by Defra and the National Trust and the multi-agency funded Demonstration Test Catchments) , 7) and we really need to assess if certain mitigation methods are working as expected e.g. subsurface losses from pond systems in England and Wales (these are smaller water bodies than those in Ireland and tend not to have a synthetic liner-as this doubles the cost (Dave Kay)), 8) there is still a dearth of long term data on the effectiveness of many mitigation methods (a classic example from Scotland is the issue of up keep of fencing water courses; fencing of watercourses is very effective for reducing FIO loads (30% livestock exclusion ~ 60-80% reduction- Dave Kay) and last but not least 9) there is a need for robust quantitative models for source apportionment and the effectiveness of mitigation methods.

Loddington ECSFDI training event

2010-03-12T06:36:00.002Z

Loddington CPD event
Originally uploaded by wq0109

I am just back from running this event, which from my perspective seemed to go quite well. Thanks to the Loddington staff and to my colleagues who helped deliver the course. Here is a short summary of the event by our Loddington host Alastair Leake. A link to other videos and pictures is here. Best Phil

Demonstration test catchments RAG meeting

2010-03-11T08:04:00.002Z

Originally uploaded by wq0109

Yesterday I attended the research advisory group (RAG) for the Defra demonstration test catchments programme in Defra's Noble House. A busy day with some challenges ahead, not least a lot of money to spend and some kit to install in the Eden, Wensum and Hampshire Avon - pretty pronto. A longer term challenges to determine the mitigtion mechanisms for the future. Some work to do .........

Foresight Land Use Futures Launch, Feb 2010

2010-03-09T08:46:00.003Z

Foresight Land Use Futures Launch, Feb 2010
Originally uploaded by wq0109

Recently I attended the launch of the UK's Foresight report on Land Use at the Royal Society launched by John Beddington, the Cheif Scientific Advisor to the Government. Louise Heathwaite, my co-director from the Centre for Sustainable Water Management at Lancaster University, was also presenet as she had been a member of the writing team. I had played a very minor role as author of one of the papers feeding in on the future role of soils and land use. It was a well-managed lanch, was well-attended and seemed to be well-received, with little overt descent or controversy. However, what ws so obvious to me was the dominance of developers, economics and marketers whilst items so obviosuly important to the environmental sciences and to cathment change played a minor role alongside the debate about economic futures and the apparent need for property development. I cannot help worry short termism, the soils of the UK have taken tens of throusands of years to develop and provide many functions including feeding us and buffering our catchments. Any change of our land that involves sealing of soils will potentially reverse these years of soil formation. If we are to head off Beddington's 'perfect storm' then must avoid critical tipping points and plan for mutlifunctionality of soils and catchments - this is the route to a sustainable future. Two years ago the credit crunch provided an opportunity for a paradigm shift that seems to have passed us by. It seems we have a long way to go to change the world..... For more pictures of the event I took please see here. best Phil.

Training events for ECSFI staff

2010-02-26T10:09:00.003Z

Phil Haygarth, Martin Blackwell, Clare Deasy and myself are organising parallel training events for ECSFDI staff on 11th March at Loddington (arable focus) and North Wyke (pasture/livestock focus). The objective is to provide CPD training events on diffuse pollution from agriculture and its control to catchment sensitive farming officers and coordinators and related professionals.

Science Policy Success

2010-02-25T18:19:00.001Z

The Science Policy Success conference was held at Edinburgh’s Dynamic Earth on Wednesday 7 October and Thursday 8 October 2009.
More than 100 Scottish Government staff, academics, scientists from the Scottish research institutes and individuals from the rural and environment agencies attended.

knowledge scotland: science-policy online resource

2010-02-25T18:11:00.002Z

Knowledgescotland is an important initiative to improve the links between science and policy.

UK Cross Government Food Research and Innovation Strategy

2010-01-14T09:00:00.002Z

The UK government has recently released it's food strategy - Food 2030 - for a sustainable and secure food system, linking social, environmental, health and economic factors, and in developing the policies to deliver this. This will include:

a new multi-partner food security research programme, co-ordinated by BBSRC,
a new Technology Strategy Board led Sustainable Agriculture and Food Innovation Platform, co-funded by Defra and BBSRC with up to £90M over 5 years, and
a doubling of research investment in agriculture by DFID over the next five years.

Catchment management positions at the Macaulay Institute closing date 27th November 2009

2009-11-19T08:44:00.003Z

Senior catchment modeller, environmental biogeochemist, environmental ecological economist, hydrologist, environmental scientist and environmental data coordinator.

CatSci final conference 2nd December 2009

2009-11-19T08:37:00.002Z

Final reminder for conference to be held on 2 December at The Showroom in Sheffield, entitled "Contribution of research to Catchment Management". Find out how our Marie Curie Fellows have increased the understanding of the connections and interactions between the different catchment components, and spend a pleasant day with other people who are involved with catchment management.

I am happy to answer any questions you might have. Jenny Chambers PA to Prof D N Lerner Kroto Research Institute North Campus Broad Lane Sheffield S3 7HQ Tel 0114 222 5725Fax 0114 222 5701.

Nature paper: A safe operating space for humanity

2009-11-10T15:24:00.005Z

A recent feature in the journal Nature (Rockstrom et al. 24th Sept 2009) has highlighted critical biophysical thresholds that could have disastrous consequences for humanity. Disturbance of the global nitrogen and phosphorus cycles aretwo key aspects.

IWAM policy driven focus-group learning session on Buffer strips

2009-04-17T13:36:00.002+01:00

We recently held a policy driven focus-group learning session in support of a Defra consultation on agricultural buffer strips. The aim of the session was oo provide Defra staff with expert and practical advice on the science of buffer strip design, performance (for diffuse substances e.g. nutrients, particles and PPP) and management.

NeWater Curriculum

2009-04-17T12:38:00.003+01:00

Useful series of online courses on Adaptive River basin Management.

The NeWater Project Announces:
*Teaching Adaptive Water Management
A Training Course for Instructors*

12-14 May 2009
UN Campus, Bonn, Germany

Hosted by the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security

The two-day training course is intended to familiarize university instructors with the teaching material provided in the Online Curriculum - Adaptive River Basin Management.

The course will focus on both content of the modules, as well as the use of the materials in designing new programmes or incorporating these into the teaching curricula of the instructors who participate in the course. In addition, participants will learn about approaches to and methods for teaching Adaptive Water Management.

Prof Beddington presentation at SDUK09

2009-04-16T14:07:00.006+01:00

Prof Beddington (UK Government Chief Scientific Advisor) presented his take on the challenges we face nationally and globally at the Sustainable Development UK Conference,his presentation is now available.

" I will leave you with some key questions. Can nine billion people be fed? Can we cope with the demands in the future on water? Can we provide enough energy? Can we do it, all that, while mitigating and adapting to climate change? And can we do all that in 21 years time? That's when these things are going to start hitting in a really big way. We need to act now. We need investment in science and technology, and all the other ways of treating very seriously these major problems. 2030 is not very far away. "

Video interview with Robert Chambers from IDS on Learning

2009-03-31T15:17:00.003+01:00

Robert Chambers from the Institute of Development Studies (University of Sussex) is one of the pioneers of participatory approaches for sustainable agriculture and development. Interview done in Cali in April 2008, during the Learning Laboratory Meeting. Produced by Cristina Douthwaite.

Charles Francis: Future active learning for agroecology

2009-03-19T09:23:00.005Z

Charles Francis (Univ. of Nebraska) is a leading expert on improving learning for sustainable agriculture. In 2006 he gave University of Alberta Bentley Lecture on Sustainable Agriculture Lecture No. 4 Learning for the Future: Preparing for Complexity, Uncertainty, and Sustainability. In a recent paper in the Agronomy Journal (vol 100, issue 3, 2008; Transdisciplinary Research for a Sustainable Agriculture and Food Sector C. A. Francis,* G. Lieblein, T. A. Breland, L. Salomonsson, U. Geber, N. Sriskandarajah, and V. Langer) Charles et al., highlight their success with an Agroecology masters programme in Norway.

Policy foresight programme at the James Martin 21st Century School

2009-03-08T10:28:00.005Z

As part of the James Martin 21st Century School at the University of Oxford, Crispin Tickell is coordinating and producing invaluable summaries from the Policy Foresight Programme on issues of science, technology, and the environment to identify leverage points in current policy that could have significant long-term benefits for civilization.

Two relevant and fascinating workshops were:

A new look at the interaction of scientific models and policy making
James Martin 21st Century School, Oxford University13/02/08

Can Britain Feed Itself? Should Britain Feed Itself?
James Martin 21st Century School, Oxford University15/10/08

Stockholm Seminars: Frontiers in Sustainability Science and Policy

2009-03-05T17:39:00.003Z

These are a fascinating set of seminars from leading experts. I have just watched Will Steffen's call for new approaches to science based on the complex problem's we face. Will makes a case for systems approaches that include participatory research, deal with scale in a fluid manner and use transdisciplinary teams.

Environment magazine series: 20 years into our common future

2009-03-05T16:44:00.002Z

As part of a series of articles by leading experts, Malin Falkenmark reviews progress with water related sustainability. Highlighting the need for greater integration between management of land and water. "The series takes as a starting point the six common challenges identified in the original report: population and human resources, food security, species and ecosystems, energy, industry, and the urban challenge. Although the Brundtland report did not cover the challenges associated with water as a specific chapter, in recognition of water’s critical role in the welfare and health of our planet’s people and ecosystems, Environment has added an article to this series examining water’s role in sustainable development."

"Together, these four actions—population stabilization, seriously intended pollution abatement, water-based balancing of green and blue water requirements for social and environmental purposes, and preparedness for mega-scale food trade expansion from water-rich to water-short countries—will form the building blocks to a responsible approach to sustainability."

Malin Falkenmark is professor of applied and international hydrology, guest professor at the Stockholm Resilience Center, and senior scientific advisor at the Stockholm International Water Institute.

Conference on Wicked Governance 10th March

2009-03-03T15:32:00.002Z

Conference Programme
l ‘Wicked’ Thinking for Water Resource Management – Laurence Smith, SOAS
l Are Water and Sanitation Problems ‘Wicked’? – Dr Frances Cleaver, SOAS
l What is Governance? How Can Water Governance Be Improved? – Prof Tony Allan, SOAS and King’s College, London
l Water Governance and Water Law Principles: Synergies and Tensions – Dr Philippe Cullet, SOAS
l Public Participation in Trans-boundary Water Governance: What Can We Learn From the
Volta River Basin in West Africa? – Dr Sam Wong, University of Leeds
l Building Capabilities for Adaptive Integrated Water Resources Management in
KwaZulu Natal, South Africa – Dr John Colvin, Open University
l Integrated Water Management: How to Deal with Household Water Needs – Dr Jeroen Ensink, LSHTM
l Access to Safe Water in the Slums of the Developing World – Dr Hulya Dagdeviren and Simon Robertson,
University of Hertfordshire
l Privatisation and Water Governance: What Went Wrong and Where to Next? – Dr Kate Bayliss, SOAS, and Dr Jeff Tan,
Aga Khan University
l Distilling or Diluting? Addressing ‘Wicked’ Problems at the Research-Policy Interface – Dr Frances Cleaver, SOAS
l ‘Wicked’ Solutions for Water Resources Protection – Laurence Smith, SOAS
l Final Panel – Prof Jeff Waage, LIDC; Prof Sandy Cairncross, LSHTM;
Tom Slaymaker, WaterAid

Registration
To reserve a place (lunch included) contact: admin@lidc.bloomsbury.ac.uk
Tel: 020 7958 8251
London International Development Centre
36 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PD
www.lidc.org.uk

PhD opportunities: University of Exeter and North Wyke Research (UK)

2009-02-20T09:04:00.003Z

Fully-funded PhD studentship available for collaborative projects between the Department of Geography and North Wyke Research.

A fully-funded PhD studentship (full stipend, fees and support grant) is available for a number of collaborative projects between the Department of Geography and North Wyke Research. All of these projects are co-funded between the University of Exeter and North Wyke Research. PhD students will benefit from full funding as well as a great deal of in-kind support from both Exeter and the project partner – North Wyke Research including access to world class laboratories and a range of training courses relevant to the PhD in question. Any enquiries about these projects should be directed in the first instance to Dr Richard Brazier ((r.e.brazier) at (ex.ac.uk)).

Projects:

Understanding the effect of multiple pollutants on water quality in intensively managed grasslands
Understanding the complexity of pluvial flooding generated from grassland systems under climate change
Developing an understanding of vegetation change and carbon budgets in semi-arid environments
An investigation into techniques for the mitigation of agricultural pollutants to water

Open access and wider participation in science

2009-02-20T08:54:00.004Z

James Evans and Jacob Reimer have reported their findings in the journal Science (20 February 2009Vol 323, Issue 5917) that in the natural sciences the influence of open access on how widely a journal is read and cited is greatest for multidisciplinary journals. Athough their results show that the influence of open access on global particiaption in science is lower than in previous studies, it does demonstrate that open access does expand the range of those that can experience and benefit from the science.

Need to control Nitrogen and Phosphorus

2009-02-20T08:48:00.003Z

A useful paper in the journal Science (20 February 2009 Vol 323, Issue 5917) sets out the need to control losses of N and P from land to water. It is important that whilst looking to reduce impacts locally that the consequences downstream on the wider ecosystem are considered.

Now is not the time to slaughter the cow (Nature Editorial)

2009-02-13T07:06:00.003Z

Nature Editorial 12th Feb 2009

Natural value

An important editorial highlighting the need to take an 'ecosystem services' approach to environmental protection. There are a number of projects around the world that are producing the scientific (natural and social) basis of how we can assess ecosystem services or functions. It is very early days, but it is vital that holistic assessments like ecosystem services are developed and tested (critically) by scientists, policy makers and the wider community if we are to take a more sustainable approach to natural resource management.

EA Best Farming Practice guide

2009-01-14T11:15:00.003Z

The Environment Agency have produced a very useful guide for farmers 'Best Farming Practice' that is full of practical ideas to reduce costs and help protect the environment. A couple of farmers have told me that they think this is a very helpful guide. It has a style very similar to Farmers Weekly. Well done the EA.

Revised Code of Good Agricultural Practice

2009-01-14T11:10:00.003Z

Defra have recently published 'Protecting our Water, Soil and Air: A Code of Good Agricultural Practice for farmers, growers and land managers (the ‘CoGAP’)' this useful guide integrates updated versions of the former three separate codes for water, soil and air. The publication offers practical interpretation of legislation and provides good advice on best practice; ‘good agricultural practice’ means a practice that minimises the risk of causing pollution while protecting natural resources and allowing economic agriculture to continue.

RELU workshop on Expert Systems for Natural Resource Management

2009-01-12T12:45:00.003Z

Tobias Krueger (UEA) is organising a very interesting RELU Workshop on "Expert Systems For Natural Resources Management"14th January 2009. They are inviting project teams with both social and natural science interests in the development of Expert Systems to a workshop to share knowledge and experience. The workshop will explore technical issues in the design of Expert Systems and in elicitation approaches for expert knowledge.

http://www.relu.ac.uk/events/

Inter- and Transdisciplinary Problem Framing Conference

2009-01-12T12:35:00.004Z

td-net for Transdisciplinary Research: Transdisciplinarity Conference 2008

This interesting conference raised and addressed the important issue of problem framing.

http://www.transdisciplinarity.ch/conference/programme08.html

Joint WMO-SECC Conference, Orlando, Florida

2008-11-26T09:41:00.003Z

I'm just back from a fascinating joint conference in sunny Florida.

This was a joint meeting between the US South East Climate Consortium (SECC is a group of universities and parties interested in helping agriculture adapt to climate change), and a World Meterological Organisation Implementation/Coordination Team (WMO ICT). The WMO ICT is focused on how climate change and variability could impact natural disasters in agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

SECC is a great model of working with the industry to provide quality scientific advice and information -see for example their AgroClimate webpage

There were some excellent keynote talks and posters covering climate science capabilities, key impacts findings, and outreach and decision support. There was also a fascinating visit to the Citrus Research and Education Centre. Citrus growers in Florida face a different water quality challenge to many farmers in the UK - the soils are >90% sand and as a result, nitrogen is almost completely supplied by fertiliser. This means that protecting groundwater from leaching is a key priority.

Proceedings will be published as a USDA special report in the near future.

Weblinks:
Conference

WMO ICT

SECC

Citrus research and education centre

How good are global river flow predictions?

2008-11-14T09:19:00.006Z

We recently highlighted findings on changes in future river flows predicted in a General Circulation Model (GCM). A key aspect of any predictions of future climate impacts is the skill and confidence with which they can be applied.

Recent work has investigated how river flow predictions in the Met Office Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model (HadGEM1) compare to flow gauge measurements around the world. These generally showed surprisingly good skill, given the limitations of coarse resolution and the driving GCM climate, rather than observed climate.

There is more work to be done to understand the detail - such as whether errors result from the river flow model itself, or mostly from the hydrology supplied to the model.

In addition to uncertainties in predicting observed changes, there are a number of sources of uncertainty in climate predictions which need to be addressed. With a better understanding of these uncertainties, it should be possible to develop nearer term predictions of impacts relevant to water and agriculture.

International Conference - Climate change impacts and adaptation: Dangerous rates of change

2008-08-08T14:39:00.000+01:00

Notification of the International Conference - Climate change impacts and adaptation: Dangerous rates of change

We would like to invite you to participate in a major international conference, Climate change impacts and adaptation: Dangerous rates of change, being held at the University of Exeter on the 22-24th September.

The conference will discuss the evolving impacts of climate change and the issues of adaptation in a time of ongoing change.

Keynote speakers

Keynote speakers will include:

Dr Myles Allen - Head of the Climate Dynamics group at University of Oxford's Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics Department.
Professor Kevin Anderson - Research Director of Tyndall-Manchester Energy and Climate Change programme.
Dr Yadvinder Malhi - Professor of Ecosystem Science, Oxford University Centre for the Environment.
Professor Neil Adger - Professor in Environmental Economics, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change, University of East Anglia.
Dr Pierre Friedlingstein - CNRS Senior scientist at Institut Pierre Simon-Laplace/Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (IPSL/LSCE).
Dr Hermann Held - Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Conference Topics

We are inviting papers on the following topics:

Improving predictions of climate change
Climate change impacts on ecosystem services
Climate change impacts on human and animal health
Technology for adaptation and mitigation
Applying earth observation to detect climate change impacts
Policy responses and behavioural change
Socio-economic scenarios and public understanding
Coupled human-environment system

Submit an abstract

Abstracts must be submitted by Monday 16 June and you will be notified if you are successful from Monday 21 July. Details for the submission of Abstracts for Papers can be found on our website.

For more information and to register

Visit our website for information on the conference.

The delegate registration fee will be £200 (postgraduate students £100) and registration will close on Monday 1 September. You can register for the conference on our website.

We look forward to seeing you in September.

Professor Peter Cox
Professor of Climate System Dynamics, University of Exeter.

Dr Richard Betts
Head of Climate Impacts at the Met Office Hadley Centre.

Cracking Clays....

2008-06-20T15:19:00.004+01:00

DSC_0015
Originally uploaded by wq0109

Yesterday was the steering group meeting for Defra's 'Cracking Clays' project WQ0118, involving ADAS, North Wyke Research and a modest slice of myself from Lancaster University. It is worth mentioning this project because it provides a substantive platform for studying the effects of - well - cracking clays - on water quality, in view of pressure to return manaure to land in line with NVZ guidelines. A full and quality first 12 month data set was shown for N, P and FIOs and for more information I urge you to contact main players Brian Chambers at ADAS or David Chadwick at North Wyke Research. Photos of the field excursion on Rowden can also be viewed here. Phil

Challenges of training graduate students in interdisciplinary science

2008-05-20T07:55:00.002+01:00

Brian Vastag (Nature) reports on the large increase in interdisciplinary projects and initiatives and highlights the challenges for graduate students. Graduate students are increasingly creating the 'bridges' between disciplines but their efforts may not be fully recognized when it comes to promotion and even-handed interdisciplinary peer review among funding bodies.

Calls for massive investment in computer and research capabilities

2008-05-20T07:40:00.003+01:00

A four-day summit was held last week at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in Reading, UK, the scientists made the case for a climate-prediction project that would increase current computer capacity by 10,000 times. This is required to meet the finer resolution predictions required by policy makers (Reported in Nature, 15th May 2008).

writewith: another great way to help us work more effectively together

2008-05-15T08:37:00.004+01:00

From an initial look this free application has a large amount of potential to assist multi-author papers etc.

Commentary in Nature: Europe's research system must change

2008-04-28T07:43:00.002+01:00

Science funding in the European Union needs to be revised to better serve economic, social and environmental goals, Luke Georghiou in Nature argues that there needs to be greater levels of trans-national coordination in European approaches to tackling a small number of policy relevant 'grand challenges'. Improved linkages between policy makers and the organization and science of the Framework programmes and ERA-Nets is required.

Nature Editorial: The path to productive partnerships

2008-04-14T08:00:00.006+01:00

Last week's editorial in Nature highlighted the need for institutions e.g. funding bodies to help scientists work more effectively together. Financial incentives on their own do not form effective teams. There needs to be guidelines and agreements from day one on how these teams operate. Rather than expecting scientists to (re-)invent the rules, institutions need to provide this support.

To blog or not to blog?

2008-04-04T10:22:00.005+01:00

COMMENTARY In Nature Geoscience 'To blog or not to blog?'
Scientists know much more about their field than is ever published in peer-reviewed journals. Blogs can be a good medium with which to disseminate this tacit knowledge.

Defra: Consultation on the draft Soil Strategy for England

2008-04-03T08:39:00.002+01:00

Defra are inviting your views on the draft Soil Strategy for England. The purpose of the document is to provide a sound framework for policy making and delivery with the aim of ensuring the sustainable management of England’s soils. This is an important opportunity to influence soils policy and future research in England. The deadline for responses is 23 June 2008.

Workshop on Agriculture, Water Management and Climate Change

2008-03-13T13:15:00.003Z

We have returned from a very productive international workshop in Bath with 70 leading on areas of science, management and policy ranging from sociology to water resources. We worked hard to stick to a workshop style meeting; the picture above is from a rich picturing activity led by Kevin Collins from the Open University. Summaries from the activities will be available shortly. I just hope that the participants remember more than just the delights of the Roman Baths!

2008-02-29T14:22:00.001Z

A date for your diaries…

BHS National Meeting

Surface water quality:
modelling, monitoring and management
* Wednesday 7 May 2008 *

The University of Birmingham

Water quality is key to a full understanding and management of water resources. The aim of this meeting is to identify recent exciting advances in monitoring and modelling surface water quality dynamics and processes, and evaluate their importance for water management. This forward-looking meeting will encourage dialogue between the ‘3Ms’ - modelling, monitoring and management - to identify, for example, mismatches in spatial and temporal resolution of datasets, models, scales of enquiry and process understanding in water quality, and promote discussion of future research, instrumentation and management needs. Questions will include: Are techniques and monitoring networks adequate for future challenges, and for quantifying environmental change impacts on water quality? What is the potential of newly-emergent methodologies? How strong are the models? Where should future work be directed? This meeting is especially timely, given that we are now halfway towards the Water Framework Directive (2000) target date of 2015 for inland and coastal waters to reach good ecological status. So please see this important meeting as a half-time ‘team talk’!

Sessions will be led by keynote speakers, including Tim Burt (Durham), Roger Falconer (Cardiff), Bob Harris (formerly EA, now Sheffield), Louise Heathwaite (Lancaster), Gilles Pinay (Birmingham) and Tony Warn (EA), to address some of the key issues above, including Integrated Catchment Management, monitoring, modeling and necessary action to meet water quality standards, surface water quality case studies, and future prospects.

Call for Papers and Posters: There will be time also for some submitted oral and poster presentations. If you would like to present at this timely meeting, please email an attached 250-word Abstract in Word with full contact details and paper/poster preference, to the conveners by 7 March 2008.

Who should attend? The meeting will bring together a good mix of scientists, engineers, water managers, regulators, consultants and policy-makers from universities, research institutes, the water industry, the Environment Agency and DEFRA. The meeting will also contribute towards Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements.
Conveners:
Damian Lawler, Andy Baker and Chris Bradley
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK (Tel: 0121 - 414 – 6935 / 5532 / 44 / 43)
Emails: D.M.Lawler@bham.ac.uk a.baker.2@bham.ac.uk c.bradley@bham.ac.uk
http://www.gees.bham.ac.uk/people/index.asp?ID=112#112
http://www.gees.bham.ac.uk/people/index.asp?ID=260;
http://www.gees.bham.ac.uk/people/index.asp?ID=117

Consultation on River Basin Management Plans (RBMP)

2008-02-29T10:28:00.004Z

Defra have just announced their second consultation on RBMP. This document sets out the role of environmental quality standards in implementing the Water Framework Directive.

UKCIP08: The climate of the UK and recent trends

2008-02-20T13:34:00.003Z

UKCIP have recently published their first in a series of reports. This first report sets out the current climate of the UK and recent changes. The figure above shows filtered (smoothed) regional changes in annual precipitation.

Preliminary structure of IWAM March 2008 workshop

2008-02-05T09:56:00.000Z

There is a large amount of interest in the workshop. We are looking forwards to a stimulating mix of great keynotes, challenging activity sessions, quality discussion and some fun along the way. Payment and confirmation of meals required by 15th February.

Article on improving scientific advice to government

2008-02-05T09:53:00.000Z

In a speech this week, John Denham, the Secretary of State for Innovation, argued that strong scientific advice is crucial for government, and that systems must be in place to give more recognition to researchers who provide expertise to policy makers.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3187795.ece

10th British Hydrological Society Symposium

2008-01-11T15:52:00.000Z


The 10th British Hydrological Society Symposium has been announced, which includes a session on water quality. See below for more information:                                                      
                                 
The symposium will take place from 15th until 17th September at the University of Exeter.
*************************************************************************************************
The theme for this Symposium is: 'Sustainable Hydrology for the 21st  Century'.
**************************************************************************************************
The sub-themes are:
Water Resources
Flood Risk Management
Climate change and Water     
Hydrometeorology
Urban Water  
Ungauged Catchments
Hydroecology 
Water Quality
*************************************************************************************************
Abstracts (up to 150 words) should be sent by 15 January 2008   to  bhs_symposium_2008@ex.ac.uk.
Please indicate which sub-theme the abstract is for and provide the details of the author(s) name, title, affiliation and qualifications and whether the abstract is to be considered for inclusion as a paper or as a poster presentation.
Sponsorship packages are available and the symposium provides an excellent opportunity for employers to meet and talk to students and
others working in hydrology.
**************************************************************************************************
Contact:Dr Soon-Thiam Khu bhs_symposium_2008@ex.ac.uk
Please visit us at http://www.ex.ac.uk/bhs2008/ <https://owa.ncl.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.ex.ac.uk/bhs2008/>  for the latest information and to register your interest.
We invite you to come and celebrate 25 years of BHS with us in Exeter!
**************************************************************************************************
BHS 2008 Conference Office
Centre for Water Systems
Room 182, Harrison Building
School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics
University of Exeter
North Park Road
EXETER UK EX4 4QF
Telephone: 01392-263732
http://www.events.ex.ac.uk/bhs2008/index.php/bhs/ <https://owa.ncl.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.events.ex.ac.uk/bhs2008/index.php/bhs/>

Professor David Scholefield retires

2008-01-02T06:39:00.001Z

DSC_2264
Originally uploaded by wq0109

At the end of 2007 David retired from his long term career at IGER and North Wyke. David was an inspirational and substantive scientist and amongst other things his work helped us understand and prevent nitrate leaching from agricultural land. Here are some photos of David's retirement seminar and party held earlier in December. Phil.

Climate change, land use and runoff theme - first posting

2007-12-19T11:20:00.000Z

Hello from the "Climate change, land use and runoff theme". Jointly with Bob Evans, I'm leading the theme under IWAM. We hope to post more soon, but for now here are some thoughts on how some of my current work relates to the theme. Last year, I published a paper with Richard Betts looking at global river flows under climate change. This found changes in total annual flows for most of the globe - increases in high latitudes and decreases in areas like Southern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Changes in seasonality were also found - such as earlier runoff peaks in spring in Siberia due to earlier snow melt. Now Met Office Hadley Centre climate models are being extended to include large scale crop models, and soil carbon and nitrogen models as well as river flows, my questions for the theme are:

How will changes in rainfall and river flow affect soil erosion?
How will climate change affect nutrient losses in agricultural systems?
How will these changes interact with future land use changes?
What is the impact of these changes on the agricultural system (productivity, management, irrigation..)?

The paper on river flows can be found here:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112791019/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Defra announces: Ecosystem Approach-Action Plan

2007-12-11T19:14:00.000Z

Defra have recently sponsored several research projects looking into how an Ecosystem Approach could be followed in the UK. They have just released 'Securing a healthy natural environment' report that sets out how Defra (and the broader UK Government) will adopt an Ecosystem Approach for a more holistic, integrated and adaptive approach to natural resource management. A key aspect is assessing the state of the evidence base and improving the two way communication between researchers and policy makers- key objectives of IWAM!

Recent thinking on IWRM at CAIWA 2007

2007-12-07T07:57:00.000Z

At a recent workshop on Critical Perspectives on IWRM Theory and Practice at CAIWA 2007

Nigel Watson (Lancaster, UK) presented a case that the implementation of IWRM needs rethinking. This has implications for Policy and Practice:

•IWRM should be designed around the principle of multi-party collaboration

“…the pooling of appreciations and/or tangible resources, e.g. money, labour etc., by two or more stakeholders to solve a set of problems which neither can solve individually.” (Gray, 1985, p.912)

•Move away from programmed (blue-print) implementation for IWRM and adopt an adaptive approach

“The ideal of adaptive implementation is the establishment of a process that allows policy to be modified, specified and revised – in a word, adapted – according to the unfolding interaction of the policy with its institutional setting. Its outcomes would be neither automatic nor assured, and it would look more like a disorderly learning process than a predictable procedure.” Berman (1980, p.210)

More detail to be found at:

‘Critical Perspectives on Integrated Water Management’
Special Issue of The Geographical Journal, Volume 173, No. 4,
December 2007.
Edited by Nigel Watson, Gordon Walker and Will Medd

Phosphorus research goes underground in NZ

2007-12-06T08:59:00.000Z

NERC and Defra contribute to BiodivERsA programme

2007-12-06T08:30:00.000Z

Link to NERC

EU Cost Meeting at North Wyke

2007-11-30T14:05:00.001Z

DSC_2257
Originally uploaded by wq0109

This week the Working group 3 from the EU COST action on 'Mitigation options for nutrient reduction in surface water and groundwater' met at North Wyke in Devon, UK. There were nearly 50 participants from over 20 EU countries and some photos of the meeting can be seen here. A new EU wide initiative on pooling mitigation measures was sketched out and will be built upon as the COST action evolves through 2008 and beyond. This will add to UK Defra led work on the Diffuse Pollution Inventory and seeks ways of sharing the evidence base through a wider European forum. Much welcome! Phil

Open University, Open Systems Research Group work on Integrated Catchment Managing

2007-11-29T16:24:00.000Z

Kevin Collins (OU) and his colleagues have been working with the catchment science team at the Environment Agency over the past 2 years. At CAIWA2007, Kevin gave a fascinating presentation on 'Trusting emergence: Some experiences of learning about integrated catchment science with the Environment Agency of England and Wales '. This paper set out to explore whether current scientific practices and the resultant scientific explanations are able to meet the demands of doing effective integrated, adaptive water management, using some learning arising from co-research work with the EA in England and Wales.

Useful web resource: Learning for Sustainability

2007-11-28T09:33:00.000Z

I recently discovered this very useful site (maintained by Will Allan) that aims to provide a practical resource for those who work with communities (in the wider sense of the term) to help them identify and adopt more sustainable practices. The pages on interdisciplinary research have links to the key scientific literature.

NERC Science into Policy booklet

2007-11-28T08:21:00.001Z

This is a very helpful booklet that is primarily aimed to help NERC staff and NERC-funded scientists (equally applicable to all scientists) to:
a) recognise the relevance of science to policy-makers;
b) identify available opportunities, routes and best practice to influence policy-making;
c) communicate science in an appropriate and accessible way, to the right policy-makers, showing how it fits their policy needs.

The booklet explains key aspects of the UK policy-making process and gives links to some important information sources.

EU Floods Directive comes into force

2007-11-27T08:28:00.000Z

Information from the Defra website:
The European Directive on the Assessment and Management of Flood Risks (2007/60/EC of 23 October 2007) (the Floods Directive) is designed to help Member States prevent and limit floods and their damaging effects on human health, the environment, infrastructure and property. The Floods Directive came into force on 26 November, 2007 and Member States have 2 years in which to transpose the Directive into domestic law.

There is no existing Community legislation in the field of flood risk management. In putting the case for action, the Commission points to the large numbers of people affected by flooding within the Community in recent years, the high level of actual and prospective economic damage, and the severe environmental consequences that can arise from flooding, for example when waste water treatment plants or factories holding quantities of toxic chemicals are flooded (an aspect that is in fact addressed by the Water Framework Directive).

EU COST Workshop in Devon on Mitigating Nutrient Pollution

2007-11-26T11:18:00.000Z

Workshop (of WG3) of the COST Action 869 (http://www.cost869.alterra.nl/) is being held this week at IGER North Wyke, Devon. This will bring together over 50 leading scientists from across Europe to assess how much we know about mitigating nutrient pollution of surface and ground waters.

Implementation of the Water Framework Directive: WFD CIRCA Forum

2007-11-21T21:00:00.000Z

Welcome to the CIRCA Interest Group "Implementing the Water Framework Directive", a new electronic forum accessible through the internet! This forum has been established in order to improve the sharing of information and the views on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. It is also part of the Common Implementation Strategy agreed on by the 15 Member States, Norway and the Commission on 2 May 2001 in Fiskebackskill, Sweden.

Contains all the information relevant to the WFD CIS process which is publicly available

An example being a recent workshop on setting nutrient standard
Zandvoort 11-12th October 2007

Consultation on Defra/ESRC Collaborative Research Centre on Sustainable Behaviours

2007-11-19T08:24:00.000Z

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), together with the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Environment Agency and other potential partners across the UK, are jointly considering the establishment of an independent, multidisciplinary Research Centre on Sustainable Behaviours.To inform the possible establishment of such a centre, Defra are seeking the views of a wide range of stakeholders on the proposed plans for the Centre. It should be stressed that, at this stage, no firm decisions have been taken on the need for, or design of, such a Centre, and consultees are invited to input on both of these key considerations, as well as to suggest alternative approaches. If funding is agreed, the final specification for the Centre will be informed by the outcome of this consultation.

http://www.sd-research.org.uk/post.php?p=416

CAIWA 2007 Science-Policy Day

2007-11-16T15:30:00.000Z

At the recent CAIWA2007 conference, a science-policy day was held that allowed scientists, policy makers and practitioners to learn from each on what we know and what we need to know for improved integrated and adaptive water management. Case studies from Europe (e.g. Rhine) and the rest of the world and key issues (e.g. Water quality and good ecological status- see slide above) were discussed in small structured group sessions. One key message that arose time and time again was the need for greater connectedness between science and governance at multiple scales.

Link to a presentation by Paul Ehrlich at the Stockholm Resilence Centre (September 2007)

2007-11-16T15:11:00.000Z

"Wisdom seminar” with Professor Paul R. Ehrlich
Take the opportunity to see a video seminar with one of the most well-known and outspoken environmental scientists of our time, and listen to some of his collected wisdom from more than 50 years of research and public debate. Professor Ehrlich held this seminar 11 September 2007 in Stockholm where he focused his talk on coevolution, population growth and the perspective of ecosystem services. See the video here (Time: 01:08:06/Windows Media Player)
Paul R. Ehrlich has pursued long-term studies of the structure, dynamics, and genetics of natural butterfly populations. He has also been a pioneer in alerting the public to the problems of overpopulation, and in raising issues of population, resources, and the environment as matters of public policy.

A Keynote from CAIWA 2007:Carl Folke

2007-11-16T14:49:00.000Z

Professor Carl Folke is the Director of the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and also Science Director of the new Stockholm Resilience Centre: Research for Governance of Social-Ecological Systems. At CAIWA 2007 he talked about the need for adaptive water governance of socio-ecological systems in times of change. In the slide above he highlighted the need for bridging organisations that can work across a range of spatial scales under a governance system that has multiple levels (polycentric). Prof Folke also stressed the need to understand the resilience of socio-ecological systems e.g. surface water catchment.

CAIWA 2007 International Conference on Adaptive & Integrated Water Management

2007-11-16T14:35:00.000Z

This conference was held last week in Basel, Switzerland and aimed to bring together scientists from academia, industry, and policy making/government to analyse progress, to explore new research directions and highlight policy implications of scientific findings. A number of the offered papers are available and hopefully the keynote presentations (some of which were excellent e.g. Carl Folke) will also become available.

Proceedings from 5th International Phosphorus workshop

2007-11-08T07:57:00.000Z

A highly successful workshop was held in September and the proceedings are now available online for all to view. The workshop focused on strategies for abating P losses to the aquatic environment. The scope of the workshop was holistic and comprised P cycling and P loss from agriculture, tools for predicting and mapping the risk of P loss, effectiveness of different mitigation options and the impact of P on the aquatic environment.

Science for Environment Policy

2007-10-10T08:44:00.000+01:00

The DG Environment News Alert on new scientific evidence is a website designed to promote new, timely and relevant information for environmental policy making. An example is a recent paper by
Scholz G., Quinton J.N. and Strauss P. (2007) “Soil erosion from sugar beet in Central Europe in response to climate change induced seasonal precipitation variations” , Catena, doi:10.1016/j.catena.2007.04.005.

2007 National Conference on Agriculture & the Environment

2007-10-08T11:58:00.000+01:00

http://www.agwaterquality.org/2007conference/

The 2007 National Conference on Agriculture & the Environment is a consortium of university and private researchers, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies with an interest and expertise in agriculture and natural resource protection. The purpose of the conference is three-fold: (1) to highlight trends in data collection methodologies and data findings; (2) examine case studies in agricultural and environmental stewardship; and (3) foster the cross pollination of new ideas, technologies, and methodologies among leading resource protection professionals.
The conference will focus on the following main session topics:
• Water Quality Monitoring: Data, Methodology, Trends & Advancements
• Exemplary programs for agricultural water quality monitoring
• Watershed surface and ground water monitoring
• Monitoring for on-farm management practices and pollution prevention
• Monitoring for TMDLs, beneficial uses, ag waiver policies
• Trends in research methodology and findings
• Food Safety & Environmental Protection: Conflicts and Compatibilities
• Food safety research studies and findings
• Food safety policy: regulation, marketing, and agricultural practices
• Agricultural environmental policy
• Demonstrated conflicts between food safety and environmental protection
• Areas of compatibility between food safety and environmental protection
• Agricultural & Environmental Innovations
• Technological advancements
• Environmental compliance and permit coordination
• Conservation practices
• Water use efficiency
• Practice innovations
• Urban, rural, and agricultural outreach
• Case studies in Timber Management
• The Sustainability Factor: Exploring the nexus between agricultural and environmental sustainability
• Sustainability defined
• Local movements toward sustainability
• Business & economic implications of environmental protection
• Agricultural Interfaces: Exploring the interfaces between agriculture, natural resources, and local communities
• Agricultural & Urban interfaces
• Agricultural & Riparian/Slough/Wetland interfaces
• Conservation Easements
• Case studies in timber management
• Rangeland management and stewardship

NERC CASE PhD Studentship in Geography at Exeter

2007-10-08T09:25:00.000+01:00

NERC CASE PhD Studentship in Geography

Dr Richard Brazier and Dr Andrew Nicholas along with Professor Phil Haygarth from the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER) will be supervising a NERC CASE award PhD starting in January 2008. The project aims both to further understanding and to develop a predictive tool of the dynamics of intensively managed grasslands and how they impact upon water quality. The research will employ field, laboratory and numerical modelling techniques to address this highly topical area of research. Further details of this opportunity can be found at:
http://www.sogaer.ex.ac.uk/geography/postgraduate/funding_opportunities.shtml
Closing date for completed applications is 1st November 2007.

Science Theme Leaders: a great opportunity for you to become involved

2007-10-05T12:01:00.000+01:00

One of our objectives at the Forming Workshop (19th September) was to map out themes to structure an initial review of the gaps and uncertainties of the evidence base. The combined themes from the breakout groups can be found here. We now require potential theme leaders to apply by 26th October 2007, click here for more details.

International Workshop: Agriculture, Water Management and Climate Change

2007-10-05T11:43:00.000+01:00

As part of our water coordination activities for Defra we would like to invite you to register and submit an abstract for our international workshop. Further details including themes and confirmed keynote speakers can be found at http://www.iger.bbsrc.ac.uk/IWAM/AWMCC_Workshop/
Closing date for registrations and abstract submission is 30th November 2007.

Post doc positions at Lancaster

2007-10-03T15:41:00.001+01:00

Louise Heathwaite is advertising for two exciting new post doc positions at Lancaster University in CSWM - for more details click here
Phil

IWAM Forming Workshop 19th September 2007, Interview with Bob Evans (Anglia Ruskin University)

2007-09-25T09:36:00.000+01:00

IWAM Forming Workshop 19th September 2007, Defra Science and Policy Requirements by Emma Hennessey (Defra)

2007-09-25T09:17:00.000+01:00

IWAM Forming Workshop 19th September 2007, Introduction and Objectives by Kit Macleod (IGER)

2007-09-25T09:05:00.000+01:00

IWAM Forming Workshop 19th September 2007, Welcome and Introduction by Phil Haygarth (IGER)

2007-09-25T08:53:00.000+01:00

Integrating Water and Agricultural Management: Forming Workshop

2007-09-25T08:13:00.000+01:00

We would like to thank the participants of our first workshop (19th September) for their valuable contributions and suggestions. Throughout the day high quality responses to the three questions we posed were provided (see below). If we are to make significant progress towards integrating how we manage our rural landscape and inland water bodies then ecologists, social and economic scientists need to be more involved along with more policy makers.

We will post the introductory presentations by Phil Haygarth (IGER), Kit Macleod (IGER) and Emma Hennessey (Defra) so that a wider set of researchers and science and policy staff at Defra can become more involved in Integrating Water and Agricultural Management (IWAM).

Three questions:
1) How to improve links between research scientists and Defra science and policy staff?
2) How could the evidence base be improved?
3) What themes can we use to review the evidence base?

Sustainable Development Research Network (SDRN): annual conference

2007-09-20T07:32:00.000+01:00

Sustainable Development Research Network
The Sustainable Development Research Network (SDRN) aims to contribute to sustainable development in the UK by encouraging the better use of evidence and research in policy-making. Membership of SDRN is free and open to all.

Annual Conference : Thursday 20th September 2007

Presentations online at:

http://www.sd-research.org.uk/events/annual-conference.php

Themes:

Implementing sustainable development: progress and challenges

Industrial ecology

Placemaking and sustainable Development
Citizenship and behaviour change
Health and the environment

The GRASP Workshop

2007-09-06T21:34:00.001+01:00

DSC_0286
Originally uploaded by wq0109

Yesterday the PE0120 'GRASP' team held their worskhop with 60 delagates attending from the worskhop. It was a successful and rewarding venture for the whole team and the details of the feedback, and some podcasts etc, will emerge in due course - meanwhile here are some snaps. Phil

International P Workshop

2007-09-06T21:31:00.001+01:00

DSC_0072
Originally uploaded by wq0109

We are currently at the international P workshop in the beautiful Lake District region of Silkebourg in Denmark. The meeting is very well organized and there are many new land water related issues that will be reported on in more detail in this blog in the weeks to come. Meanwhile here are some snaps of the excursion on the Lakes, with many images of the delagates - feel free to download. Phil

Potential increase in runoff due to plants and carbon dioxide

2007-08-31T09:02:00.000+01:00

This weeks Nature is publishing a great step froward from Richard Betts and his team that eloquently model the links betwee carbon dioxide, plants and potential runoff. See:

Richard A. Betts, Olivier Boucher, Matthew Collins, Peter M. Cox, Peter D. Falloon, Nicola Gedney, Deborah L. Hemming, Chris Huntingford, Chris D. Jones, David M. H. Sexton & Mark J. Webb. Projected Increase in Continental Runoff Due to Plant Responses to Increasing Carbon Dioxide. Nature, 448(7157), 30 August 2007, pp. 1037-1041. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v448/n7157/pdf/nature06045.pdf

Source: Met Office Press Release (29 Aug):
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2007/pr20070829.html

Phil

World Water Congress

2007-08-30T16:49:00.001+01:00

IWA WORLD WATER CONGRESS 2008, VIENNA, AUSTRIA - SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 15TH

The deadline for submissions of outline papers and full papers for the IWA World Water Congress is September 15th 2007. To ensure that your paper is considered for inclusion in the technical programme, submit your paper now via the Congress website.

The 2008 Congress will bring together 3,000 international water industry professionals to discuss the latest developments in sustainable water management and exchange knowledge on all aspects of the water cycle. The Congress is divided into six main themes and three further cross-cutting themes, for which papers are requested:

Congress Tracks

- Water resources and river basin management

- Water treatment

- Wastewater treatment

- Design and operation of water systems

- Managing and planning water services

- Health and the environment

Cross-Cutting Themes

- Climate change in practice: adaptively managing impacts on water

- The science and practice of sustainable development

- Managing urban water metabolism in cities in an IWRM context

For more information about Congress themes and topics and full guidelines for paper submission, please visit the Congress website: www.iwa2008vienna.org

Please note that submissions should only be sent via the Congress website. Unless prior agreement has been made with IWA, submissions made by email will not be considered for inclusion in the technical programme.

Lets' remember the science....

2007-08-30T11:42:00.000+01:00

Nature 448 23 August 2007 p.839
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v448/n7156/full/448839a.html

An editorial published in Nature this week has questioned the increasing trend for governments, particularly in the UK and US, to consider the economic returns from investment in research, with a growing focus on competitiveness and stresses the need for scientists to continue to highlight the importance of basic research. This sounds like emminent sense to me and is very relevant for land and water science! We must not put the cart before the horse, whilst we need to realise outcomes these must not run ahead of investmenst in basic knwoledge. Outcomes only arise from basic knowledge.

Phil

Beacon from west Greenland

2007-08-24T10:19:00.001+01:00

DSC_0107
Originally uploaded by wq0109

This week I joined an expedition of biogeochemists to Kangerlussuaq in west Greenland. As a soil and water biogeochemist, who focuses for most of my time of the nutrient cycling issues surrounding intensively managed agricultural systems, it is both necessary and exciting to build an understanding of the biogeochemistry of more pristine systems of the world. My objectives this week are to build an nutrient inventory for two remote and contrasting lake catchments, and specifically to test the hypothesis that lake catchments grazed by Musk Ox (introduced within the last centenary) have different nutrient cycling properties than the more extensive systems grazed only by reindeer. More fundamentally these systems present a unique contrast to the more commonly studied intensively managed systems of the world, and may help us understand fundamental processes of nitrogen, carbon and phosphorus cycling, and provide context for a true ‘reference’ condition as we seek ‘good ecological status’ as part of the goals of the catchments in the EU Water Framework directive. On the expedition I am working with some terrific scientists from the UK and US, led inimitably by John Anderson from Loughborough (John is a lake expert who has been studying the west Greenland lakes for 15 years). We stayed both at the Kangerlussuaq International Science Support (KISS) centre and in tents and a selection of the photos from the week’s activities are available here Phil

Paper: Improved surface temperature prediction for the coming decade from a global climate model

2007-08-20T09:28:00.000+01:00

Smith et al. (2007) Science, 317, 796-799, have published the results of a new modeling system that predicts both external forcings and internal variability leading to improved forecasts of climate in the next 10 years. Internal variability will partially offset anthropogenic warming until 2008/9. After this point, climate will continue to warm. Richard Kerr in the same issue of Science discusses the importance of natural climate variation e.g. Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) over the next few decades.

Report and Horizon scanning: Environment Research Funders' Forum

2007-08-13T17:17:00.000+01:00

The Environment Research Funders' Forum (ERFF) brings together the UK's major public sector sponsors of environmental science, aiming to make best possible use of funding.

http://www.erff.org.uk/

Report: 'Using Research to Inform Policy: the Role of Interpretation'

One reason why effective use of research by policy makers is not achieved is because of the challenges of interpretation. Effective interpretation requires that staff in government departments and agencies communicate their needs in a way that can be understood by researchers. Likewise, researchers and intermediaries are required to communicate information from their research in a way that can be used by these staff. This study examines how interpretation is provided for government departments and agencies in the UK. A useful set of recommendations and guidelines for good practice are provided that will improve integration at the science-policy divide if followed by the ERFF member organisations.

Horizon scanning study: 'dimensions of uncertainty'

Horizon scanning study on the most important 'dimensions of uncertainty' for the environment that may impact on the the UK in the next 20 years. If you would like to contribute please email office@erff.org.uk

Consultation: proposed EU Soil Framework Directive

2007-08-06T07:38:00.000+01:00

Defra and the devolved administrations are asking for your views on the proposed Framework Directive for Soils by 19th October 2007. I welcome the general thrust of the proposals that our soils require a higher level of protection than is currently afforded them under the current policies e.g SEA and CAP-cross compliance. Soil provides several critical ecosystem services that we benefit from directly and indirectly. Pressures on our soils are increasing due to economic development (e.g. housing, farming and tourism) and a changing climate. A proportional risk and precautionary based approach to managing our soils is required. We also need to be aware of the likely impacts and costs of any future policies. Kit.

'The European Commission adopted the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection,
including proposals for a Framework Directive for Soils, in September 2006. The proposed Directive lays down a framework for the protection and sustainable use of soil based on the principles of integration of soil issues into other policies, preservation of soil functions within the context of sustainable use, prevention of threats to soil and mitigation of their effects, as well as restoration of degraded soils to a level of functionality consistent at least with the current and approved future use of the land.'

Purpose of consultation
'This consultation, issued jointly by Defra, the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly Government, is designed to assist us in developing a robust negotiating position to enable us to engage effectively in negotiations. It is important that our negotiating line is well-informed and based on sound evidence. Hence, we are seeking your views on the scope of the proposed Directive and its approach, as well as on the benefits that the proposed Directive may deliver and the likely costs of implementing it.'

'In general terms, your views are sought on the following initial questions:

What are your views on the current level of soil protection measures in the UK considering the risks and threats faced by soils, including those identified by the Commission?

If you consider these measures to be inadequate, do you believe that any gaps are best dealt with on a common basis across the EU, for example to avoid distortion in competition, or better dealt with at a domestic level?

What, if any, gaps exist in terms of addressing soil protection at an EU level in particular the risks identified by the Commission?

Does the solution to these gaps lie in amending existing EU Directives, or in introducing a new overarching framework for soil protection?

Are there any existing EU provisions that give some protection to soils which, in your view, do not work or which could do with simplification?

In terms of the risks and threats identified by the Commission, how urgent are these problems? Is there sufficient evidence to tackle them now?

Who should bear the costs involved in any new obligations? Should we follow a polluter pays approach, a market-based system where, for example, a property developer pays the cost of remediation, or should these costs fall to taxpayers?'

Consultation website www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/soil-directive/

Conference:IWA Watershed & River Basin Management Sept 2008

2007-08-06T07:21:00.000+01:00

IWA have a long history of organising valuable meetings on point and diffuse pollution and river basin management. The broad expertise of the programme committee, topical nature of the themes and interest to both process and policy focused scientists will result in a worthwhile international forum. Please see www.iwa2008budapest.org for more details. Call for abstracts closes on the 30th September 2007.

Virtual worlds aid education and research

2007-07-30T08:52:00.000+01:00

There is increasing interest in the educational and research potentials of computer based virtual worlds. These range from experimental virtual hillslopes (e.g. Weiler and McDonnell 2006, J. Hydrology 319, 339-356) to city scale urban hydrology (D'Artisa and Hellweger, 2007, Env. Mod. Soft 22, 1679-1684) to large online vitual worlds e.g. Second life (http://secondlife.com/). Hydrologists are increasingly using virtual hillslopes to enable testing of model based hypotheses in combination with actual field observations. Leading to advances in understanding the primary controls on flow pathways and nutrient transport (Weiler and McDonnell 2006). Computer simulation games enable dynamic interaction between humans and increasingly 'realistic' environmental processes. D'Artisa and Hellweger (2007) reviewed the hydrology in the popular game SimCity 4. The simple hydrological process representations were found to provide a useful educational tool, but limited in their ability to provide a more robust science or planning tool. As computer games include more accurate and detailed representations of social and environmental processes then their value for learning and research will grow.

In recent years there has been a rapid growth in virtual online worlds. These range from 'role playing' orientated games e.g. World of Warcraft to platforms that are more suited to educational and research possibilities e.g. Second life, Rivercity or Quest Atlantis. Interest in the economic and social sciences to make use of these possibilities is growing (Bainbridge, Science 2007, 317 (472-476)). There are over 8 million people registered with Second Life and a burgeoning number of companies e.g. IBM are making use of virtual worlds to host meetings and workshops. Scientists are also exploring the potential to set up virtual laboratories and carry out experiments that are not easily undertaken using more traditional research methologies.

In the UK the rapid growth in access to internet broadband (40% of UK homes in 2006; www.statistics.gov.uk) has increased the bandwidth (amount of information that can be delivered in a given period of time) and latency (packet delivery speed) enabling the use of computer based simulations at home, at school and in the working environment for learning about how human activity influences water and land management. As these tools are further advanced and their use in further and higher education grows, we will find them an increasing part of our daily activities.

Soil and water....

2007-07-24T17:02:00.001+01:00

Water
Originally uploaded by Phil Haygarth

Whilst on a family trip to the seaside recently in Cornwall I came across this engraving on a stone at the side of the road. It seems a pertinent way to make my first posting to the Land Water blog. Water seems to be very much in the mainstream of the British way of life this week, with floods dominating the news and affecting the way we lead our lives. Water really matters, but so does the way we use our land. All is (indeed) "born of water" and all is (indeed) "sustained by water", but I also could say the same for the way we manage our soils. By integrating the two we hope to make a difference.....
Phil

Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution- Topics for future study

2007-07-20T15:53:00.000+01:00

http://www.rcep.org.uk/

A short list of topics have been released by the commission. These are:

· Climate adaptation in the UK
· Environment and human wellbeing
· Geoengineering for climate change
· Noise pollution
· Phosphate management
· Plastics and the environment
· The electromagnetic environment
· Water management

Water management, phosphate management and climate adaptation in the UK strike an accord with this blogger and I for one will be making a suggestion based on this.

The commission is looking for your comments and suggestions on which topic to study by Friday 24th August. These should be sent to: jon.freeman at rcep.org.uk.

Scientific Paper: A Changing Climate for Prediction

2007-07-20T07:52:00.001+01:00

Cox* and Stephenson (2007)

Science 13th July 2007; Vol 317, Issue 5835, 207-208.

p.m.cox at exeter.ac.uk

Current climate change models are designed to estimate long-term future greenhouse gas emission scenarios. These have been instrumental in convincing the world of the need to act. To inform climate change adaptation and mitigation policy these projections need to be redesigned. Adapatation policy is focussed on preparing for the inevitable climate change that will take place over the coming decades, whereas mitigation is used to refer to how policies can be used to avoid dangerous climate change over the longer term. Forecasting systems that enable active management of the world's climate are now required.

CIWEM information resources on water and climate change

2007-07-19T08:44:00.000+01:00

CIWEM have released two introductory reports on water and climate change (www.ciwem.org/resources).

Catchment Management: Land-use and Water

Introduces catchment management, the pressures faced by land and water and highlights the need for an integrated approach to catchment management. Surveys show that integration between sectors e.g. agriculture and water resources, between science and management at different scales and between organisations to be a problem. Solutions they suggest include: making people aware of the benefits of integrated working, achnowleding and moving on from a 'silo mentality', commision more research on what works, spread best practice, improve our understanding of scale issues, set up more joint projects and networks and to move away from ad-hoc integration/communication. They conclude that there is widespread support for an integrated approach to land and water management and that key drivers e.g. agri-environment policies are helping to bring stakeholders together to solve local and larger scale problems.

Climate Change Impacts

An introductory document that sets out the main impacts that climate change will have on UK agriculture, biodiversity, energy, human health, poverty and water resources. The report authors conclude that since climate change will lead to greater uncertainty in climate prediction, this presents more of a threat than an opportunity.

Up and running

2007-07-19T08:19:00.000+01:00

Our first newsletter is ready to be sent and the web portal is up and live! I love it when various threads of work come together.

Kit

2007-07-11T07:17:00.000+01:00

Today Phil and I are off to visit Laura and Emma at Defra in London. I am excited to have the opportunity to tell them of our plans and to hear their feedback.

Kit

2007-07-09T13:38:00.000+01:00

Welcome,

This is an exciting new web portal that aims to coordinate the activities of the sustainable water research community with those of Defra policy and science staff.

As well as hosting this land water blog we will be holding workshops and setting up expert led working groups.

Kit and Phil