Category Archives: Agriculture
'Green Food' for a Green Economy
Greater investment is needed in agricultural research, enhanced knowledge exchange is required between different stakeholders in supply chains and detailed discussion must take place regarding how to reduce consumption and waste. These are some of the headline conclusions from the … Continue reading
Investing in Peatlands – Demonstrating Success
This week ecologists from across the UK, Europe and from as far away as Tibet descended upon Bangor University to consider the major challenges and opportunities facing the restoration and conservation of the globe’s peatlands. The meeting was organised jointly … Continue reading
Lessons for grassland restoration at a joint AAB/BGS/BES conference
What can be achieved in the restoration of diverse grasslands? And what will this habitat rehabilitation do for us? A series of presentations, field trips and poster displays at a conference jointly organised by the Association of Applied Biology, British … Continue reading
Water Friendly Farming, a landscape-scale research initiative for protecting water bodies
The BES Policy Team attended the launch of Water Friendly Farming, a new research initiative on sustainable water management in the Portcullis House today. The programme is run by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Pond Conservation, Syngenta and other … Continue reading
Doing More with Less for the Natural Environment in 2012
Yesterday the BES Policy Team attended ‘Natural Environment 2012′, a conference in central London to explore the Natural Environment White Paper (NEWP) and the actions that have taken place to implement this since its launch in 2011. Delegates were drawn … Continue reading
Economists and Ecologists brought together by issues of sustainable agriculture in an NCI workshop yesterday
A workshop which brought together economists and ecologists, and organised by the Natural Capital Initiative, took place yesterday at Charles Darwin House. The aim of the event was to facilitate conversation between experts of the two disciplines to discuss how … Continue reading
The Death of British Farmland?
Yesterday’s meeting of the Cross Party House of Common’s Agroecology Group discussed the potential for soil management practices to influence the future of farming in the UK. The session was chaired by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer and co- hosted … Continue reading
MEPs call for new environmental framework for the EU
Voting in two resolutions last week, MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) called for the European Commission to introduce a Seventh Environmental Action Programme and for higher political priority to go to preserving and restoring damaged ecosystems. The Seventh Environmental … Continue reading
New study shows insecticides used on flowering crops have major impacts on bumblebees
The ongoing decline in wild bumblebee populations has caused worldwide concern, with evidence suggesting that the loss of critical pollination services could lead to a decrease in crop yields and the loss of many wildflower species. A number of reasons … Continue reading
Welsh Environment Minister announces programme of badger vaccination
Welsh Environment Minister John Griffiths yesterday launched the Welsh Government’s Strategic Framework for Bovine TB Eradication, which outlined a programme of badger vaccination to be introduced in the Intensive Action Area. The Minister said the decision to pursue vaccination as … Continue reading