Category Archives: BES

How can we adapt conservation to climate change?

The report of the joint Natural England – BES meeting on ‘Adapting Conservation to a Changing Climate‘ has been published. This meeting took place over two days in January 2011 and saw over 120 policy-makers, ecologists and conservation practitioners attend … Continue reading

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Look forward to 2020. What will the most significant ecological issues be?

The BES is refreshing its policy priorities. What do you think we should be focusing on? From food security, to multiple demands on land, to balancing the trade-offs between ecosystem services, 2020 will bring great challenges for the UK and … Continue reading

Posted in BES, Science Policy | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

‘Social capital’ reaps benefits for sustainable agriculture

Professor Jules Pretty gave a fascinating and wide-ranging insight into the sustainable intensification of agriculture on Tuesday afternoon at the BES Annual Meeting; this year’s BES Lecture. Prof. Pretty suggested that there was an ‘emerging consensus’ around the necessity of … Continue reading

Posted in Agriculture, BES, Soil, Sustainability | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A paradigm shift? 12 months in ecology

An incredibly diverse and busy programme of sessions at the BES Annual Meeting this year means that I am only now able to find the time to report on Prof. Bill Sutherland’s Monday afternoon plenary; ‘Twelve months in Ecology’. Since … Continue reading

Posted in BES, BES annual meeting, Climate Change, Conservation, Defra, England, Government, UK | 2 Comments

BES Annual Meeting Underway in Sheffield

The BES Annual Meeting is underway in Sheffield, with a packed day of presentations and sessions so far. The meeting began with the BES Tansley Lecture, this year delivered by Dr Diana Wall from Colorado State University. Dr Wall discussed … Continue reading

Posted in BES, Biodiversity | 1 Comment

Ecology and Policy Blog now on holiday until 5th September

The BES Policy Team is now on holiday until 5th September and the blog will return then.

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BES publishes report of our ‘Making Space for Nature’ meeting

Today the BES has published our report of the Conservation Ecology Special Interest Group’s meeting into ‘Making Space for Nature’, examining the ecological issues raised by the Lawton Review, and other current topics in nature conservation. Main points raised by … Continue reading

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What next for the UK NEA and IPBES? Find out on 13th September

The full programme is now available for the policy session at the BES Annual Meeting, taking place on Wednesday 13th September, University of Sheffield. Prof. Steve Albon, co-chair of the world-leading UK National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA), and Dr Andy Stott, … Continue reading

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Launch of ‘Landscapes of the Future’

‘Landscapes of the Future’ the new Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology POSTnote written by the current BES POST fellow Eleanor Kean was launched today. ‘Landscapes of the Future’ focuses on the benefits that we derive from our landscapes, and … Continue reading

Posted in BES, Ecology, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Event, Government, Land use, Parliament, Planning, POST Fellowship, Science Policy, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

BES Fellow publishes POSTnote on ‘Landscapes of the Future’

Eleanor Kean, the latest Fellow at POST to be sponsored by the BES, has today published her POSTnote on ‘Landscapes of the Future‘. The POSTnote will be discussed at a seminar in Portcullis House, Westminster, on 8th June. To register … Continue reading

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