Peoples Republic of South Devon

Fit for purpose

Agriculture can be a bit of a hot potato, in more ways than one, which is why a group of experts got together at the stannary stump of Exeter University’s Centre for Rural Policy and Research to discuss “Is Devon’s Agriculture Fit for Purpose?” And here’s what they told us.

“The jury consisted of key stakeholders including Devon County Council, Clinton Devon Estates, Small Farms Association, Duchy College and Churches Together in Devon. They heard evidence from five expert witnesses drawn from the county’s land management, environmental and research communities who had 15 minutes to present their evidence and then be questioned by the jury.

“It is known that agriculture is a major contributor to national emissions of methane and nitrous oxide, both powerful green house gases (GHGs). There are a wide range of actions that potentially can be taken to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture and it is against this background that the jury considered Devon’s current ability to face the challenges posed by climate change.

“The first witness to present evidence was Dr Dave Chadwick, a senior research scientist from North Wyke Research, who gave an overview of the issues pertaining to methane and nitrous oxide emissions. He identified examples of best practice such as not exceeding crop requirements for Nitrogen; spreading manure at appropriate times and conditions; and establishing permanent grass and woodlands.

“Paul Gompertz, director of Devon Wildlife Trust gave his personal perspective on the issue that Devon’s agriculture was not fit for purpose, arguing that Devon’s agriculture cannot be thought of in isolation and there was a need to do more than just produce food from the land. There was also a need to transform food production and distribution systems.

“A University of Exeter employee based at Riverford Organic Vegetables, Mark Howard, argued for a no confidence verdict, pointing out that agriculture needs to reduce its dependency on oil as current farming and food industry practices were essentially converting fossil fuels into food. This could be changed by the use of organic production systems, addressing food distribution networks, minimising food importation and expanding the use of renewable energy. In response to a question from the jury he agreed that reducing the estimated 30% of food ‘wasted’ in the home would make a contribution to reducing GHG emissions and agreed that Devon farmers had a role to play in educating consumers.

“The regional director of the NFU, Mel Hall argued that there were more positive than negative opportunities by having a more diverse industry; biofuels, Rural Development programme funding, local scale solutions for farming and flood management to name only a few. The key issue is about being prepared and knowing what the food the industry needs to do to respond to new challenges. She advised that farmers can adapt but will need assistance in responding to the climate change agenda. It was noted that farmers in the uplands face particular difficulties in adapting given their current precarious economic position.

“The final witness of the day was Mark Robins, RSPB regional policy officer and chair of the Regional Environment Network. He argued that chances for biodiversity, in particular farmland birds ability to adapt to the rapid shift in climate change were slim. He felt that the case for the cultural and symbolic strength of farming in Devon meant that farming should be at the heart of finding solutions to the climate change challenge. It was not something that could be left for the government and agricultural policy but required mobilisation of Devon’s communities, environmentalists, farmers and consumers.

“The verdict from the Jury was that “We believe that Devon’s farming is fit for purpose today. In terms of the future, the jury is out”. The Jury made the observations and recommendations that there is a need for a strategic overview of the county and improved understanding of land use planning. There is a need to develop likely scenarios of future change and build a strategy around these. The jury had some concerns about science and research and development, recognising that it is a national issue but were concerned to ensure that the county and the farming industry were linked in to sound research and science. This would help inform the industry to make the changes that are necessary. Finally, more active market place experiments were necessary as this would be the only way to find out if farming is fit for purpose by testing the theories.

“Dr Matt Lobley, Centre for Rural Policy and Research was encouraged by the jury process developed in conjunction with the County Council, he said ‘The jury represented a range of key stake holders and high powered opinion formers who all agreed on the verdict and backed the outcome in a short period of time. This endorsement will assist in influencing decisions made across the county as the organisations who can make a difference all have a shared understanding of the issues.

“He added, It was a great way to canvas opinion and the expertise of a large group of people. The recommendations will go to the Devon Rural Network who can give a steer of the type of priorities for the future and it is hoped that this will influence decisions made across the county. ‘

“The jury concept as a means of tackling complex subjects has been trialled by the government with the citizen jury.”

May 22nd, 2008

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Appledore arts a’coming

posted by Cptn

If you’ve spent an afternoon watching youngsters and oldsters crabbing on the Appledore sea front, you’d be forgiven for wondering how the whole town turns into a massive arts festival from Thursday May 29 to Sunday June 1. But arts epicentre it becomes for the Appledore Arts Festival, attracting the great and the good.

Over the next couple of days we’ll be looking at a couple of the artists who are taking part in this year’s Appledore festival, but for now, content yourself with a brief overview of what’s going on on the North Devon shore.

The theme for this year, fittingly enough, is The Earth, for as Satish Kumar, director of Resurgence says: “The Earth has inspired great art for centuries. It is a wonderful, natural muse.”

And there’s a literal usage of earth for some of the artists. Jill Abey and Jackie Smallcombe use cob for sculpture and sculptured buildings.

Sculptor Peter Randall-Page will be present, talking about Granite Song, a collaborative project with the photographer Chris Chapman, which celebrates their local mid-Devon landscape. And sculptor David Brampton-Greene will be on hand, as will potter Svend Bayer.

Paul Lewin will be running a two-day masterclass in the rare pigment of Bideford Black.

Add to that the films, dance, artists trail open gardens, door knockers, and you’ve got an excellent wide ranging event for all ages.

To find out more, of what’s happening on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, visit the website. Or download the brochure.
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May 22nd, 2008

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The science of art

Back at the start of March there was the fascinating ESRC Festival of Social Science Week. We mention it now because Claire Packman’s article (below) included, among others, Tony Hill, who’s taking part in the Flipside Film Festival tonight in the Laws of Nature/Downside Up event, at Plymouth Arts Centre at 8.30pm. Read on to find out what science and art can do for each other, and get a quick insight into Tony Hill

“South-west-based artists found themselves head-to-head with scientists and social scientists at a unique event in Exeter.

International experimental filmmaker Tony Hill and Falmouth artist Robin Hawes were among the invited speakers at Science in the Dock, Art in the Stocks: Convex/Concave, a one-day public workshop.

Part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science Week, the event took place at Gallery Terracina, an old warehouse that sits on the dockside between the river and the canal at Haven Banks, Exeter. Against the background of an exhibition of work by Nicky Thompson, Deborah Robinson and Caroline Burke, other speakers included sociologist of science Professor Harry Collins, expert in animal vision Dr Julian Partridge, ocean biologist Dr Samantha Lavender and psychologist Dr Ian Gordon.

“Convex/Concave brought together artists and scientists to share ideas about vision and perception and to engage with one another’s work and modes of representation,” explains Deborah Robinson, artist in residence at Egenis, the Centre for Genomics in Society, based at the University of Exeter, which organised the event.

“The gallery has been fulll for the whole day and evening,” says Gallery Terracina owner Cristina Burke-Trees. “The access to scientists and artists in such a relaxed atmosphere really appeals to everyone and we had some very interesting discussions.”

Director of Egenis Professor John Dupré says the experience was productive for everyone.
“Complex biological and biotechnological phenomena seem very different from a sociological or visual arts perspective,” he says. “Bringing the different views together in context can be illuminating for all sides.”

Tony Hill’s work has been shown at many art galleries, including Tate Britain, and at international film festivals. His short films explore different ways of looking at the world.

“The medium of film has great potential for seeing in ways unlike normal perception,” he says.
“Using a wide range of unusual techniques I am exploring familiar environments in such a way that we must see them with new eyes.”

Many of Tony’s films have been made with purpose-built equipment. His ingenious camera mounts enable complex and seemingly impossible movements.

He showed short extracts from a number of his works, including Too See, Downside Up, Water Work and Expanded Movie. He also showed the whole of the brief but remarkable A Short History of the Wheel.

“I’m trying to undermine our perceptual habits and recreate a sense of wonder,” he says, an aim in he which he succeeds admirably. The audience was spellbound.

Ways of seeing are very much at the heart of the work of Robin Hawes, who showed a series of photographic images produced as part of Private View: The Nature of Visual Process, a collaborative project with cognitive neuroscientist Professor Tim Hodgson.

“My creative practice revolves around the ways in which evolution and the human brain have shaped the nature of our internal experience; our understanding of the external world and the influence this has in determining a common notion of ‘reality’,” Robin says.

“This project highlights the interanlly constructive and indiosyncratic aspect of visual perception. In essence, each time someone contemplates a work of art, that work of art is re-created internally by the brain. The project set out, in part at least, to make visible this hitherto internal, unique and unshared nerological event.”

In his closing summary Professor Bob Witkin expressed his concern that society tends to centralise science and marginalise the arts, particularly in education, where children are encouraged progressively to detach from their own visceral experience in interpreting the world.

Responding, Professor Steve Hughes, co-director of Egenis, who conceived the workshop, expressed the hope that events of this kind, which reveal what artists and scientists share, will help to reverse any marginalisation of one by the other.

• Tony Hill, Laws of Nature/Downside Up event, at Plymouth Arts Centre at 8.30pm. £6 (or £4.50)

(Image from Tony Hill’s Downside Up)

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your republic needs you

May 22nd, 2008

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