Rich Discussions and Surprising Intersections
In my group, what started as a structured discussion about survey responses quickly evolved into a wide-ranging debate that touched on fundamental questions about environmental stewardship and academic responsibility. We found ourselves grappling with provocative topics, spanning the role of academia in direct environmental action, questions of free and open access to land, the governance of UK footpaths and the intersection of policy, practice, and research.
And on the topic of provocation, each day began with thought-provoking talks from designated ‘provocateurs’ who lived up to their title, challenging our assumptions and pushing us to think beyond conventional boundaries. Speakers included: Jyoti Fernandes from the Land Workers’ Alliance, James Bullock from UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Dan Raven-Ellison of Slow Ways, Paul Powlesland from Lawyers for Nature, Naomi Oakley from Natural England, and Louisa Adjoa Parker, a poet and EDI consultant. Their diverse perspectives – spanning agriculture, ecology, law, policy, and the arts – created a rich tapestry of viewpoints on biodiversity renewal.
What emerged from these sessions was a powerful reminder of how language shapes our understanding of biodiversity and our relationship with nature. Phrases that surfaced throughout (and hastily jotted down in my notebook) the discussions captured this beautifully – the idea that regenerative farming creates time to spend in nature, the vision of our urban landscapes as ‘a mosaic of gardens’, the concept of ‘agro-ecological food webs’, as opposed to rigid chains replete with weak links. These weren’t just poetic turns of phrase, but windows into different ways of seeing and being with nature.
Above: Interdisciplinary teamwork: Gavin Stark from Natural England joins Poet & RENEW PhD student Caleb Parkin with mathematician & RENEW Postdoctoral Research Fellow Siddharth Unnithan Kumar.