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It was organised in conjunction with the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, the Scottish Crop Research Institute and Forest Research with additional speakers from Scottish Government (not least Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead MSP) Aberdeen University, RSPB Scotland, Newcastle University, Lancaster University and ADAS. 

Minister Richard Lochhead used his opening remarks to introduce PLANET Scotland, a web-based tool to help farmers (or their consultants) calculate the nutrient use and status of their farm. This data is not only useful in avoiding unnecessary fertiliser cost or waste but also reduces pollution and makes it easier to manage the requirements of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones for example. Based on an original ADAS project in England, PLANET Scotland (Planning Application of Nutrition for Efficiency and the Environment) incorporates SAC data and has received £400,000 of Scottish Government funding. It will be launched for the farming community at the Royal Highland Show.

The first of four Science sessions run over the 2 days addressed the wider, global challenge of climate change, looking at the big picture issues in the wake of a disappointing Copenhagen Conference.  It was chaired by James Curran, Director of Science at SEPA (in podcast 1). 

Among the speakers was James Curran’s SEPA colleague Dave Gorman whose job, as Head of Strategy, is to consider the longer term perspective and challenge existing thinking. His concern was that the bigger messages about living with or addressing climate change seemed to be outwith the control of the ordinary person. He believes messages need to be simpler. (in podcast 2) 

A similar, challenging tack was taken by SAC economist Dr. Dominic Moran who explained that it was important to remember that 3 key elements needed to be addressed if farmers and land managers were to really engage with addressing the challenges of climate change. These were effectiveness, efficiency and equity. (in podcast 3)  

In the afternoon, the second session brought the challenges nearer “home” to a landscape scale with soil and water centre stage. The subjects covered also indicated the range of pressures facing policy makers with issues such as sedimentation, flood control, the effects of agricultural diffuse pollution effects on salmon all emphasising the variety of things we want from our land and water. Chairing that session was Brian Chambers of rural consultants ADAS. (in podcast 4)   

Much of keynote speaker Dr Bob Ferrier’s work is involved with the Water Framework Directive from the EU which is addressing issues of water quality and supply on a whole river catchment scale.  Bob Ferrier believes that for Scotland the catchment approach to deciding land management issues has real value. (in podcast 5)  However while the area of a catchment represents a scale more easy for people to grasp when considering changes in the approach to land management it is not necessarily small enough. Dr Kairsty Topp of SAC’s Land Economy and Environment Research Group has made a regional assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (including nitrous oxide) across Scotland. The results were extremely variable and argue against any one size fits all approach to amelioration methods.