Impacts on SW and
background information
Sectors:
Warming to the idea*
*SW Climate Change Impact Scoping Study including report summary and technical report
Aim:
To support the Agriculture and Forestry Sector in preparing for and reducing the impacts of climate change in the South West by sharing knowledge and information, coordinating activities of key organisations and working collaboratively where appropriate.
Lead contact: Paul Cottington (paul.cottington@nfu.org.uk) of the National Farmers Union.
Latest Progress Report - for past papers, see below
The SWCCIP Agriculture and Forestry Group has been re-established, with the group meeting for the first time in September 2009. The group is chaired by Paul Cottington from the National Farmers Union (NFU) and includes representation from a number of regional organisations working within the agriculture, forestry and land-use sectors. The group has now agreed its Terms of Reference and are working to develop an action plan.
In September 2009 the Forestry Commission launched the South West's Regional Woodland and Forestry Framework. This Framework aims to be the first point of focus on the future of the region’s woods and forests; on the one hand to identify how the region can benefit more from woods and on the other hand, how the region can become a better custodian of its woods and forests, and responsibly nurture them into the future. The framework takes into account the need to adapt to climate change in managing our woods and forests. The framework and implementation plan can be found from this link: www.forestry.gov.uk/southwest-rwff. SWCCIP supported and participated in the extensive consultation leading to the production of this new framework.
SWCCIP's 'Climate Change Farm' video on YouTube. A short video from SWCCIP was put on YouTube in January 2009. In the video 'Climate Change Farm', Mark Diacono shows how he has adapted Otter Farm in Devon to climate change. By growing produce that was once seen as marginal, such as almonds and olives, he demonstrates the new opportunities that are becoming available to farmers in South West England. The video is on the oursouthwest YouTube channel - for direct link to the video click here: Climate Change Farm.
Work led by the Royal Agricultural College, which conducted research assessing farmer attitudes to Climate Change in the South West, has highlighted key messages from the research to the European Commission and member states, as SWCCIP attended a meeting on climate change impacts on agriculture as part of the EU’s preparation for a Green Paper on Climate Change Adaptation. Nearly 1000 farmers were targeted with over 300 replies. Over half the farmers responded that climate change was important or extremely important to their business, over 80% said they had noticed effects of climate change on their own farm, but over half also admitted that their knowledge of how climate change would impact on them was average to poor. Work is ongoing to highlight the challenges and opportunities that climate change poses to the agriculture sector.
During November 2006 the Royal Agricultural College updated the www.oursouthwest.com "Wildlife Friendly Farming Guide" to take account of climate change adaptation measures.
Tools
Please visit our Tools page for access to relevant tools and reports for the Agriculture and Forestry sectors.
Past Papers etc
Agriculture and climate change adaptation meeting minutes 17 December 2009 (doc).
Agriculture and climate change adaptation meeting minutes 30 September 2009 (doc).
Agriculture in a changing climate - threats and opportunities (Dec 2006) – Presentation by John Conway to the AGM of the NFU's Devon Branch (low graphics version): Agriculture in a changing climate - threats and opportunities (pdf 206kb).
South West Climate Change Impacts Partnership