Climate, Water & Soil: Science, Policy & Practice

This multi-disciplinary conference will address our current understanding of the management of climate, water and soils in a rapidly changing economic and natural environment.

The conference will concentrate on how global changes affect issues at national, landscape and local scales. It will present not only the best possible science and research knowledge but also provide a forum to raise and discuss ways in which policy needs to be adapted to meet future challenges and how management at landscape and local scales can be identified, prioritised and delivered in the context of multiple drivers.

The conference will be opened by Campbell Gemmell (Chief Executive, SEPA) and the opening address provided by Richard Lochhead MSP.

Papers and posters will be presented under the following themes:

• Theme 1: Climate, Water and Soil: Addressing the Challenge
  Chaired by James Curran (Director of Environmental Science, SEPA) with keynote papers from Pete Smith (Chair in Plant and Soil Science, University of Aberdeen) and David Gorman (Head of Environmental Strategy, SEPA) covering the changing climate and policy implications.
• Theme 2: Managing the Challenge at a Landscape Scale
  Chaired by Brian Chambers (Head of Soils and Nutrients, ADAS) with keynote paper from Bob Ferrier (Head of Catchment Management, Macaulay Institute) titled ‘Global issues at catchment scale: A challenge for soil and water management’.
• Theme 3: Managing the Challenge at a Local Scale
  Chaired by Peter Gregory (Director/Chief Executive, SCRI) with keynote paper from Phil Haygarth (Co-Director, Centre for Sustainable Water Management, University of Lancaster) titled ‘Can soil and water be managed for multiple objectives?’
• Theme 4: Rising to the challenge
  Chaired by Bill McKelvey (Chief Executive, SAC) with keynote paper from Jonathan Hall (Head of Rural Policy, NFUS) titled ‘What land managers need and want to know’. Further papers will discuss how the lowlands, uplands and forestry sectors rise to the challenge. Janice Milne (Head of Environmental Policy, SEPA) and John Oldham (Head of Research and Development, SAC) will deliver closing papers on future policy needs and delivering the science.

For further information contact:
Mrs Karen Crighton, PA to Environmental Services Group Manager, SAC (Scottish Agricultural College), Auchincruive, Ayr, KA6 5HW
T: 01292 525282; F: 01292 525333