The public dialogues aim to contribute to a better public understanding of current challenges of UK land-use and food consumption, and inviting participants to create more targeted regional 'blueprints' for the future of landscapes in the UK.
Geography staff members Katrin Prager and Flurina Wartmann were invited to give expert input to a series of public dialogues held across Aberdeenshire. The dialogues with members of the public were facilitated by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature WWF through their initiative UK Land Use Conversation which are running in seven different locations across the UK, including Aberdeenshire.
The public dialogues aim to contribute to a better public understanding of current challenges of UK land-use and food consumption, and inviting participants to create more targeted regional ‘blueprints’ for the future of landscapes in the UK. The Blueprint project will enable informed stakeholders to explore the different pathways available for meeting the 'triple challenge' (meeting food needs, while tackling the climate crisis and reversing the loss of nature) in UK landscapes by 2030.
Katrin Prager provided expert input on agriculture and food production, with questions from the public ranging from biogas production to effects of plastic covering in agriculture on biodiversity. Flurina Wartmann gave expert input on biodiversity and people, highlighting promising examples of how people can bring back nature to their gardens and environments. Questions included why insect and bird populations are declining and what we can do in our own gardens to help wildlife.
The dialogue with members of the public showed how raising awareness and scientists entering into a dialogue with the public is an important step towards stakeholders taking actions to address the meeting the challenges of future landscapes in the UK.