Join us for Nature, Farming & Food, our symposium in collaboration with TABLE & the British Ecological Society

Evidence and data about what we eat, where and how it’s grown are some of the most contested scientific debates in the public sphere. All along the food chain, ecological and environmental data about farming are produced by different actors at different scales. How do we ensure scientists, farmers, policymakers and the public are making decisions based on the best possible information?

This symposium will tackle the debates and their politics head-on. It will ask how claims made about the impact of food on land and ecosystems differ when voiced by farmers, corporations or ecologists, and ask how we can work together to create the best evidence.

The event will present an opportunity for a diverse range of delegates to present their research and/or practice on what we eat and how we produce it, with a focus on the potential and the pitfalls for how ecological information about food systems is designed, produced and communicated in different ways.

With the goal of solutions-oriented approaches to food systems transformation in the UK and across the world, this symposium will also address the realities of working in partnership in science, policy and practice.

The opportunity to submit abstracts for presentations (talks and posters) has now opened (closes March 26th). We are keen to have a diverse range of delegates to present their research and/or practice on what we eat and how we produce it, with a focus on the potential and the pitfalls for how ecological information about food systems is designed, produced and communicated in different ways.

To register and for more information visit our Symposium page here

 

Symposium: Nature, Farming and Food: How we value our land

Evidence and data about what we eat, where and how it’s grown are some of the most contested scientific debates in the public sphere. All along the food chain, ecological and environmental data about farming are produced by different actors at different scales. How do we ensure scientists, farmers, policymakers and the public are making decisions based on the best possible information?

This symposium will tackle the debates and their politics head-on. It will ask how claims made about the impact of food on land and ecosystems differ when voiced by farmers, corporations or ecologists, and ask how we can work together to create the best evidence.

The event will present an opportunity for a diverse range of delegates to present their research and/or practice on what we eat and how we produce it, with a focus on the potential and the pitfalls for how ecological information about food systems is designed, produced and communicated in different ways.

With the goal of solutions-oriented approaches to food systems transformation in the UK and across the world, this symposium will also address the realities of working in partnership in science, policy and practice.

Important dates

  • Registration Opens: Thursday 23 January
  • Call for Presentations opens: Thursday 23 January
  • Call for Presentations closes: Wednesday 26 March, 17:00 (GMT)
  • All presentation applicants are informed: Friday 11 April
  • Earlybird discount deadline: Friday 16 May, 17:00 (BST)
  • Speaker and poster registration deadline: Friday 16 May, 17:00 (BST)
  • Full programme announced: Week ending 6 June
  • Registration closes: Friday 6 June, 17:00 (BST)

Our partners

The partnership and steering committee for this event includes representatives from the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery, working alongside the British Ecological Society and TABLE.

Who should attend?

We are very keen to have a wide range of disciplinary, geographic and practical backgrounds, including:

  • Researchers in ecology and cognate disciplines
  • Social scientists
  • Policy makers
  • Conservationists
  • Land Managers and more

Whether or not you are planning on presenting, there will be a focus on reflection and collaboration. We want all delegates to contribute to the process and return to their place of work with a new sense of purpose, having had really valuable and inspiring conversations and a chance to properly reflect on their own projects. If you would like to present at this symposium, either an oral or poster presentation, you can find more information on the Call for presentations page. 

 

Call for presentations

Be part of the agenda.

The programme will include high-profile invited speakers, as well as speakers and posters selected from a call for presentations process, focusing on diverse perspectives and innovative ideas addressing key questions about valuing farming, biodiversity, food, and knowledge.

Through evidence-driven sessions, the event aims to foster dialogue, collaboration, and actionable insights for transforming agricultural systems and enhancing ecological and food security outcomes. At BES meetings, all presentations have equal status, so there is no difference in the standing of a talk or poster presentation.

  • The presentation submission deadline is Wednesday 26 March, 17:00 (GMT).
  • Decisions regarding presentations will be sent to submitters on Wednesday 9 April.
  • Those selected to speak will be asked to register by 16 May to be included in the programme. Your presentation will be withdrawn and a replacement found if you do not register by this date.
  • Each oral presentation will be 10 minutes in duration, including time for questions.

Your presentation should fit with one of the symposium’s four themes:

Valuing Farming

Presentations within this theme could cover, but aren’t limited to:

  • The relationship between agricultural resilience and nature recovery
  • Whether live-stock farming is necessary for flourishing ecosystems
  • Asking what just transitions to more sustainable and ecologically friendly farming might look like
  • Whether agri-environment schemes offer enough? And what do we mean by “enough”?
  • The impact of producing food in cities on both urban and rural landscapes

Valuing Biodiversity

Presentations within this theme could explore, but aren’t limited to, the following questions:

  • Whose version of “nature” should get priority in creating a shared future?
  • Will nature markets/biodiversity offsetting catalyse sustainable food production?
  • Does sustainable food production at home mean biodiversity loss elsewhere?
  • Are diverse agricultural systems biodiverse landscapes?

Valuing Food

Presentations within this theme could explore, but aren’t limited to, the following questions:

  • What does a diet for global biodiversity look like in different national and regional contexts?
  • Is focusing on agrobiodiversity a distraction for bigger biodiversity concerns?
  • Do people recognise the importance of environmental concerns when making food choices?

Valuing Knowledge

Presentations within this theme could explore, but aren’t limited to, the following questions:

  • What evidence backs up different visions of agricultural transformation?
  • What is the relationship between knowledge from practice and knowledge from research, both in conservation and farming? What should it be?
  • How can farmers best inform peer-reviewed science, and scientists best inform farmers?
  • What are the most common claims made about farming without sufficient evidence?
  • How do we turn evidence about food and farming into decision-making in a way that is fair?

There will also be poster session, for those who would like to present in an informal but more focused way.

More information about the Symposium here

 

Register here (early bird rates till May 16th)

 

Call for presentations here