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Owned by everyone?

Owned by everyone?

Written by: Owned by everyone
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Chalk streams are among the world’s most remarkable ecosystems. They’re rare as rhinos, but much more English: 85% of the world’s supply are distributed between Dorset and East Yorkshire. Their mineral rich water is famously clear, and supports remarkable flora and fauna, including England’s oldest animal. But they are in trouble, thanks to decades of mismanagement, over-abstraction and pollution.


In March 2023, a conference in Cambridge, inspired by poet and environmentalist Ted Hughes, explored the culture and crisis of these beautiful rivers, and resolved to build the most inclusive possible coalition of care in their defence and protection.


We recorded its eight sessions, each ninety minutes in length, with most consisting of three twenty-minute presentations and half an hour of questions. (Session 4 included four fifteen-minute case studies from around England.) These built towards an open discussion chaired by Tony Juniper of Natural England looking forward to the urgent changes needed to reverse the abuse inflicted on our chalk streams since the Second World War, to address the failures of water companies, regulators and Government in not enforcing existing statutory regulations and in seeking to remove those that remain. These discussions all mix wonder at natural beauty, horror at what we’ve done to it and hope at how to fix the mess we’ve all been complicit in.


Subscribe to access all eight ninety-minute podcasts, and download the conference programme, and the presentations’ slides as you listen along at our partner website https://ownedbyeveryone.org, where you can also read the statement issued on behalf of the attendees at the end of the conference, share stories from your own community action group, learn how you can make a difference yourself, and access a growing range of resources from our ever growing community of those who believe that a culture is no better than its rivers. You can also comment or get in touch with your ideas.

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Copyright for each presentation remains with the speaker Biological Sciences Political Science Politics & Government Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • The crisis facing our chalk streams

    The crisis facing our chalk streams
    Apr 17 2023

    In this first episode, 'The crisis facing chalk streams', John Fanshawe introduces us to the work and partnerships that make the Cambridge Conservation Initiative exactly the right place for our conference. Mark Wormald briefly establishes wo of those assembled does what in, on or beside chalk streams. Then John introduces Chris Smith, Lord Smith of Finsbury, the chair of our first scene setting session. You’ll hear talks from Mark Wormald, on the inspiration and reproach of Ted Hughes, writer Adam Nicolson on the crisis and culture of our chalk streams, and Catherine Sayer, freshwater ecologist and freshwater lead at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Catherine describes the IUCN’s ongoing work in reassessing salmonid and other fish populations, including the genetically distinct taxon of chalk stream salmon.


    Don’t forget to download pdfs of the three presentations from our website https://ownedbyeveryone.org here.


    Timings: introductions to 6.07

    Mark Wormald from 6.08

    Adam Nicolson from 28.47

    Catherine Sayer from 48.56

    Q & A from 1.10.05

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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • Nature Live

    Nature Live
    Apr 20 2023

    What exactly goes on under the surface of our chalk streams, and why is it important to know as precisely as possible? Our second episode, Nature Live, introduced by WildFish Conservation's CEO Nick Measham, reveals the behaviour and sheer physical beauty of the fish that swim in our chalk streams, and sometimes connect them to the sea. Nick gives way to Tom Worthington of the IUCN, who describes his team's fascinating work on swim ways; to Jack Perks, leading underwater cameraman and film maker Jack Perks, who brings a light touch and a steady hand to the tech and techniques needed to get wet for a good cause; and specialist fish illustrator Marc Dando, on why trout and grayling have lured him away from even bigger fish.....


    Timings:


    Nick Measham to 3.34


    Tom Worthington from 3.34


    Jack Perks from 22.04


    Marc Dando from 43.54


    Q & A from 1.01.53


    Marc Dando from

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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Nature and Culture

    Nature and Culture
    Apr 25 2023

    Episode Three, Nature and Culture, is introduced by Ali Morse, Water Policy Manager at the Wildlife Trusts. Ali welcomes author and biologist Amy-Jane Beer, who talks about her own experience of nature and connection through chalk streams; Dylan Everett, countryside manager and river keeper on the Test at Mottisfont, on the culture, nature and land choices influencing the most iconic of our chalk streams from the nineteenth century to the present and into the future, and environmental lawyer and activist Paul Powlesland. Paul speaks, without notes, about the rights for nature movement, his love for the River Roding, and the case for granting rivers rights of their own. A fascinating Q & A ends with a reading of Ted Hughes's poem 'Nymet'.


    Timings


    Amy-Jane Beer speaks from 0.06


    Dylan Everett speaks from 21.10


    Paul Powlesland speaks from 40.42


    Q & A from 59.33


    'Nymet' from 1.21.31

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    1 hr and 24 mins
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