Recently, the South West Scotland Future Landscapes Conference brought together experts from various land management industries to discuss the integration of land management practices into rural areas and to highlight the existing gaps in training and skills within the sector.
Held at SRUC’s Barony College campus, the conference engaged attendees in a series of workshops aimed at envisioning the future landscape of Dumfries and Galloway over the next five, ten, and fifty years.
Envisioning the future
The conference opened with a forward-looking session where participants shared their visions for the future of Dumfries and Galloway. Key points included the urgent need for enhanced nature-based education at both school and higher education levels, and the development of a robust framework to support agriculture in delivering nature restoration and biodiversity while maintaining high-quality food production.
MORE NEWS | New ‘Milk Every Moment’ campaign for student athletes
MORE NEWS | The merger hopes to combine solid and liquid manure products
Investment for biodiversity
A recurring theme was the necessity for substantial investment from both public and private sectors to achieve biodiversity across various fields, including energy, housing, education, health, and transport. The discussions highlighted that a universal approach to funding and support is crucial for sustainable land management.
Skills for a sustainable future
Workshop sessions highlighted the skills required for a sustainable future, featuring insights from the South West Scotland based Regenerative Farming Network. Judith Hutchison, a farmer's wife from Moffat and facilitator of the QMS Monitor Farm programme, emphasised the importance of soil health. Managing approximately 750 sheep and 80 suckler cattle, Judith shared her experiences in transitioning to sustainable farming practices.
“Soil is a diverse, complex city, and man is causing increasing damage to the living organisms within through intensive farming methods such as ploughing and use of wormers.” she explained.
Judith highlighted the benefits of mob grazing on plant root structures and the reduction in chemical use, focusing on the minimal use of wormers to protect soil ecosystems.
Innovative farming practices
Judith detailed her innovative approaches, including conducting faecal egg counts to monitor sheep health and using homemade blends known as ‘Judith's Witchcraft.’ These blends include bio-fertilizers, mixed herbal reseed mixes, and lactobacillus (a mixture of yogurt and milk) to prevent water mouth at lambing time.
Her takeaway message was clear: “When food is grown in far more nutrient-rich soil, the end product is more nutritious for us as the consumer, and with that, I truly believe this will relieve pressures from the NHS.”
She also addressed the mental shift required for farmers to adopt regenerative farming methods.
“One of the hardest challenges faced by farmers when considering regenerative farming methods is concurring their own mindset. Once that changes, anything is possible,” she said.
Conclusion
The South West Scotland Future Landscapes Conference highlighted the critical need for integrating sustainable land management practices into various rural sectors. By focusing on education, investment, and innovative farming methods, the region can move towards a future where biodiversity and agricultural productivity go hand in hand.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here