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CAWR Newsletter
April 2024
Our monthly newsletters are an easy way to keep up-to-date with new developments at our research centre. From successful project bids to upcoming events, our newsletter informs you on how we are 'driving innovative transdisciplinary research on equitable, sustainable and resilient food and water systems.'
The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the contributors at the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Coventry University.
Planting peat-free blocks
In the next stage of our project to make peat-free blocks, CAWR researchers Francis Rayns and Judith Conroy have been to Devon to plant lettuces grown in a range of prototype peat-free mixes. Working with the tractor planting team, they were able to assess how well the blocks held together under real-life conditions. Find out more in the new video made by project partner Riverford Organic Farmers.
Participation in the International Conference Water and Sewage in the Circular Economy Model
On April 22nd to 24th, PhD student Jhonny Bautista Quispe delivered an oral presentation about his research on the 'Optimisation of biochar filter for handwashing wastewater treatment and potential reuse of treated water for handwashing' at the International Conference Water and Sewage in the Circular Economy Model (CEwater). The event took place in the city of Krakow, Poland. The aim of the CEwater conference was to summarise the issues and methods of water and wastewater management, presenting the best practices for implementing Circular Economy (CE) in the water and wastewater management sector as part of technological and educational solutions. Jhonny was delighted to have the opportunity to present his work to a diverse audience of fellow researchers dedicated to exploring sustainable water and sewage treatment solutions within the framework of the CE.
Sue Charlesworth and Lopa Saxena contribute to World Water Day
Sue Charlesworth and Lopa Saxena contribute to World Water Day at GITAM University’s Bengaluru campus.
Collaboration with GITAM University (India)
Following the signing of an MoU last December between Coventry University and GITAM University (India), which expressed interest in developing collaboration between research centres in CU and GITAM, Prof Sue Charlesworth and Dr Lopa Patnaik Saxena from CAWR visited GITAM in India last month using ODA funding.
“Sue and I were looking at ‘soil, water, and agroecology’ as the broad research theme within which we could identify specific project proposals, including joint PhD studentships and co-writing of journal papers and opinion pieces. We met interested researchers and students and visited research facilities across the three campuses of GITAM in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Visakhapatnam. With GITAM, we have prioritised specific topics that we can potentially work on and develop proposals for funding calls when they come up. In addition to CAWR and GITAM working together, we also jointly explored the potential for collaboration with other partners and stakeholders in India (e.g. the Biome project in Bengaluru; ICRISAT and IIMR in Hyderabad; Centre for People’s Forestry in Visakhapatnam; WASSAN and Odisha Millets Mission in Bhubaneswar). We are happy to share details with those interested to learn more.We are looking forward to developing collaboration opportunities with GITAM and other key partners in India.” Lopa and Sue.
Outside (R) Zine Festival Coventry Cathedral
Lucy Aphramor facilitated a stall with queer creative and experienced community worker, Dawn Tiller, at the Outside (R) Zine festival held in Coventry Cathedral in March. The session offered a friendly, supportive space to collectively re imagine food and well-being beyond the binary of healthy/unhealthy , good/bad, eating dis/order etc as informed by people’s stories, Disability Justice, and fat rights.
Call for papers in the Special Collection “Advances in Biochar Production and Applications” in the Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio)
Biochar is regarded by many as a promising negative emissions technology and an important tool in the fight against climate change. It is formed by the pyrolysis of biomass under low-oxygen conditions, which generates a highly stable form of carbon, predicted to persist in the soil for hundreds to thousands of years. Due to its porous structure, extended surface area, and retention capacity, biochar has also been proposed as an efficient water and soil remediator, with potential benefits for crop production. The impact of biochar is however still controversial. Studies have shown that its properties can be highly dependent on the type of originating biomass and production methods, suggesting it is possible to tailor biochar for different purposes.
This Collection aims to highlight the benefits and drawbacks of biochar and welcomes original research on biochar production and applications towards a sustainable environment.
Editors:
· Anna Bogush, CAWR, Coventry University, UK
· Bruno Glaser, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
· Shubiao Wu, Aarhus University, Denmark
Dr Barbara Smith takes a Learning Community on a Deep Dive into Biodiversity
Dr Barbara Smith led a Learning Community workshop comprised of representatives from ethnic minority communities who attend walks led by our partner, Dadima’s, in an in-depth exploration of biodiversity as part of the PLANET4B project in April. In this second of four workshops, the participants attempted to define biodiversity, discussed what this means for the community and considered what biodiversity we are targeting to benefit both planet and people. Barbara introduced participants to scientific concepts demonstrating how biodiversity can be measured at various levels, highlighting legislation designed to protect it. Following this workshop, the Learning Community will participate in a citizen science project together.
CAWR researchers test methods for measuring ash dieback in young ash trees
As part of a trial being run by researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), researchers from CAWR, Ffion Thomas, Liz Trenchard, Samantha Green and volunteer, Lesley Hall tested methods for assessing the severity of ash dieback disease on naturally regenerated ash saplings. Two assessment methods were tested on 50 small, self-seeded ash trees in the local Wolston woods to see how easy they were to use, and how replicable the results were between the different testers. Findings will go towards developing methods that can easily be used to check ash dieback symptoms on ash saplings that have naturally regenerated.
CAWR Researchers at 2024 City Food Policy Symposium
CAWR Researchers Jasber Singh, Claire Lyons, Lamis Jamil, and Ali Parsa attended the 2024 City Food Policy Symposium on April 18, 2024 and made their mark by presenting three posters. Claire Lyons presented her PhD research exploring the role of Geographical Indications as a regional governance mechanism after Brexit, specifically the Sussex Wine Protected Designation of Origin. Lamis Jamil showcased her PhD research, focusing on the role of a London-based community kitchen in shaping people’s food culture through a deep case study of the Granville Community Kitchen in South Kilburn. Ali Parsa shared his postdoctoral research framework for agent-based modelling of agroforestry and mixed farming in England as part of the AGROMIX project. Their contribution attracted the interest of many participants, underscoring CAWR's dedication to contributing valuable insights to food policy and agroecology discussions.
CAWR Celebrates Fashion Revolution Week
Fashion Revolution Week 2024 ran from the 15th-24th of April. This year it ran for 10 days to celebrate 10 years since the world’s largest fashion activism movement first started actively campaigning, after the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013. This year’s theme was ‘How to be a Fashion Revolutionary’. CAWR ran a ‘Timeless Trades’ fashion themed bring and share table to offer staff and students a sustainable option.
CAWR Spring Bingo
To celebrate Earth Day on the 22nd of April 'The Sustainability Group' at CAWR arranged a game of 'CAWR Spring Bingo' so staff and students could spend some time enjoying nature and appreciating our wonderful gardens.
‘You Chews’ discussion success at CAWR
Lucy Aphramor and Rachel Frost led a discussion group which explored the powerful and often enduring impact of social, medical and familial attitudes to ‘healthy eating’ and body size. Several key themes relevant to equality, diversity and inclusion emerged, not least the importance of taking people’s lived experiences seriously as a source of knowledge and using this to change dominant messages, in this case, around nutrition and dieting.
Invitation to attend round table discussion at the House of Lords and Parliament
In March and April of 2024, Geraldine Brown was invited to attend two roundtable discussions at Westminster. The first one was hosted by Lord Simon Woolly, while the second was chaired by Baroness Maeve Sherlock, both meetings aimed to bring together key actors to discuss ways Black-led churches can work together and support social action within their local communities. The meetings provided an opportunity to support the National Church Leadership Forum's goal of proactively supporting African and Caribbean communities, as outlined in the National Church Leaders' Forum manifesto Manifesto2022.pdf on Google Drive. Geraldine's active engagement with this agenda began with research conducted in 2016, examining a faith-based prison and community intervention by Bringing Hope, a faith-based organization based in the West Midlands. This relationship has gone from strength to strength and has had wide-ranging impact.
Sunflowers being planted in the CAWR polytunnel by local volunteers.
Local sunflower project
This spring, we have made space in one of our Ryton polytunnels for a local project aiming to grow over 10,000 sunflowers to be planted in nearby Leamington Spa. Volunteers from Cubbington and Lillington Environmental Action Now (CLEAN) have been busy propagating sunflowers which will be distributed to local schools, community groups and individuals.
The aim is to bring joy, widen awareness of environmental issues and bring local groups together on one project. There will be a sunflowers celebration as part of the CLEAN Green Bash on 15th June, featuring environmental stalls and displays, activities and eco-inspired entertainment, including top climate comedian Stuart Goldsmith.
For more details, contact Matt.black@pop3.poptel.org.uk 077656 84941
AGROMIX hosts policy summit in Brussels
The AGROMIX Policy Summit: Agroforestry for the Future of European Agriculture brought a wide array of voices, perspectives, and insights together in one room to explore ways in which agroforestry and mixed farming can be enhanced under EU policy.
Nearly 100 participants at the one-day Brussels summit on 17 April 2024 heard from the world of policy with the likes of Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director of ENVI.D - Biodiversity at DG ENVI, Tamas Szedlak, Forestry Expert at DG AGRI and Susana Gaona Sáez, who underlined the roles that agroforestry and mixed farming can play in the transition to more sustainable agriculture.
They also were brought up to date by farmers such as Elise Van Broeckhoven, Tijs Boelens and Morgan Ody, General Coordinator of La Via Campesina, who took to the stage to highlight the challenges they face when it comes to implementing agroecological systems in the present-day policy environment.
To mark the summit, the AGROMIX Project published a Press Release calling on the incoming European Commission to bring about an improved Green Deal.
Participation in an international conference "European Geosciences Union (EGU)General Assembly 2024" held at Vienna (Austria) 15 April-19April 2024
PhD student Zarmina Zahoor attended the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2024, a five-day conference in Austria (Vienna). She presented her PhD project “Spatiotemporal analysis and projections of wildfire risk across Pakistan under different climate change scenarios” under the supervision of DoS Jonathan Eden. This is the largest conference of Europe which takes place every year in Vienna with almost 20k participants from all over the world.
Participants getting involved and helping to inform research
Soil plastic open day
On 8th April, CAWR researchers held an open day at Ryton Organic Gardens on the issue of plastic pollution in soils. Members of the public engaged in practical soil sampling, workshop activities and laboratory tours. A collaboration between CAWR and Garden Organic, the REPAS project is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and is working with citizens to co-create a project that is more relevant to and inclusive of wider society.
Marco, Jana and Prof Rafael Larraín (from PUCC) in the Rio Colorado catchment, southeast of Santiago.
Staff exchange to Chile
During March 2024, CAWR’s Jana Fried and Marco Van De Wiel were seconded to the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile as part of the UNDERTREES project. During their visit they and their Chilean colleagues explored opportunities for collaborative research on environmental impacts of animal grazing practices, social impact assessment of invasive species, and using trees to mitigate fluvial erosion.
Agroforestry Open Weekend 2024
Interested in agroforestry or sustainable farming practices? Then take a look at the Agroforestry Open Weekend! Farmers across the UK, Ireland and beyond who are already working closely with trees will be opening their gates to the public over 17-20 May. Find out who’s participating in your area, how to book and more here:
Events
Thursday 9th of May / 2-3 pm UK Time
Seminar: Coventry City Region case study: Mapping of Coventry’s foodscape as a site of agroecological transition with Lucia Nicastro
Catch up on our events and seminars by visiting our YouTube channel
Publications
Aphramor, L. (2024) Refarming nutrition beyond the healthy/unhealthy binary. Food Ethics Council blog. April 2024. https://www.foodethicscouncil.org/opinion/reframing-nutrition-beyond-the-binary/
Bogush A., Kourtchev I. (2024) Disposable surgical/medical face masks and filtering face pieces: source of microplastics and chemical additives in the environment. Environmental Pollution, 348, 123792. https://doi.org/10.016/j.envpol.2024.123792
Quispe J.I.B., Campos L., Masek O., Bogush A. (2024) Removal of anionic surfactant from aqueous solutions by adsorption onto biochars: characterisation, kinetics, and mechanism. Environmental Technology. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2024.2304677
Jones, T. S., Culham, A., Pickles, B. J., & David, J. (2024). Can gardeners identify 'future invaders'? NeoBiota, 91, pp.125-144. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.91.110560
Ramdas, S.R. & Pimbert, M.P. 2024. A cog in the capitalist wheel: Co-opting agroecology in South India. The Journal of Peasant Studies, Volume 51, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2024.2310739
Argamino, C. R. A., Sebben, B. G., da Costa, G., Towers, S., Bogush, A., Stevanovic, S., Godoi, R.H.M. & Kourtchev, I. (2024). Development and validation of a GC Orbitrap-MS method for the determination of phthalate esters (PAE) and bis (2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) to atmospheric particles and its application for screening PM2.5 from Curitiba, Brazil. Analytical Methods. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3AY02197A
Schillé E., Valdés-Correcher E., ...Green S., Castagneyrol B., et al. (2024) Decomposing drivers in avian insectivory: Large-scale effects of climate, habitat and bird diversity Journal of Biogeography DOI: 10.1111/jbi.14808
Jones, T. S., Culham, A., Pickles, B. J., & David, J. (2024). How do gardeners define ‘invasive’? Implications for invasion science and environmental policy instruments on invasive species. Environmental Science & Policy, 151, 103614. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2023.103614
Pimbert, M.P. (2023). Defender la transformación radical de la agricultura y la alimentación. In: Una mirada critica de la transición ecológica. Revista Soberania Alimentaria Biodiversidad y Culturas. No 48.
Moeller, NI, Geck, M, Anderson, C, Barahona, C, Broudic, C, Cluset, R, Henriques, G, Leippert, F, Mills, D, Minhaj, A, Mueting-van Loon, A, de Raveschoot, SP, Frison, E. (2023). Measuring agroecology: Introducing a methodological framework and a community of practice approach. Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene 11(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2023.00042
Carmen L. Manuelian, Sophie Valleix, Héloïse Bugaut, Birgit Fuerst-Waltl, Luciana daCosta, Sara Burbi, Ulrich Schmutz, Adrian Evans, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Sofia Faliagka, Uygun Aksoy, Özge Çiçekli, Danuta Dróżdż, Krystyna Malińska, Lindsay Whistance, Marion Johnson, Lucas Knebl, Federico Righi & Massimo De Marchi (2023) 'Farmers concerns in relation to organic livestock production', Italian Journal of Animal Science, 22:1, 1268-1282, DOI: 10.1080/1828051X.2023.2252005
Bacher, S., Galil, B. S., Nuñez, M. A., Ansong, M., Cassey, P., Dehnen-Schmutz, K., Fayvush, G., Hiremath, A. J., Ikegami, M., Martinou, A. F., McDermott, S. M., Preda, C., Vilà, M., Weyl, O. L. F., Fernandez, R. D., and Ryan-Colton, E. (2023). Chapter 4: Impacts of invasive alien species on nature, nature's contributions to people, and good quality of life. In: Thematic Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Roy, H. E., Pauchard, A., Stoett, P., and Renard Truong, T. (eds.). IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7430731
Lokidor, P., Taka, M., Lashford, C. and Charlesworth, S. Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Flood Management in East Africa. Journal of Flood Risk Management. http://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12954
Charlesworth, S.M., Kligerman, D., Warwick, F., Blackett, M. (2023) The suitability and acceptability of Sustainable Drainage Systems to address inadequate drainage and greywater management in favelas in Brazil. Institution of Civil Engineers, Infrastructure Asset Management [Special Issue: Sustainability of Built and Natural Environments]. https://doi.org/10.1680/jinam.23.00012
Baskoro M.L., Tjahjono B., Bogush A., Beltran M., Syaifullah D., Tjahjono M. (2024). The Influence of Ecolabel: Insights from the Indonesian Bioplastics Packaging Industry Stakeholders. In: Silva, F.J.G., Ferreira, L.P., Sá, J.C., Pereira, M.T., Pinto, C.M.A. (eds) Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing: Establishing Bridges for More Sustainable Manufacturing Systems. FAIM 2023. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38165-2_112
