CAWR Newsletter

March 2026

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.

Researching local food in south west England

For the WINN-Organic project Adrian Evans, Judith Conroy, Ulrich Schmutz and intern Hollie Maddison visited a range of growers in Cornwall and Devon to explore local food production. The region has a rich food history and culture, particularly apple and cherry varieties which are adapted to the local climate. 

• Andrew Ormerod showed us his Tamar Valley orchard where he is growing apples derived from local mother trees. Andrew also explained the historic significance of the valley in providing food to the navy at Plymouth. 

• In a neighbouring orchard, we met James Evans and Mary Martin who have been conserving apples and cherries since 1980, often averting their extinction. Here we also met Matt Chatfield who innovates with silvopasture, grazing his sheep in local orchards. 

• We were then welcomed at the Apricot Centre. As well as offering training and consultancy, the centre grows a range of biodynamic produce and collaborates with other local producers to supply an extensive delivery service.

The team also met with Tamar Grow Local, a community interest company and umbrella organisation for local food producers and we will share details in our next newsletter.

Impact News - 'working for change'

CAWR team with Huw Edwards MBE, Parliamentary & Government Training Consultant

CAWR‘s Parliament Training Day: exploring how researchers at CAWR can engage in policy decision-making processes

As part of the IMPACT activity at CAWR, researchers attended a training session on 22nd March led by the Industry and Parliament Trust (IPT). 

IPT is an independent charity that delivers tailored training to support research impact, helping researchers build their understanding of parliamentary policy-making processes and explore strategies to engage in policy decision-making. 

This was the second group of CAWR researchers to benefit from IPT training, and it was great to see CAWR’s postgraduate researchers (PGRs) taking part as well. 

A big thank you to Elizabeth Cook and Coventry University’s Impact team for their support in making this possible.

REA Organics 30th Annual Conference

The Organics section of the Renewable Energy Association (REA) grew out of the Composting Association. It exists to address issues of concern to commercial producers of compost and anaerobic digestate. A central theme of the conference was concerned with the implications of the introduction of the new Simpler Recycling legislation which, amongst other things, will make food waste collection available to every household and business. Francis Rayns made a presentation about the use of organic materials in peat-free growing media, based on findings from a recent Innovate UK project.

Publication Spotlight!!

This study examined how ‘forever chemicals’ can enter the air when contaminated liquids are aerosolised, both with and without bacteria present. The study found that the way aerosols are formed strongly affects how these chemicals behave in the environment and affect human health. Importantly, the aerosolised forever chemicals were mainly associated with extremely small particles (around 0.3 µm that are 200 times smaller than a human hair), which can stay airborne for longer and travel deep into the lungs, reaching the alveoli where they may pass into the bloodstream. The work was carried out in a highly advanced atmospheric simulation chamber in Genoa, Italy, with a team of atmospheric physicists, through a European Transnational Access programme, and included collaboration with a modelling expert from the UK Health Security Agency.

Kourtchev, I., Coupe, S., Buckley, A., Pandamkulangara Kizhakkethil, J., Gatta, E., Massabò, D., Prati, P., Vernocchi, V., and Mazzei, F.: Controlled chamber formation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) aerosols with Pseudomonas fluorescens: size distributions, effects, and inhalation deposition potential, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 3237–3252, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3237-2026, 2026

CAWR researchers strengthen Polish connection

Seminar on Associative Economies at Juchowo Biodynamic Farm

From 19-20 March, Ulrich Schmutz and Julia Wright were invited to participate in The Second Seminar on Collaborative Sustainability at Juchowo biodynamic farm, West Pomerania, Poland. They then travelled to Wroclaw to visit Coventry University Poland and discuss research collaboration with Wrocław Environmental and Life Sciences University, and also visited the Koberwitz estate where Rudolf Steiner delivered his foundational ‘Agricultural Course’ in 1924 which lay the conceptual and practical foundations for the holistic farming movement in Europe.

Julia Wright and Ulrich Schmutz with Dr Dorota Dobrzanska-Szoentag at Coventry Wroclaw Campus laboratories

CAWR Celebrates World Water Day 2026 

To celebrate World Water Day 2026 we created a 'Water Heroes' display in our entrance to highlight some of the champions ensuring safe water, sanitation and hygiene for all. UN-Water shared a photo of our display in their online gallery. 

City Nature Challenge Events

The City Nature Challenge is a competition running between 24th-27th of April, between participating cities to find and document the most species using iNaturalist. Natalie Morley is running a Bioblitz at Wyken Croft Nature Park on Friday 24th April, 10am-12pm. Alex Lowther Harris is running a Coventry Canal Bioblitz (Meeting at the Canal Basin) on Saturday 25th April, 10am-12pm.

Publication Spotlight!!

CAWR researchers recently published their study on phthalates, common chemicals found in plastics and other everyday products, in indoor air particles from UK and Brazil offices. In the office air particles, they consistently found a semi-volatile chemical, plasticiser, a type of phthalate and a possible carcinogen typically emitted from furniture and building materials. While indoor levels were below legal workplace limits, the study suggests that long-term inhalation of phthalate-contaminated air remains a health risk. This study, in collaboration with researchers from the University of York and the Federal University of Paraná, highlights the need for indoor air quality monitoring to protect public health.

Argamino, C. R. A., Silva, J. dos S., Kizhakkethil, J. P., Stevanovic, S., Ward, M., McKenzie, M., Bogush, A., Hamilton, J. F., Godoi, R. H. M., and Kourtchev, I.: Assessment of the occurrence of phthalate esters (PAEs) in indoor office PM2.5 from Brazil and the UK, Atmos. Pollut. Res., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2026.102987, 102987, 2026

Coventry Agroecological Living Lab shared as part of a Europe-wide network 

On Friday 20th March, Judith Conroy presented the work of the Coventry Agroecological Living Lab (CALL) as part of the Agroecology Partnership project’s ‘Morning Coffee’ meetings, open to all members of the European Network of Living Labs and Research Infrastructures.

These monthly sessions are an opportunity for different living labs to get to know each other and advance the transition to agroecology. As a predominantly urban living lab, CALL sparked discussion around the roles of urban and rural growing spaces.

Events

April 16th - SEMINAR -  Integrating agroecology and insect-protein production for inclusive climate smart livestock systems in Africa

April 22nd - SEMINAR - Planting Liberation: Black Urban Ecology and Food Justice with Ruqaiyah Jarviton

April 29th - SEMINAR - Reframing Innovation: Decolonial, Feminist and Indigenous Pathways to Ecological Transition (CAWR PhD Showcase)with Lucas Worsdell, Catarina Angioni, and Katie Mills

Catch up on our events and seminars by visiting our YouTube channel

Publications

Argamino, C. R. A., Silva, J. dos S., Kizhakkethil, J. P., Stevanovic, S., Ward, M., McKenzie, M., Bogush, A., Hamilton, J. F., Godoi, R. H. M., and Kourtchev, I.: Assessment of the occurrence of phthalate esters (PAEs) in indoor office PM2.5 from Brazil and the UK, Atmos. Pollut. Res., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2026.102987, 102987, 2026.

Kosgahakumbura, H. H., Kourtchev, I., Charlesworth, S., Callahan, D. L., and Gates, W. P.: Stability of recycled plastics in an aqueous alkaline cementitious matrix, Polymer Degradation and Stability, 246, 111915, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2025.111915, 2026.

Kourtchev, I., Coupe, S., Buckley, A., Pandamkulangara Kizhakkethil, J., Gatta, E., Massabò, D., Prati, P., Vernocchi, V., and Mazzei, F.: Controlled chamber formation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) aerosols with Pseudomonas fluorescens: size distributions, effects, and inhalation deposition potential, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 3237–3252, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3237-2026, 2026.

Peyton, J. M., Rorke, S., Aldridge, D. C., Pescott, O. L., Dehnen‐Schmutz, K., Noble, D. G., ... & Roy, H. E. (2026). Assessing the success of a horizon scanning approach in predicting invasive non‐native species arrival. Journal of Applied Ecology, 63(1), e70217. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.70217

Verdi, R., Faedo, L.F., Scherr, C., Wright, J., Rayns, F. and Boff, P. (2025) Bioassay of rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings in response to dynamized high dilutions of Calcarea carbonica and Silicea terra. Int J High Dilution Res. 2025; 25(CF): 402-416. http://doi.org/10.51910/ijhdr.v25icf.1719

Kelley, D. et al. (inc. Eden, J.M.) (2025) State of Wildfires 2024-25, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 5377-5488. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-483

Gallo, C., Dieppois, D., Quilcaille, Y., Chiriacò, M.V., Drobyshev, I., Fulé, P.Z., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., Blackett, M. and Eden, J.M.  (2025) Future impacts of climate change on global fire weather: Insight from weighted CMIP6 multi-model ensembles, J. Climate, 38, 6445–6462. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-24-0540.1

Viera-Arroyo, W.; Binego, L.; Rayns, F.; López, D.; Moya, M.; Vera, L.; Caicedo, C. (2025). Systematic Review of Integrating Technology for Sustainable Agricultural Transitions: Ecuador, a Country with Agroecological Potential. Sustainability 2025, 17, 6053. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17136053

Mariki SB and Binego L (2025). Conflicting interests over natural resource use: the case of interactions among livestock keepers, farmers, and wildlife at Kilombero Valley, Tanzania. Front. Sustain. Resour. Manag. 4:1650915. Doi: 10.3389/fsrma.2025.1650915 [URL: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsrma.2025.1650915 ]

Worsdell, L. S., Maughan, C., Wright, J., Hill-Butler, C., & Félix, G. F. (2025). Has agroecology lost the plot? The fracture between science, movement, and practice in the Insular Caribbean. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2025.2584306

Gallo Granizo, G., Bacciu, V., Eden, J.M., Hernández Paredes, E., García Feced, C., Bedhiaf, S., Oom, D., Goldammer, J.G., Dieppois, B., Belen, İ., Mitri, G., Turhan, Ü., Ascoli, D., Alfonso, L. and San-Miguel-Ayanz, J. (2025) Fire Management in the Mediterranean Region, In: The status of the Mediterranean forests 2025, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 156pp. https://doi.org/10.4060/cd6921en

Giannitsopoulos, M.L., Burgess, P.J., Graves, A.R., Olave, R., Eden, J.M. and Herzog, F. (2025). Predicted yield and soil organic carbon changes in grassland, arable, woodland, and agroforestry systems under climate change in a cool temperate Atlantic climate, Agron. Sustain. Dev. 45, 26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-025-01020-7

Smith Khanna, P. (2025). Buen Vivir as fertile soil for ecological masculinities: learning from gardening men in Cali, Colombia. NORMA, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/18902138.2025.2576329 

Dehnen-Schmutz, K, Adekola, OE, Jones, TS (2025): Testing the feasibility of citizen science to record impacts of invasive alien plants. Ecological Solutions and Evidence 6(3): e70121. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.70121

Pathania D., Venkatesan S., Kourtchev I., McKenzie M., Bogush A., Mackay G., Lampugnani E., Ristovski Z., Zare A., Stevanovic S. Pollen hydration and its induced effects on human bronchial epithelial cells: a comparative analysis of three species. Science of the Total Environment 2025 1002, 180665  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180665  

Berger, I., Pannure, A., Harris, A., Basu, P., Smith, B. and Dicks, L.V., (2025) Agroecological Cashew Cultivation Increases Pollinator Abundance, Diversity and Flower Visitation Rates, with Potential Yield Benefits. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2025.110006

Berger, I., Kamble, A., Morton, O., Raj, V., Nair, S.R., Edwards, D.P., Wauchope, H.S., Joshi, V., Basu, P., Smith, B. and Dicks, L.V., 2025. India’s agroecology programme,‘Zero Budget Natural Farming’, delivers biodiversity and economic benefits without lowering yields. Nature Ecology & Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02849-7

Wood, T.J., Patiny, S., Dutta, A., Laha, S., Smith, B., Basu, P. and Roberts, S.P., 2025. Camptopoeum paruii sp. n., the first species of Camptopoeum described from India (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). Journal of Natural History, 59(33-36), pp.2143-2154.