CAWR Newsletter

June 2025

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.

Coventry University (CU-CAWR) and Deakin University (DU) Cotutelle program Postgraduate Researchers present PhD work at the 35th Annual SETAC Europe Meeting  

CAWR PGRs Dimple Pathania, Hasanthi Kosgahakumbure, and Cris Argamino presented their PhD work on the potential impact of chemical pollutants on human health and the environment at the 35th SETAC Europe Annual Meeting in Vienna, Austria, last 11-15 May 2025. The three PGRs are part of the Cotutelle PhD program between Coventry University and Deakin University (Australia).

In May CAWR postgraduate researchers Cris Argamino, Hasanthi Kosgahakumbura and Dimple Pathania presented their PhD research at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Europe meeting poster sessions in Vienna, Austria. The meeting highlighted recent scientific advancements in the areas of environmental chemistry and toxicology, including the fate, modelling, and monitoring of the emerging contaminants and their mechanisms of toxic action.   

Cris shared his work on the prolonged exposure of emerging contaminants on human lung cells and their combined toxicity, along with the mechanisms investigated. He was awarded the SETAC Europe travel grant, which supported his participation in the meeting. 

Hasanthi presented her work on combining physical impact of incorporating recycled plastics as aggregate replacement in alkaline cementitious matrix and potential risk of leaching emerging contaminants.  She received support from the Deakin supervisor’s fund and CAWR student allowance for attending the conference. 

Dimple shared her work on understanding the allergenic potential of different pollen species in terms of their exposure to lung cells and chemical modifications around pollutants. She was awarded the Early Career Scientist Travel Grant from The Aerosol Society, UK, and the RSC Toxicology Group grant, which supported her participation in the conference.  

50th Anniversary of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme

Bastien at the UNESCO Headquarters following the side events on Open Hydrology

Dr Bastien Dieppois, European Coordinator of the UNESCO IHP FRIEND-Water flagship initiative and member of the UK National Committee for International Hydrology, attended the 50th anniversary of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme. The event, which was held at the UNESCO Headquarter in Paris, provided an excellent opportunity to reflect on recent advances and remaining challenges in water science, with representatives from all member states in attendance.

The main room for the 50^th Anniversary of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Programme

TBC

CAWR Biodiversity, Ecology and Society Cluster field trip to old Brandon golf course 

On June 11th, members of the CAWR Biodiversity, Ecology and Society Cluster went to explore the site of the former golf course at Brandon which is proposed to be part of a rewilding project of Coventry City Council. Joined by staff from the adjacent Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve we explored the flora and fauna of the overgrown old fairways, bunkers and woodlands. We got a great view of the whole site from footage taken by drone by Natalie Morley, which will provide a great baseline to monitor changes in the coming years. 

Phasing out contentious inputs in viticulture

The CAWR team developing research on the cluster of agroecological farming technologies had a 3-day field trip in the Champagne region, France. The focus of the work was the phase out of contentious inputs in agriculture, particularly looking into alternatives to copper to control phytopathogens.  

Our research team collaborated with the traditional biodynamic vineyard, Fleury. The vineyard has used homeopathic and biodynamic preparations for over 35 years in the cultivation of grapes, to stimulate plant vigour, reducing the use of copper, and has a world-renowned terroir.

The use of systemic methodologies and low residual impact technologies are key in the agroecological transition.

CLIPS-Africa inception meeting, Palapye, Botswana

CLIPS-Africa inception meeting in Botswana

Dr Lovemore Gwiriri and Dr James Bennett attended the CLIPS-Africa inception meeting from 26 – 28 May in Palapye, Botswana. The meeting brought together over 40 farmers, industry, researchers, IDRC representative, and government departments across Botswana and South Africa. World café discussions grounded co-developed objectives for climate-smart technologies in climate hotspots where the project is being implemented. 

CLIPS-Africa inception meeting, Palapye, Botswana

CAWR researcher to speak at Royal Society of Edinburgh symposium 

Iain MacKinnon has been invited to give a keynote presentation at conference in August being organised by the Royal Society of Edinburgh. The event brings together participants from across Scotland’s academic, policy and community sectors to explore the dynamics, value and future of rural and island research. 

Plant Health and Conference Prize for CAWR Research at the 6th HRI in Thessaloniki, Greece

Charlotte Southall CAWR Cotutelle postgraduate researcher and supervisor Dr Leo Faedo attended the 6th Homeopathy Research Institute Conference in Thessaloniki (19-22nd June). They were joined by Professor Pedro Boff from UDSEC/ EPAGRI in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Charlotte's Brazilian Supervisor and a world leader in Homeopathic Research for Agriculture and Environment was a keynote speaker, talking about the situation in Brazil where 115,000 farmers and agronomists are trained to use homeopathy in agriculture. Dr Leonardo Faedo gave a summary of results from the systematic review on the use of homeopathy in agriculture worldwide. Charlotte’s poster on her doctoral research entitled 'Exploring Novel Plant Defence Stimulators for Reducing Downy Mildew in Grapevines in Brazil' won the prize for the best poster. 

SCALE-it project begins 

CAWR researchers participated in the kick-off meeting for new project - SCALE-it (upSCALing Efficient alternatives for contentious InpuTs in organic farming). This Horizon Europe Innovation Action is a €7.5 million, 4 year project with €6.1 million EU funding and the remainder from the Swiss government. 

Building on the success of the Coventry University-led Organic-PLUS and sister project RELACS, this new endeavour brings together 36 partners from 12 EU member states, Switzerland, the UK, Turkey and Australia. SCALE-it focuses on maintaining the ‘sustainability leadership’ of organic farming by making it more resilient and productive. Certified organic farmers are leading the way in phasing out contentious inputs/pollutants found throughout agriculture. This includes copper fungicides, mineral oils and remaining biopesticides (e.g. Spinosad) as well as antibiotic antiparasitic and anthelminthic drugs, which are also widely used in conventional intensive livestock systems. 

The meeting at the FiBL world headquarters in Frick, Switzerland was a pivotal opportunity for the partners to embark on an integrated programme of work, with over 65 scientific and on-farm trials. CAWR will play a key role in the economic analysis of farm trial data and business plans for the large-scale phase-out. The CAWR social science team is also leading work on consumer perceptions and acceptance. 

Project coordinator FiBL has issued a press release with more details of this exciting project.

Final UNDERTREES conference held at CAWR

Attached project logo

The UNDETREES project has now been completed. This H2020 MSCA-RISE project was led by Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Italy) with 15 partners in 7 countries in Europe, Africa and South America. CAWR led two work packages (Training and Career Development and Dissemination and Communication).  

The project enabled staff from the partner organisations to travel on secondment to undertake research on subjects related to agroforestry. A final project conference was held in June 2025 at which some of the secondees presented their results. This was an in person/online event (based at CAWR) but also recorded and will be available on the UNDERTREES website. 

Impact News - 'working for change'

Pony Power Project Gathers Momentum at All Forces Veterans Event 

The amazing 'Make your Mark' charity donating a ride on mower to the wonderful Riverside Veteran Camp

On Saturday, 21st June, Donna Oldbury-Thomas represented the Pony Power project at an inspiring All Forces event held at the Owl’s Nest, bringing together veterans from across the region. 

The day was filled with camaraderie, conversation, and connection, featuring organisations such as Riverside Veteran Camp, About Turn Wales, Icarus, Make Your Mark, and many more. The event served as a valuable opportunity to introduce the Pony Power initiative — a unique project that combines green skills training with therapeutic experiences involving ponies — to ex-military personnel seeking new directions. 

The response was overwhelmingly positive. Several veterans expressed interest in attending the upcoming demonstration day on 5th July, and there is growing hope that many may consider developing new careers in green industries through working with ponies. 

With the support of the veteran community and partner organisations, the Pony Power project is well on its way to making a lasting impact — not just on the environment, but on the lives of those who’ve served.  Book here if you want to join us;  

Preparing for the Pony Power Project Bracken Trial

Tommy, Ed and Alfie measure the height of the bracken and mark out the field trials.

This week, Donna Oldbury-Thomas joined the Pony Power team in the field to begin preparations for the much-anticipated Bracken Trial. Funded by ESRC Impact Acceleration Account, the focus is to tackle invasive bracken in an innovative, sustainable way—with the help of some four-legged friends. 

The team has been recording the height of the bracken to determine the optimal moment for action. Timing is everything: when the bracken stems are at just the right stage, a satisfying snap indicates that the plant will begin to "bleed" out. This weakens its growth and helps control its spread. 

The trial will feature three different approaches: 

• Control Plot: No bashing—bracken left as is. 

• Bashed Plot: Bracken mechanically bashed using a pony-hauled basher. 

• Bashed + Grazing Plot: Bracken bashed and then grazed by conservation cattle. 

Each method will provide valuable insight into how best to manage bracken in a low-impact, ecologically sensitive way. 

We’re eager to see the results and learn more about how these techniques can be used in modern conservation efforts. Stay tuned as the trial unfolds!

Events

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

Publications

EKOLU, DIEPPOIS, DIOP, BODIAN, GRIMALDI, SALAMON, VILLARINI, EDEN, MONERIE, VAN DE WIEL, TRAMBLAY (2025) How could climate change affect the magnitude, duration and frequency of hydrological droughts and floods in West Africa during the 21^st century? A storyline approach. Journal of  Hydrology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.133482

LIU, EDEN, DIEPPOIS, DROBYSHEV, KRIKKEN, BLACKETT (2025) Global assessment of historical changes in extreme fire weather: insight from CMIP6 ensembles and implications for probabilistic attribution to global warming. Global Planet. Change. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.104822

Rigg, A., Faedo, L. F., & Aphramor, L. (2025). An Experiment in Changing Ourselves and the World Through Pedagogy. Journal of Critical Dietetics, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.32920/jcd.v8i1.2284

Rastorgueva, N., Bassignana, C. F., Angarita, E., Fasso, A., Hassink, J., Goris, M., Schmutz, U., Conroy, J., Dinç, S., Wezel, A., Migliorini, P. (2025). Agroecological Living Labs as entry points for transition towards sustainable food systems: a novel framework for the evaluation of living labs at different scales. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2025.2477215

D.I. Anene, M. Beltran, B. Tjahjono, A. Schultz, M. McKenzie, S. Stevanovic, A. Bogush. 2025. Microplastics and chemical additives from disposable face masks: Environmental, human health and behavioural impacts, Science of The Total Environment, Vol 973, 179079. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179079 

Maughan, C., Belletti, G., Marescotti, A., Balázs, B., Lazányi, O., & Mengoni, M. (2025). Against the grain: A commons approach to the governance of ‘Alternative Grain Networks’. Agricultural and Food Economics, 13(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40100-025-00352-y

Yitbarek, TW, Wilson, JRU, Evans, A, Dehnen-Schmutz, K. (2025). Community perceptions and governance of tree planting schemes in Ethiopia: Insights for sustainable ecological and socioeconomic outcomes. People and Nature. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.70022

CHUN, OCTAVIANTI, DOGULU, TYRALIS, PAPACHARALAMPOUS, ROWBERRY, FAN, EVERARD, FRANCESCH-HUIDOBRO, MIGLIARI, HANNAH, MARSHALL, CALASANZ, STADDON, ANSHARYANI, DIEPPOIS et al. (2025) Transforming Disaster Risk Reduction with AI and Big Data: Legal and Interdisciplinary Perspectives. WIREs Data Min. Knowl. Discov.

REDDY, MASSEI, JARDANI, HENRIOT, FOURNIER, DIEPPOIS (2025) Groundwater level projections for aquifers affected by annual to decadal hydroclimate variations: Example of Northern France. Earth’s Future.

BAULON, MASSEI, DIEPPOIS, FOSSA, ALLIER, BESSIERE, FOURNIER (2025) Large-scale climate drivers of groundwater level variations in northern France over the last century. J. Hydrol.

MIRGOL, DIEPPOIS, NORTHEY, JARLAN, KHABBA, LE PAGE, EDEN, EKOLU, EL HAZDOUR, MAHE (2025) Interplay Among Recent Trends in Climate Extremes, Vegetation Phenology, and Crop Production in the Southern Mediterranean Region. Int. J. Clim.

Farrell, M. and Bunting, M.J. (2025) Beyond decline: heathland and the dynamics of cultural and environmental change in Bronze Age Orkney. In Løvschal, M. and Grønneberg, K. (eds) A Place for the Heathlands? Jutland Archaeological Society. https://heathland.place/beyond-decline

Green, S., Fourel, R., Lecourt, G., Grillas, H., 'What we can learn from fruit and nut tree nurseries in the Ardeche' The Organic Grower Magazine, journal of the Organic Growers Alliance, Winter 2024, No 69.

Folorunsho O, Bogush A, Kourtchev I. (2025) Occurrence of emerging and persistent organic pollutants in the rivers Cam, Ouse and Thames, UK. Sci Total Environ. 14;962:178436. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178436.  

Bautista Quispe, J. I., Campos, L. C., Trejos, B., & Bogush, A. (2024). Exploring rural school students’ perceptions, willingness, motivations, and concerns regarding greywater treatment and reuse in southern Peru. Sustainable Environment, 11 (1). doi.org/10.1080/27658511.2024.2440960

REDDY, MASSEI, JARDANI, DIEPPOIS et al. (2024) Training deep learning models with a multi-station approach and static aquifer attributes for groundwater level simulation: what’s the best way to leverage regionalised information? HESS. In-press, preprint available at https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-794

DIOP, TRAMBLAY, BODIAN, EKOLU, ROUCHE, DIEPPOIS (2024) Flood frequency analysis in West Africa. Journal of Flood Risk Management. In-press.

BAULON, FOSSA, MASSEI, FLIPO, GALLOIS, FOURNIER, DIEPPOIS, et al. (2024) Sensitivity of groundwater levels to low-frequency climate variability in a large watershed. Sci. Total Environ. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177636

MIRGOL, DIEPPOIS, et al. (2024) Future changes in agrometeorological extremes in the southern Mediterranean region: when and where will they affect croplands and wheatlands? Agric. For. Meteorol. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2024.110232

YANG, FOK, DIEPPOIS, et al. (2024) Examining relations between sea-level anomalies in the Nino3.4 region and terrestrial hydroclimatic conditions in China. J. Hydrol. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131942