The Biggest Threat to Biodiversity in the 21st Century
The End of Tradition?
Aspects of Commons and Cultural Severance in the Landscape
Conference to be held at
15th to
The Big Debate – be a part of it!
The end of tradition and the impacts then of cultural severance are as big a threat as climate change to biodiversity & ecology - this major event being organised by Prof. Ian D. Rotherham and colleagues will look at the threats to biodiversity from cultural change and the abandonment of traditional management. We have heard much about climate change and the threats that this may pose in the future but ‘The End of Tradition’ is bigger and more current. The threats from global cultural change and abandonment of traditional landscape management increased in the last half of the 20th century and ten years into the 21st century show no signs of slowing down. Their impacts on global biodiversity and on people disconnected from their traditional landscapes pose real and serious economic and social problems which need to be addressed now. The conference will address the fundamental issues of whether we can conserve the biodiversity of wonderful and iconic landscapes and reconnect people to their natural environment. And, if we can, how can we do so and make them relevant for the 21st century. We will cover the lessons of archaeology, history and ecology and look at the challenges for modern-day management. Examples will be drawn from rural and urban commons, wooded landscapes, heaths, moors, coasts and wetlands. In particular, we wish to raise critically important issues of the loss and abandonment of tradition in terms of future sustainability, landscape quality and biodiversity. The conference will be international in flavour with leading researchers from around the world taking part. There will be displays and poster presentations throughout the three days. The event will have a strong community dimension and the organisers are keen to involve members of local groups, students and volunteers in the event. There will be opportunity to share and compare local, national and international experiences of the important challenges facing biodiversity in the 21st century. This will be a landmark discussion and debate with key organisations such as Natural England, the Woodland Trust, The Wildlife Trusts, the RSPB, BANC, OPAL, and many others.
‘The End of Tradition’ is a massive threat to heritage, history & biodiversity.
Conference topics include:
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Conservation at the crossroads
- The impacts of changes from subsistence, often rural, communities and landscapes to technology driven agri-industry and urbanisation, and the consequences for local people
- Commons in the urban landscape and community involvement
- The historical and current uses and management of traditional ‘commons’
- The ‘common’ uses of landscapes and environmental resources now and historically, from medieval coppice woods to deer parks, from alpine pastures to grazing meadows, from coastal flats to peat bogs and fens
- The debates around perceived ‘re-wilding’ of natural areas or ‘abandonment’ and ‘dereliction’ of cultural landscapes
- The decline of biodiversity and ecology
- Future visions and actions
For further information and to book a place see our events section or contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
