Planet Shaftesbury & COP26, what next? Local nature recovery strategies; New tree-planting season; Reading the Land book festival; Become more effective at lobbying; Engage with campaign on extent of development in Dorset's Local Plan ... & more

Shaftesbury & the 26th UN climate change Conference of Parties

Leading up to COP26: Our varied activities during the last week of October will be documented on a special COP26 page on the website shortly - with photos and links to recordings including the remarkable performance by an impromptu choir of Karen Wimhurst's rewritten Allegri's Miserere  commemorating victims of climate change.    

COP26: The images above show a note left for negotiators, the huge march in Glasgow on Nov 6th, some of the indigenous people who described a global temperature increase of 2°C as a death sentence, and scenes from the conference hall. The conference outcomes were mixed. There are many interpretations online and a New Scientist piece has been reproduced in a blog on our website here. In The Observer, Will Hutton commented that public concern about climate change has grown considerably in recent years, and where consumers go, businesses and politicians follow. He said "What is vital is not so much COP26, but, rather, the process, movement and social change it represents. Humanity has to save itself. It will be messy and imperfect - but we'll get there."

At our meeting on Nov 18th we heard about COP26 from 3 different perspectives, all offered by members of our network:

Sarah Watt is a professional commentator on climate & sustainability issues. After providing a structured overview of the COP process and outcomes she said the Centre for Alternative Technology had demonstrated that the UK can meet ambitious targets for carbon reduction but, so far, lacked the political will. However, what we do together and in our own lives makes a difference and we can track our household impact through the WWF carbon footprint calculator. She also advised that we pay attention to our emotional resilience. 

ffinlo Costain founded the Food & Global Security Network and was at COP26 chairing a 

panel on food systems for the European Commission, IPES Food, World Bank and World Economic Forum etc... This link takes you to it, but you need to skip the first 7 minutes or so! He was pleased that land use and food systems had been included at Glasgow this year. 

Karen Wimhurst joined the demonstrations and attended fringe events outside the conference for a couple of days. She and another member of our network who was in Glasgow with other climate activists described their experiences for the Alfred Daily on Nov 15th. Listen here at 29.44. 

What Next?

After hearing from Sarah, ffinlo & Karen we reviewed what we could do in response to COP26 and local needs. Ideas were floated, explored and amplified in discussion, and it was agreed to publicise them through this newsletter. These are topics that can inspire activity for 2022 - get involved by emailing us or join the December meeting (16th):

• farming futures, share farming, helping young people into work on the land, regenerative agriculture, biodiversity, connection to Kingston Maurward, possible follow-up to our panel discussion from 2 years ago (described here), film series 'Carbon Cowboys' was recommended
• water, water companies & river health, learning from Wimborne Community Theatre's activities 'exploring the rivers', possibility of a pilgrimage linking communities along the Stour, Adrian Newton as a contact with relevant expert knowledge 
• reducing waste, understanding recycling, possibility of another public update from Dorset Council, resisting incineration (see campaign to stop Portland waste incinerator), sustainability & a 'circular economy' 
• making better choices, understanding the climate/nature implications of what we buy / where we shop / etc, language matters: we are 'citizens' not 'consumers', awareness of social justice & the different areas where individuals have choices, create opportunities to talk, climate cafe & coffee mornings
• engage with younger people, refresh our schools links, school-based citizen's assembly on nature, use of a school hall for public meeting, 'future classroom'
• climate hope, appealing public events - performance or film shows, fundraising, opportunity to share information on eg. Insulate Britain 
• public talk on COP26, January?, link to 'new year resolutions'
• climate change resilience plan, find out what Dorset Council has, build one!

Our meeting closed with a reminder about the special meeting arranged for December 2nd at the Friends Meeting House. We plan to talk and listen to one another - more details on the website.

Local 'nature recovery strategies'

As the planet gets hotter, the zones within which plants and animals can thrive tend to move towards the poles. Much of nature can only adapt to climate change if natural areas are connected. This will be one element of the locally-defined Nature Recovery Strategies to be introduced under the Environment Act which passed into law on Nov 10th. The Wildlife Trusts welcomed this element as well as the inclusion of a legally-binding target with the potential to boost efforts to reverse the decline in wildlife, and support protection of 30% of UK land and sea for nature by 2030, and the new requirement for planning applications to provide Biodiversity Net Gain. However, the Wildlife Trusts are concerned about the Secretary of State’s ability to provide the new regulator, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) with “guidance” - drastically undermining its independence and they also consider that the duty for local authorities to follow Local Nature Recovery Strategies plans is weak. See more from the Wildlife Trusts here. 

Clearly, Shaftesbury can't be nature-friendly without connections that extend beyond the town and wild areas for nature need to be linked up across the region. For some time, ecologist Mariko Whyte has been creating a network of interested local landowners - email mariko.h.whyte@gmail.com to be put in touch.

B-lines are intended to become insect super-highways that will cover much of the UK, including the south west. See the map on Buglife's website here, showing a B-line just east of Shaftesbury. Buglife is now encouraging people to fill the lines with the flowers needed by insects and pollinators (including bees and butterflies).  Buglife, Plantlife, the wild plant conservation charity, and Wildlife World all have online shops with seasonal gift ideas.

Hedgerows are recognised as effective wildlife corridors (as well as absorbing atmospheric pollution and carbon dioxide). CPRE is campaigning to increase hedgerows by 40% by 2050 (follow the link). The Dorset climate action network (Dorset CAN) is working alongside CPRE to restore and connect hedgerows running N-S and E-W across the county and is launching their project to create the 'Great Dorset Hedge' at an online meeting on Nov 24th (via link below). Several of the housing developments in Shaftesbury retain much older hedgerows, some in need of tlc. If you're interested in conserving hedgerows, whether in a residential area, along a roadside, or edge of your garden or field boundary, you may find helpful information and diagrams on the hedgerow survey website Here https://hedgerowsurvey.ptes.org/

NEWS IN BRIEF

Trees update: At the mid-point of COP26 (Nov 6th) delegates focused on nature and Shaftesbury Tree Group organised an information and activity stand at Duncliffe Wood, an experience reported in episode 36 of the North Dorset Nature podcast. Listen here at 24.40.  The tree group will be in touch with volunteers to arrange this winter's planting schedule as soon as they hear when young trees are to be delivered. If you'd like to join in but aren't already on their volunteer list, email birchbark@btinternet.com  Note that because of recent mild weather, trees and saplings are hanging onto their leaves (& looking wonderful!) - delaying the time when they may be lifted for transplanting. 

Hedgehogs: Local hedgehogs should be going into hibernation as the temperature drops but members of our local hedgehog rescue have been asked to take care of some youngsters who haven't yet gained sufficient body weight to survive hibernation. To join Hedgehog Friendly Shaftesbury activities or share local hedgehog information email shaftesburyhedgehogs@gmail.com 

Shaftesbury book festival - Reading the Land: 11-13th March 2022. Where better than our hilltop town for this new book festival that will celebrate the best of nature writing? Respected and influential authors have agreed to take part whilst town centre venues are keen to host their talks or the children's workshops that will also be offered. Organisations, businesses and individuals are now being invited to help launch this timely festival through a range of sponsorship deals, advertising opportunities and more. Follow this link to the invitation. Planet Shaftesbury is making a donation that will secure space in the printed programme. 

Artemis Festival: 23-24 July 2022. A summer festival where the music and entertainment is secondary to the natural history, conservation and sustainability focus of live talks, interactive workshops, demonstrations and other activities. Natalie Bourchier and Ben Hussey have issued an open invitation for anyone interested in getting involved: drop in on one of their weekly planning meetings in Motcombe or email to be sent a Zoom link. Details on our website.

Recycling Pet Food pouches: Alison Harding can no longer accept pet food packaging for recycling as TerraCycle has discontinued their scheme. However, all pet food pouches can be placed in the soft plastic crate inside Tesco's foyer entrance. 

Congratulations to Julian Pritchard who championed a substantial fundraising effort by Shaftesbury Westminster Memorial Hospital Friends. The hospital now has use of a wheelchair-accessible electric vehicle.

Lost paths: The government has set a deadline of January 2026 for historic paths to be registered for inclusion on official maps. The Ramblers' Association has found 918 miles of Dorset paths, some local to Shaftesbury, that are at risk of being lost. Support their work and register for the map of lost paths here. 

Notice board in the town centre: Georgie of Myrtle & Marigold liquid soap refills, sustainable fashion and more is planning to install a large pinboard just outside the entrance to her shop. It'll be dedicated to promoting all things linked to a circular economy and will be available for Planet Shaftesbury use.  The site is under cover and will be accessible throughout the day, 7 days a week.  

Little things we can do: Did you know that reversing into a parking bay so that you can drive out forwards is not just safer, but manoevering with a warm engine rather than a cold one is also very much more fuel efficient? Thank you to Lynne Fish for that one.

Effective lobbying - training offered: Laura Burley at Greenpeace has previously shared her expertise with a Shaftesbury group online. Now she has invited participation in political lobbying training days to be held in London on Nov 27th (and also in York the following Saturday). To access the event details and qualify for financial support you need to join the Political Lobbying Group on Greenwire through the Greenpeace website. Or contact Planet Shaftesbury if you have questions for Laura.  

Dorset 

• Dorset CAN are working together with CPRE to secure a 're-think' of Dorset Local Plan. The core group have called a pan-Dorset meeting of affiliated organisations to finalise plans for the campaign around the slogan 'Dorset Deserves Better'. Meeting will be online on evening of Nov 30th - all information we receive will be linked to the meeting details accessible from the website. Anyone in our network could join the meeting.
• Dorset Council is seeking feedback from residents - find their annual survey here. 

Listen & Watch: Suggestions for long dark evenings? ... Shirley Rutter has recommended the Farmerama broadcasting platform and their treatment of regenerative farming and culture in a recent post to the Forum here. For insights to both the extent of the damage we've done to nature, and nature's amazing capacity to recover, see the TV programmes 'Restoring the Earth: The Age of Nature'. The documentary about the UK's citizen's assembly on climate change is also worth seeing and sharing widely - search for 'The People v Climate Change'.

...Or for a night out see the ceilidh/fundraiser in Stour Provost on Dec 3rd - listed on our website.

The next monthly newsletter will be distributed in the 3rd week of December. If you have news to share please send it to planetshaftesbury@gmail.com