Saturday 3rd Feb, ‘Wonderful Waters’

Welcome from Mayor of Dawlish, Cllr. Rosie Dawson

Film - Cornwall's Climate Stories: Down the Drain

Presentation from Simon Oldridge from Zero Hour, the campaign for the Climate and Ecology Bill. The oceans are the world's biggest carbon stores. We need legally-binding targets and a just transition plan to stay below 1.5°C warming—as agreed at COP21 in Paris (back in 2015). We need action, not vague promises, to phase out deadly fossil fuels as fairly and rapidly as possible. This is precisely what the Climate and Ecology Bill can deliver, currently supported by 139 MPs/MSPs, 40 Peers, 337 councils, 192 scientists and 507 organisations.

Simon is a former business consultant with Ernst & Young and CEO of a major UK roof tile manufacturer, Simon now campaigns for science-led action on the climate & nature crisis. He advises Zero Hour, the Climate & Ecology Bill campaign. He is a cofounder of South Devon Primary and the national political primary movement, designed to unite the progressive vote and secure more serious action for climate and nature. He is also a cofounder of Sustainable South Hams. Simon draws on his experience in analysing complex business systems to help communicate on the climate & nature crisis. Simon lives near Totnes with his family, and is a keen musician.

Speaker, Stephanie Harper-Chung, Exe Estuary Management Partnership - a short talk about the partnership and the work they’re involved with, the important habitat and wildlife, with a focus on water quality on the Exe Estuary.

Stephanie has worked for the Exe Estuary Management Partnership for over 12 years as Exe Estuary Officer, coordinating management of the estuary on behalf of relevant authorities and working with local stakeholders and communities. Steph studied Marine Biology, Oceanography and Coastal and Ocean Policy at university. Past work experience ranges from marine education to working with fisheries in Indonesia. A qualified commercial diver, Steph has been lucky enough to have explored various exotic waters, and has worked as a dive surveyor at England’s first Marine Conservation Zone at Lundy Island.

Q&A 

Saturday 10th Feb, ‘Our Coastline’

Welcome from Mayor of Dawlish, Cllr. Rosie Dawson

South Devon Singers. WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE -A surge of songs inspired by the wet stuff, and by the lives that depend upon it. Part one

Testing Times; how we monitor and investigate bathing waters. Jonathan Porter, Environment Agency, at Starcross. Jonathan will explore why bathing and recreational waters are tested and how; what is a statutory duty and what other work is carried out; and finish with some thoughts on how the future of water quality may be assessed.

Tracking marine “megavertebrates” in UK waters, Lucy Hawkes, Associate Professor in Physiological Ecology, Exeter University. Lucy is a National Geographic Explorer and academic at the University of Exeter, and she uses small electronic tags to follow the movements of a range of exciting wild animals. Recently, Lucy and her lab have been following the movements of Atlantic Bluefin tuna, which have made a spectacular return to UK waters after decades where they were endangered. Bluefin tuna are almost certainly feeding across Lyme Bay, with the closest one spotted off the back of Exmouth! Lucy will talk about six years of work to understand where these fish come from, where they go, what their habits are, and how you might be able to see one for yourself!

South Devon Singers. Part two

We thank our local district councillors, Cllr Martin Wrigley, Cllr Lin Goodman-Bradbury, and Cllr Mike James for supporting this event through Teignbridge’s Community Fund.