What do you get if you mix an enthusiastic and dedicated bunch of farmers, volunteers and RSPB staff and stick them in front of an international audience from across the agriculture sector for a day?
Lots of interesting discussions, real insight to the value of our farmland conservation work and plenty of giggles along the way!
Over the last three years, we've been delivering our Birds Directive on Farmland project (funded by the EU LIFE+ Programme). Last week we took a group of farmers and volunteers to Brussels, where we hosted a wildlife-friendly farming conference. I've been involved in organising and helping at goodness knows how many events in my time with the RSPB, but I have to say this one will stick in my mind for many reasons. Firstly, learning to navigate the Brussels transport system with a group of farmers and volunteers in tow was challenging! But we all made it to where we needed to be, in one piece and on time....
Secondly, it was great to get to know some of the people who have been instrumental to the success of the project and its positive impact on farm wildlife. Without the farmers who take an interest in the wildlife on their land, or the volunteers to survey it, we wouldn't have been able to deliver the thousands of Volunteer & Farmer Alliance surveys that have taken place over the last three years, or stimulated an interest in the tens of thousands of people who have voted in the Nature of Farming Awards. The day was filled with stories and experiences from the project, thoughts on how European money should be spent through the Common Agricultural Policy and the challenges faced by farmers in achieving and maintaining a balance between food production and wildlife. All of these discussions reaffirmed to me that we absolutely must continue to work together, not only as the RSPB, farmers and volunteers, but with the agricultural industry as a whole, if we are to really make a difference on the scale required to improve the fortunes of our precious farmland wildlife.
Finally, I could come up with a whole heap of words to describe how inspiring, insightful and uplifting the day was, but I'd be here all day. Events like this always remind me why I do this job - that despite the challenges we face, there is a real army of support out there and a desire to make things better:
(Farmers, volunteers and RSPB staff attending the wildlife-friendly farming conference in Brussels. Photo: Kathryn Smith)
The over-riding message from the day was one of unity and equality - and that by working together we have the potential to make a big difference, whether that be at the farm or political level. There are some big challenges ahead, and we'll continue to fight for the support that wildlife-friendly farmers need to continue the work they're already doing, and also give others the opportunity to follow in their footsteps.
I hope that all those who attended took away as much as I did from an excellent event. I know we changed the mindset of at least one person in the audience, and in my book that's invaluable. I'm looking forward to the next three years of positive action - I wonder what the outlook will be this time in December 2015...