South Devon is already feeling the impact of climate change and we need to build our resilience for more challenges to come.  The Climate Adaptation Learning Journey that will take place over five days from 3rd to 7th June. We will be listening to local people talk about local impacts, discussing how local scenarios may unfold and getting inspired by existing action on the ground. Led by the Bioregional Learning Centre in partnership with South Hams District Council the Journey will kick-start a conversation between citizens and policy-makers on designing a joined-up action plan for the long emergency.

Each day we will travel to a different location to focus on one or more of our five climate adaptation themes: Water; Food; Human Health; Local Environment; and Energy & Technology. Anyone who lives in South Devon is welcome to apply to one or more days, although priority will be given to district, parish and town councillors as well as individuals in community groups that are taking action on climate change. There is a fee of £15 per day to cover lunch and transport from and to Totnes (if needed), and bursaries are available if the fee proves a barrier. The hours will be 9am to roughly 6pm.

On the Learning Journey you will experience a mix of site visits, informal chats with pioneers and innovators, and informed discussion about the risks and challenges that climate change brings. We will all be learning from each other, as well as what we encounter, and be asking:

• How do we in South Devon learn together and grow our capacities to step up to the challenges of climate adaptation?
• What makes it possible for communities to be first responders?
• Where is policy change needed in order to enable grassroots adaptation?
• Where are the practical case studies that inspire us and that we can learn from?
• What are the elements we need to see in a robust local adaptation strategy?

We are now accepting expressions of interest—please fill out this form to indicate your availability. We will follow up with the detailed programme and a booking link to confirm your place.

The programme

(there are a few changes and additions to come)

Monday 3 June: A focus on food and farming: we will visit Porsham Farm outside Plymouth and enjoy discussions over lunch before heading to the Apricot Centre at Huxham’s Cross, where the team are teaching and demonstrating climate adaptation in the food and farming sector. We will also have a look at a community rainwater harvesting project.

Tuesday 4 June: We will learn more about natural flood management on a walk looking at the Dartmoor Headwaters Project, and learn more about the impact of past flooding on the town. We will then head down river for Dartmouth where the Harbourmaster will talk to us about rising sea levels, coastal flooding, the impact of extreme weather on shipping and how the local community is responding.

Wednesday 5 June: Soil and water regeneration at The Flete Field Lab and innovation and adaptation at the Flete Estate, looking at joined-up actions for a shift to regenerative agriculture. After a pub lunch we travel to the Yealm to visit the electric ferry and learn from the community-led pot hole repair team. We will also hear about the whole catchment Estuary to Moor project and local clean energy generation.

Thursday 6 June: How the community is addressing human health and climate adaptation in terms of energy generation, social care and organisational collaboration in South Brent, followed by a visit to the Avon Valley Project around Woodleigh with Devon Wildlife Trust and the Woodland Trust to learn about the impact of climate change on biodiversity and eco-systems, and how adaptation strategies for the natural world are being implemented. 

Friday 7 June: A morning in Kingsbridge with Kingsbridge Climate Action and Kingsbridge councillors who have experience of coastal flooding and how to cope with it, have written their climate emergency response plan and have a volunteer team looking after vulnerable people in the community. In the afternoon, we will close the week with a visit to Riverford to learn about food and farming under a changing climate.

More information

Find out more about the Bioregional Learning Centre Local Climate Adaptation Project

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This learning journey builds on the 2019 Learning Journey for Climate Resilience that Bioregional Learning Centre designed and led, and which you can see more about here

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Read our recent articles on the topic here:

Opening the Conversation on Local Climate Adaptation

Principles for Community-Centred Climate Adaptation

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