ADAS at the Royal Show 2006

A Sunday afternoon drive will quickly reveal the unquestioned beauty of Britain's countryside. But who really owns and manages Britain's green and pleasant land? What will it look like in the future? Who is responsible for ensuring a sustainable balance between the demands of mankind and the needs of the environment?

Look closely, there is almost nothing 'natural' about today's countryside. It has been created by people for people and it has been forced to become multi-functional: farmed for our food, valued as an amenity and leisure facility, a home for our native flora and fauna as well as a font of natural resources such as minerals and water. Increasingly, it is a place where we live, work, dispose of our waste and generate our power. If we are not careful in managing the land in an integrated and sustainable way, we risk upsetting the balance of our rural landscape.

So who really owns the countryside and do they have its best interests at heart? Who has the blueprint for the rural landscape of tomorrow and how will changes impact on each and every one of us? What drives its future prosperity, and at what price?

To highlight and debate this important issue, ADAS is hosting an environmental conference at this year's Royal Show. Whose countryside is it anyway? will be held on the afternoon of Tuesday 4 July. To launch the debate, Sir Donald Curry (Sustainable Food and Farming Group) and John Gummer, MP (Leader of the Conservatives Quality of Life Initiative) will deliver their personal views. This will be followed by a discussion between key stakeholders who have the countryside and the environment high on their agenda. Speakers include NFU President Peter Kendall and newly appointed CEO of Natural England, Helen Phillips.

Dr Andrée Carter, ADAS Director of Science and Environment, will chair the conference and lead the debate. Dr Carter comments: "We want to see the environment given more and more prominence on the political agenda. By facilitating the debate we can appreciate the conflicts and synergies taking place in the countryside and understand everyone's needs and aspirations. By doing this, we aim to establish a vision for the countryside which achieves a sustainable balance between the needs of the environment and man. At ADAS we already have a number of questions that we are planning to pose to our invited speakers. We would encourage those attending the show to come along to the conference and air their views directly with these influential stakeholders."

Key questions to be posed at the conference:

· Who are the landowners and managers of the countryside?

· Should the landowners decide what they do with their land?

· Will the UK ever be self-sufficient in food and energy production?

· What rights of access should the general public have to the countryside?

· How can we continue to exploit the countryside's natural resources yet preserve and protect them at the same time?

The half-day conference takes place from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm on Tuesday 4 July 2006 in the Wolfson Theatre within the Warwick Complex. All Royal Show visitors are welcome to attend. Places will be limited. To register an interest or propose a question for the panel, email royalshow@adas.co.uk.