As the organiser of the NLCE, it has been my mission to curate a programme which is engaging and thought provoking, but ultimately I have tried to develop a programme which allows each attendee to take something away with them to implement in their business; whether that being a farming business, NGO, technology provider, or education provider. I thought I would give my thoughts on 10 things that I’m looking forward to sharing with you all this year… and if you like the sound of some of these things, it’s not too late to grab yourself a ticket!
1. Keynote Speakers
In just our second year, we are delighted to bring to you two fantastic keynote speakers, who are effectively shaping the dialogue of how we can make food production and nature work together. Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural England, will be sharing his views on the direction of travel for farming and the environment, with a fireside chat with conference chair, Emily Norton. We’ll then take a dive into the world of AI, and how this disruptive technology is being used to give us new insights into how we view and use land; masterfully presented by Dr Iris Kramer, Founder of Arch AI.
2. Silent Seminars Return!
Our Silent Seminars were one of the hottest items of conversation at last year’s event. So much so that we had to bring them back again this year. Unashamedly copying a ‘silent disco’, grab your headphones and tune in to the seminar you’re most interested in. Easy to use, and drowning out the background noise of our bustling exhibition area, the silent seminars provide an immersive and flexible experience. – However, make sure you return the headphones before you leave!
3. Adaptive Landscapes Panel
Chaired by the fantastic Emily Norton, the Adaptive Landscapes panel will feature three brilliant guests, each providing their own unique view of how do we plan for the best and cope with the worst. This panel will explore topics such as water management, soil management, tourism, energy, and community engagement; all important individually, but incredibly powerful when considered together.
4. RNAA Feature
We’re very fortunate to not only neighbour the team at the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, but we also work closely with them on a number of initiatives. One of them being the Norfolk Landscapes Conference. As well as contributing ideas to the makeup of the day, this year, we’ve also provided a slot to give ‘The Big Debate’ another opportunity to contribute to the conversation of how we make Norfolk farms commercially and environmentally sustainable. Speakers this year, will include Christoph Graf-Grote, Prof Andrew Lovett, and Rebecca Gee.
5. Seminars to look out for
The themes of the silent seminars have been selected based upon feedback from our membership, as well as the emerging topics that all farmers and landowners should be considering as part of their farming business.
The ‘Financing Nature Recovery’ section will focus on funding streams that landowners can take to fund business resilience. Our pick for this year will be to tune into the LENS presentation, and how the supply chain can complement existing funding streams for measures such as cover crops.
The ‘Technology & Mapping’ section will see a variety of guest speakers share how farmers and landowners can use technology to make more informed decisions on land use change. Our pick for this year is Norfolk County Council’s update on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, and what comes next.
Finally, in the ‘Communities and Tourism’ section, we will be joined by Pete Waters MBE of Visit East of England, who will give us an update on the tourism opportunities available to Norfolk farmers and landowners, and give insight into a new regenerative tourism project in the Brecks.
6. Bustling Exhibition
The exhibition goes from strength to strength, with this year welcoming 43 exhibitors representing various facets of the industry. This includes NGOs, tech developers, independent consultants, education providers, and professional services. The exhibition will run alongside the morning silent seminars, allowing delegates to drop in and out of talks and spend much needed time speaking to the support infrastructure of the sector.
7. Venison Sliders
A hot topic for many farmers and landowners in Norfolk is deer management. The county is experiencing increased deer populations, with invasive species now spreading across the county. As well as the Norfolk Deer Strategy, which an update will be provided by Michael Anker during the silent seminars, we will also be joined by Norfolk Wild Venison, who will be providing a variety of venison sliders in the break; giving delegates the opportunity to try different species and understand their unique flavour profiles.
8. New & Improved Seminar C
You shared, we listened. Last year, Seminar C took place in a small room which soon became rather claustrophobic. This year, we have a dedicated stage and audio setup to give delegates the space to breathe and engage in the ‘Tourism and Communities’ section. This section will include topics such as farmer cluster groups, balancing farming, tourism, and communities in the Broads, deer management, public access, regenerative tourism, and how to balance conservation and visitor pressure.
9. Recordings
Again, learning from last year; with so many talks taking place in the morning we understood from delegates that they wish they could watch and listen to all of them! This year, we have brought in the expertise of the Tile Media team to record seminar sessions and the conference in the afternoon. These will be available to watch on the Norfolk FWAG website following the event.
10. Drinks Reception
And finally, to wind down after a jam packed day full of stories, ideas, and passion, the day will close with a drinks reception, with drinks kindly provided by Norfolk-based Woodfordes.
The day promises to be full of inspiration, ideas, and opportunity. Tickets still remain, but get them quick – only a limited number of tickets will be available on the door, on the day.
Tickets are £25pp for standard ticket holders | £15pp for members | FREE for students