News

Last month I had the pleasure of travelling to Harrogate for the 2026 conference of the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA) — the UK's flagship gathering for research development, grant management, impact and knowledge exchange professionals. With over 750 delegates from across the UK and beyond, and a packed programme spanni…

I attended the IUCN UK Peatland Programme Conference 2026, Peatlands Under Pressure, held at Swansea University’s Bay Campus. Bringing together researchers, policymakers, restoration practitioners, and land managers from across the UK and Europe, the conference provided an excellent opportunity to explore the challenges and opportunities facing pea…

Workshop explores how advances in AI and Earth Observation could support restoration, monitoring and environmental policy.Led by the CLR's Barbara Net-Bradley and Jessica Williams, this cutting-edge workshop brought together researchers, statutory agencies and restoration practitioners in Cambridge on 23–24 March 2026. It explored the latest techno…

The following article was written by the CLRs Lillian Bixler who attended day 2 of the conference.  The way we use land in the UK is not a future problem — it’s a now problem. From food security to climate adaptation, biodiversity to housing and energy, we’re asking more of our land than ever before. And that tension is clearly seen in the Fens. At…

New research shows novel wetland agriculture can support nature recovery New CLR research led by Dr Joshua Copping (RSPB) and Dr Catherine Waite (University of Cambridge) shows that farming wetland-adapted crops on wetter peat (known as paludiculture) can support bird communities that are richer and more diverse than those found on drained grasslan…

Restoring degraded ecosystems is rightly a global priority. But ensuring that restoration genuinely delivers long-term climate benefits requires deeper thinking about carbon integrity in practice.A PhD student at the CLR, Evie Huhtala is helping to push that conversation forward.Evie recently secured funding from the Endangered Landscapes & Seascap…

Professor Lynn Dicks recently joined a leading agriculture and sustainability podcast to discuss the science behind regenerative farming and share insights from University of Cambridge team in the H3 Programme (Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Healthy People), lead by the University of Sheffield.The conversation explores what robust, real-world evidence…

Mapping Forest Carbon: CLR Research at the Forefront of Climate SolutionsForests are powerful allies in the fight against climate change. They capture and store carbon, support biodiversity, and regulate water cycles. Understanding exactly how forests store carbon at a landscape scale is key to developing effective conservation and climate strategi…

The CLRs Dr Laurie Friday will be one of eight expert speakers at the Association of Drainage Authorities (ADA) Environment Day 2026 for lowland water managers. This annual event provides a valuable opportunity for those involved in managing, maintaining, and governing lowland watercourses and freshwater environments. The day will feature talks cov…

Several members of the Centre for Landscape Regeneration attended the British Ecological Society Annual Meeting 2025, held in Edinburgh from 15–18 December. The conference attracts around 1,500 ecologists each year and provides opportunities to share research, develop skills, and build collaborations through plenary talks, thematic sessions, worksh…

Photo by Glynis PiersonNew Publication: Towards improved accounting and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from ditches and canalsDitches and canals are a key and recognisable feature of the Fens and the broader British landscape, yet they are often overlooked in global discussions around greenhouse gas emissions.This paper arises from a recent…

The CLR’s work in the Cambridgeshire Fens was highlighted on BBC platforms at the end of 2025, showcasing the importance of this unique landscape and the innovative research supporting nature, farming, and climate solutions.Former Prime Minister Theresa May, guest editor of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on December 31st, had heard about CLR’s work …

We are pleased to highlight a new publication by CLR member Annette Green: A place to disagree: using social science methods for engaging communities and exploring contestation in changing landscapes (The British Academy, 2025).As environmental, social, and political pressures reshape the UK’s landscapes, there is growing recognition that land mana…

How we manage land is central to tackling climate change — from reducing emissions at their source to restoring natural systems that can store carbon and support biodiversity. In a new opinion piece by CLR Co-I, Dr Shaun Fitzgerald OBE, explores how both natural and managed landscapes can play a vital role in achieving meaningful climate gains.Read…

Shared by Prof Sasha Turchyn, Department of Earth SciencesDespite a brisk autumn wind, this year’s visit to Luke’s Farm was a great success, giving students from the Quantitative Climate and Environmental Science Masters course the opportunity to apply their classroom learning to real-world environmental monitoring.The group took part as part of th…