U.K. Natural Resources & Agricultural Sustainability Study Abroad
- 1. Natural Resources and Agricultural Sustainability in the UK
- 2. Trip Goals: Inspired by: The Man Who Fed the World 1. ExperientialLearning 2. Technology Transfer partially funded by a travel grant from the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture Who was Norman Borlaug? An agronomist. • He won the Nobel Peace Prize • Congressional Gold Medal Winner “Reach for the stars. Although you • 50 honorary Doctorate Degrees will never touch them, you may get a • His work on high-yield, disease little stardust on your hands.” resistant grains helped save billions - Norman Borlaug (1914 – 2009) of lives from starvation in: Mexico, - Agronomist & unsung hero Asia, Afria, India, and Pakistan - Father of the Green Revolution
- 3. Scotland will serve as a Topics to be covered are: comparative case study • Conservation of U.S. and Scottish • Energy production natural resources, land • Farming use, agricultural • Fisheries production, and • Forestry management practices. • Manufacturing • Sustainable land use Students will observe • Tourism how … geography, • and Soil Sampling culture, history, and economics help define sustainable solutions.
- 4. Inter Disciplinary • 3 Grad Students • 4 Undergrads • 2 Professors Andrew Gayley Jason McMillan Brittany Bates John Baddeley/SAC Laura Bradt Robin Walker/SAC Rachel Brooks Rachel Brauner Ben Meritt
- 5. Led by Co-Facilitators from the: Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dr. Jacqueline Aitkenhead-Peterson Assistant Professor of Urban Nutrient and Water Management Department of Soil and Crop Sciences Dr. Cristine L. Morgan Assistant Professor of Soil Science Department of Soil and Crop Sciences Miss Orie Varner (not pictured) Trip Advisor Study Abroad Programs Office (SAPO)
- 6. Houston - London – Aberdeen • Distance: > 5,000 mi • Time: 23 hrs? w/ layovers, ash, taxis
- 7. 1,400 mi Road Trip • Two Cars • Figure 8 (Aberdeen to Aberdeen) • All geographic regions
- 8. Overview: Crash-course in the organization of Scottish technical higher education Interacted with: 20 Administrators, Instructors, and Researchers from … 4 Academic and Research Institutes, and also visited … 9 Active Field Research Stations Observed all geographic regions
- 9. Macaulay Land-Use Research Institute • Soil, environmental studies, and land-use • DOC in peatlands and upland watersheds SAC Craibstone Estate, Research Farms • Long-term crop hill and woodland plots • Intercropping; nutrient budgets (N, P, K); weed/pest/disease control; energy budgets; GHGs; biodiversity; economics • Also: herbs, oil seeds, pharms, vet srvcs
- 11. Isles of Mull, Staffa, Iona • Crofting, sheep, fishing, tourism • Threatened Corncrake habitat SAMS, Dunstaffnage • Salmon farms and benthic ecology • International consultation Ben Cruachan Reserve Power Scheme • 440 MW 22hr Max (12hr Rsv), 28s • H2O pumped 360m from Loch Awe • Turbines are below sea level
- 12. SAC, Bush Estates, CEH • Cereal trials • Observe N levels, pest, & disease reaction to fertilizer / till treatments • DNA and molecular chemistry lab capabilities • EGENES: statistical pedigree recordkeeping & services for cattle, sheep, poultry, and fish
- 13. Edinburgh’s Royal Mile Scottish Parliament (since 1999) • Upper: Edinburgh Castle (c. 1093) • ‘Holyrood’ completed in 2004 St. Giles Cathedral Palace of Holyroodhouse • High Kirk of Edinburgh • Queen’s Residence while in Scotland
- 14. Whim Moss Peat Bog Experiment Station • Effects of different forms of N on: lichen, sphagnum moss, peat moss, heather • Ammonia, ammonium, nitrate, etc. • Simulates fertilizers & poultry influence Auchencorth Moss Carbon Attachment • EU Air Quality Monitoring ‘Supersite’ • PM10, radiation, temp, rainfall, deposition flux: of ammonia, NOX, SO2, O3, base ions • Analyzers / modems in skid-mount bldgs
- 15. SAC, Crighton Estate @ Dumfries • SAC Dairy Research Station (UofE) • Research focused on bovine health, dairy (milk) production, animal temperament, and food security • Experiments: forage, silage, loafing, furniture, slurry application
- 16. SAC, Crighton Estate • Support EGENES with X-ray and CT Scan services available to top sheep breeders • Interesting history and architecture • Emphasis on food security
- 17. New Lanark – World Heritage Site • Largest cotton mill in Great Britain on the Clyde Falls • Est. by Robert Owens (1800’s): industrial & social reformer • Peregrine Falcon Nesting/Birding Site
- 18. SAC Kirkton, Upland Sheep Research Station • Demonstration farm, providing: ecological, economic, ultrasound services • Climate stats & micro-renewables Loch Region (the Highland Lakes) • Lochs Etvie, Laggan, Lorn, Awe, Lomond, Clatteringshaw, and Tay • Drove through Trossachs National Park
- 19. Old Tyndrum Lead Mines - near Crianlarich • On the West Highland Way • Operational: 18th to early 20th century • Historic depiction: tools, life, hazards, diet, and compensation for a typical lead miner • Soil sampling: upstream, tailing and leachfield nearcrusher, smelter, downstream floodplain
- 20. Stirling / Falkirk – on River Forth • Falkirk Wheel: 13m elevation • Forth and Clyde Canal: tunnel, lock system • Old Stirling Bridge
- 21. Chaleton Fruit Farms • Production Farm: tabletop, drip irrigation • Climate: hoop houses, biodegradable plastic row cover Cairngorms National Park • Ecology, mature forests, stream geomorphology, land management, and DOC in streams
- 24. Land Management: • Scotland: 1/9 size of Texas • Population: 1/5 Texas • 75% in less favored areas • Crop rotation and stewardship Water Quality: • 3X rainfall of Texas • Peat bog leachate, fertilizer runoff, manure impacts, erosion, lochs Air Quality: • Agriculture is significant contributor • NO2 has 300X warming potential of CO2 • 80% reduction mandated by Kyoto
- 25. Triple Point: • Stewardship – Water Quality – Air Quality • Falls within a range dictated by: - Market Price - System Health - Waste Minimization - Energy Conservation - Aesthetics of the land • The moving target is: Balance The ‘balance’ seemed to be confounded by another intangible factor: • Heightened nationwide Social Conscious • Regarding food production and consumption • Noticed ‘Fairtrade’ labels in almost every store What is Fairtrade?
- 26. Between 2004 to 2007: Scotland and Wales strove to become the world’s first Fairtrade Nations Mission: Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives. Buy local – otherwise buy fair.
- 27. Parting Thought: • Old Mediterranean proverb: “a triple braided rope is not easily broken” • In our case, those braids might be: Fair Trade - Stewardship – Education Finally: • Thanks to Dr. Peterson, Dr. Morgan, and Orie • They breathed life into an old quote by the German educator, Kurt Hahn: “Tell me, and I may forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I'll understand” The group definitely has a better understanding of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sustainability in Scotland.
- 28. Big Thanks – it was brilliant!
- 29. Excerpts from Original Translation Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Fair is your honest happy face Great chieftain o' the puddin-race! Great chieftain of the pudding race Aboon them a' ye tak your place, Above them all you take your place Painch, tripe, or thairm: Stomach, tripe or guts Weel are ye wordy o' a grace Well are you worthy of a grace As lang's my arm. As long as my arm But mark the Rustic, haggis fed, But take note of the strong haggis fed Scot The trembling earth resounds his tread. The trembling earth resounds his tread Clap in his walie nieve a blade, Clasped in his large fist a blade He'll mak it whissle; He'll make it whistle An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned, And legs and arms and heads he will cut off Like taps o' thrissle. Like the tops of thistles Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care, You powers who make mankind your care And dish them out their bill o' fare, And dish them out their meals Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware Old Scotland wants no watery food That jaups in luggies; That splashes in dishes But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer, But if you wish her grateful prayer Gie her a haggis! Give her a haggis!