2015 Humber Conference

The Humber Estuary with its ports, factories, high grade farmland and centres of population is of vital importance for the UK’s Economy. It is also of outstanding value for wildlife - birds, seals, fish and the various habitats that support them. The wildlife and its habitat receives protection under UK and European legislation. The challenge is to gain economic growth while at the same time protecting and enhancing the environment.

Many people and organisations have interests in the well-being of the Humber, but no one organisation has all the knowledge, legal powers and resources to ensure that all the legitimate users and uses – people, navigation, industry, agriculture, wildlife, recreation and heritage – can take place in harmony. The annual Humber Estuary Conference provides an opportunity for all these interests to meet together.

The theme of this year's conference is "The Humber's Natural Capital". Natural Capital is the essential green infrastructure that sustains life on earth and provides multiple services to Society, often at little or no cost. Natural Capital is a critical part of the Humber’s Growth agenda, in the natural flood defence that it provides, in the enhanced asset value of waterfront shops, homes and offices, in the development of the region’s tourist industry, in the protection of the Humber shipping lanes, in the carbon capture and storage system of our estuarine muds, in the Humber’s recreational and commercial fishing industry and for the health benefits of clean air and active recreation to name just a few of those ecosystem services to Society. Delegates attending the conference will hear from speakers from a range of organisations on the importance of the Humber's Natural Capital.

There will also be an opportunity for delegates to meet the team from the University of Surrey’s Evolution and Resilience of Industrial Ecosystems (ERIE) project. This is an EPSRC “Complexity Science for the Real World” project which aims to bring complexity science concepts and tools to a range of users, from local communities, to industry and local government. The project has developed a number of tools and methods, with extensive participation from industry, local authorities and NGOs in the Humber region. The project team will be available during the conference to demonstrate the tools and are looking for users, pilot studies and feedback on the tools developed during the project.

Conference Programme

0930

Registration opens

1000

Welcome and Chair’s Introduction

Tony Edwards, Chair of Humber Nature Partnership

1015

The importance of Spurn Point for shipping on the Humber

Tom Jeynes, ABP

1035

The importance of saltmarsh to the Humber Flood Risk Management Strategy

Sue Manson, Environment Agency

1055

Refreshments and networking

1120

Water for Farmers and Wildlife

Natalie Pagett, RSPB

1140

The Yorkshire Nature Triangle

Tom Marshall, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

1200

A review of Humber Nature Partnership’s work in 2015

Darren Clarke, Humber Nature Parthership

1210

Discussion and closing comments

1230

Presentation of the 2015 Humber Nature Partnership Award

Tony Edwards

1245

Lunch and networking

1345

Close