Event Feedback
Introduction:
Between December 2019 and March 2020, Adapting the Levels held events with the communities of Langport and Wedmore.
The following pages explore the information gathered.
Care has been taken to analyse the data in the spirit in which it was given, with the sole purpose of making the data more digestible and accessible.
The Summary Leaflet, Report PDF and the Raw Data can also be download below.
Download Documents….
Summary:
A wide range of inspiring ideas and knowledge was shared at the workshops and drop-ins, with a number of themes that emerged.
Interestingly, there was little evidence of disunity. Although there will always be different opinions about how to tackle climate change adaptation, there was a clear call for action and change across the board.
Support was expressed for:
The wider adoption of nature-based solutions to flooding and drought
More robust legislation and leadership, with a focus on working in partnership
More sustainable building practices and retrofitting of existing property
Stronger rules on planning, especially building on floodplains
Better subsidy systems for farmers, and payment schemes that would compensate them for storing floodwater
Unity between the farming and wider communities, with a desire for positive land management practices
More education, including practical ways for people to implement their learning
While the comments vary widely in their focus, there are several things that are very clear – the feeling that the issue of climate change is a very serious one, that change in some form is coming, and we must meet this with a range of responses from the small to large scale.
Event Background
Between December 2019 and March 2020 in Wedmore and Langport, Adapting the Levels held two large public drop-ins, and four smaller workshops with Parish and District Councillors.
Purpose of the events
The events shared accurate information about local climate change projections for the Somerset Levels and Moors (SL&M), nature-based solutions to flooding and drought, and introduced the adaptation pathways process of planning for climate change adaptation. The project was also seeking ideas from the community about where investments in nature-based solutions might be made, with a view to funding some small-scale schemes. The events were well attended, attracting a wide range of people including farmers, business owners, educators, representatives of NGOs and local government, and interested individuals.
Local Focus
At the inception of the project, Adapting the Levels identified two areas of the SL&M to focus on – Tealham and Tadham Moor near Wedmore, and Wet and West Moor near Langport. By focussing on individual moors, the project was able to take a very local view and allow residents, landowners and farmers the opportunity to make meaningful contributions.
What Happened at the Events
For the councillor workshops, each parish council that has a footprint on these moors was invited, as well as the District and County Council representatives for the area. The workshops were divided into two parts, with the first session dedicated to exploring climate change projections, what the implications of this might be, and potential blocks to adaptation. In the second workshop, attendees were invited to create their own plans for the future, using their local knowledge and experience to draw up adaptation pathways. The public drop-ins attracted around 330 visitors – 130 at Wedmore and 200 at Langport. All the information that was presented is available to view on our website here. There were tools for opinion sampling, with the opportunity for people to share their views and level of knowledge. The exhibits were highly interactive and hands on, taking participants through climate science, water management in Somerset, nature-based solutions to flooding and drought, and finally inviting people to share their own ideas, knowledge and experience.
Climate Knowledge
Participants at both the councillor workshops and the public drop-ins were asked to rate their knowledge of climate change.
This helped gauge who the project was reaching, and whether it is was appealing to the community as a whole, or only those who are already aware of and interested in climate change issues.
Workshop attendees completed an anonymous feedback form, and drop-in attendees placed a token along a scale to represent their knowledge.
Not all attendees chose to participate. Of those who did, there was a wide spread of knowledge/understanding, from those to whom this information was new, to those who considered themselves almost expert.
The average of all scores was 50 out of 100.
Emotional Impact
There is growing recognition that we are seeing a rise in ‘climate anxiety’. As people come to understand the far-reaching consequences of climate change, they can experience negative effects on their mental health. When not properly acknowledged, this can be a barrier to people’s ability to engage with the subject and move beyond blocks and fears towards solutions.
In order to help ‘park’ their feelings, people at the drop-ins were invited to select two mood cards to represent the emotional effect of the information about climate change. Unsurprisingly, the large majority of people reported negative reactions.
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The most common response was frustration, followed by a desire to take action, with worry and sadness close behind. This suggests that amongst the participants, there is a significant appetite for more action on climate change.
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Finding Help
Psychology today describes eco-anxiety as “a fairly recent psychological disorder afflicting an increasing number of individuals who worry about the environmental crisis”. Experiencing anxiety is a normal response to very worrying situations, just as people would feel anxious in wartime or if they were given a serious medical diagnosis.
However you choose to view it, for many people the knowledge of the climate and ecological emergencies has a profound effect on their mental health. This is especially true in an area such as the Somerset Levels which is already facing increased risks from flooding and drought.
Whilst there’s no formal treatment for eco anxiety, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), is the most widely used for anxiety disorders and can be accessed at the links opposite.
To find out more about eco anxiety:
• Read Shelly Easton’s blog, which includes helpful hints for coping.
• Watch Laura Lexx’s (Comedian, actress and writer) YouTube video about her experiences with eco-anxiety.
• Check out the article “How To Cope With Climate Change Anxiety” by Sophie at SustainablyLazy.com
For Adults CBT therapy is available for free via Somerset Talking Therapies. You can self-refer directly via their website.
For those under 18 support can be found through Young Somerset. You can self-refer online. Those under the age of 13 will need permission from a parent. The service also offers Virtual Hubs held twice a week for young people and once a week for parents.
The Farming Community Network (FCN) is a voluntary organisation and charity that supports farmers and families within the farming community through difficult times. They have a network of over 400 volunteers across England and Wales, many of whom are involved in farming, or have close links with agriculture, and therefore have a great understanding of the issues farm workers and farming families regularly face.
Access the Helpline: Email: help@fcn.org.uk Call: 03000 111999
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
Support for Nature Based Solutions
In order to understand public feeling and support for nature-based solutions to flooding and drought, we asked the following question:
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement:
"The management of water and flood defence on the Somerset Levels relies on infrastructure such as embankments, dredging and pumping. In future, Natural Process Solutions, which protect and restore the natural functions of the river catchments, floodplains and coastlines, also need to be a major part of the solution.”
Participants at the public events were able to ‘vote’ using a token, expressing to what extent they agreed or disagreed with the statement. Workshop attendees were asked the same question on feedback forms.
From 62 responses, 58 people, or 93.5%, agreed with the statement - with 74.2% of respondents selecting ‘strongly agree’. 4 people, or 6.5%, chose ‘strongly disagree’.
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Community Comments:
“I agree, but want more monitoring to be done to build the evidence base.”
“Rather than a 'reaction' lots of serious planning and spending needs to be done!
Don't build on floodplains.”
“Agree, but it needs to be explained and quantified; how effective 'natural' methods would be at managing current and future flood risks. If money is spent on natural methods, what about the maintenance of all existing infrastructure.”
“Strongly agree! PLUS effective measures to restore soils above floodplains to reduce soil & water runoff. Needs government funding.”
Comments & Feedback
All the events aimed to gather knowledge and ideas from the participants. At the public drop-ins, people wrote down their responses and ideas on feedback forms or paper with and without prompt questions. During the Councillor workshops, participants took part in group discussions.
The following is drawn from the comments by participants of all events and represents the common themes which emerged. The quoted comments are representative of the full dataset, which is available for download here.
Councillor Workshop Discussion Questions:
“What issues could get worse?”
“What new issues might arise?”
“How could this impact your community?”
“What decisions do you make, or have influence over, that are ‘climate-sensitive’ (will last for 20 years+)?”
“What powers and/or influence do you have to take action?”
“What policy, social or other blocks are you aware of?”
Drop-in Day Prompt Questions:
“What is going to help our community adapt?”
“Adapting the Levels has £10,000 for community adaptation. How would you like to see this spent? What are your ideas?”
“What local opportunities are there for nature-based solutions to flooding and drought?”
Themes
Leadership & Partnership
“Working together has to be the way forward. This is the biggest challenge we all face.”
Farming & Subsidies
“Stop blaming farmers for problems we all created and need to solve together.”
Education & Community Inclusion
“Education for everyone old and young.”
Natural Flood Management
“More trees of course, but not the only solution...”
The Future of our Communities
“….Time is running out and adaptation is a 'must'.”
Sustainable Retrofits
“Make all our public buildings SuDs friendly.”
Sustainable Development & Legislation
“Stop building on the flood plains.”
Taking Action
“What simple actions can my family take NOW?!”
Engineering Solutions
“Keep investing in dredging the levels.”
Next Steps
Climate change is the defining issue of our time, and this report shows how engaged and solution-focussed the people of Somerset are. Participants at the Adapting the Levels events showed a huge willingness to contribute and learn in more detail about the issues that our changing weather patterns are bringing, and about the solutions that can help us meet the challenges. The report above is the first step in putting the communities’ ideas into action, and the team have been working on several exciting projects to take this forward, regardless of future covid-19 restrictions.
Next Steps
The data in this report has informed a draft set of ‘Adaptation Pathways’ for areas of the Somerset Levels and Moors. Adaptation Pathways are a way of planning for the future, taking account of uncertainties by using environmental pressures rather than time to determine decision points. These plans will be made available online in an interactive website so that everyone can make comments and edit. Through this process, residents, farmers, decision-makers and other stakeholders can come together as a community to develop a shared vision for climate change adaptation in this beautiful and unique area.
The project team are developing an app that will guide users on a walking trail around the focus areas, to be piloted first in Wedmore. The walking trails created will feature video and audio content that brings theory to life by showing how some of these interventions can be applied in a real landscape. With additional fun activities for kids, the app will be suitable for the whole family to get out and about and continue learning about how Somerset can respond to climate change.
Team members from FWAG Southwest continue to work with farmers and landowners on the Levels and Moors, delivering investments to help local famers be better adapted to climate change. They are also supporting the development of Moor Associations, where farmers and landowners work together for common good. For more information, contact Will Barnard on Will.Barnard@fwagsw.org.uk or 07866 747688.
If you know of somewhere on or around the Somerset Levels and Moors where nature-based solutions to flooding and drought might be suitable, get in touch. As well as Adapting the Levels, there are a number of schemes offering funding and support to realise opportunities that will help our area to be better adapted to climate change.
To keep informed about the development of the online tool, the app, and other work of the project, sign up to the Adapting the Levels Newsletter