events
Past Events 2024
SEPTEMBER 2nd A BLOOMING BIOREGION!
This event (detailed invitation here) marked the start of a new, expanded and exciting phase for BWL SE Ireland as an independent entity. We screened a new short film capturing three stories of inspiring changemakers making holistic value around the bioregion, heard insightful contributions from the new board members and advisors, considered what our bioregion looks like on a map and celebrated our new independent governance structure, new office and new website.
JULY 2nd – ‘KEEP ON WEAVING’ MOVIE NIGHT, AND MORE
We gathered to watch the film made last year about the stars of the bioregion and why funding should be changed to support them as a portfolio that delivers social, natural, inspiration and financial returns across the bioregion. The film was a huge success – we must share it more widely! Before that, we also discussed the need for a Land Observatory, the benefit of peer support for different farming approaches, and how we might develop education for and in nature. It was all in all a grand occasion especially seeing each other on film from the wonderful Gaelach Gorm Theatre at Kill Community Centre.
You can read the full report of the evening here, watch the film online here, and catch up with a July24 newsletter here.
14th -15th APRIL 2024 – NETHERLANDS TRIP: FARMING THE HERENBOEREN WAY
The need for new ways of farming for a future where value is created for nature and society while also delivering financial sustainable and predictable returns is clear. Earlier BWL events have introduced bioregional stakeholders to the Herenboeren farms in the Netherlands. A group of ten, farmers and others, travelled on an immersive learning journey to see how replication of this model might work in Ireland and how we can take inspiration to action.
A follow-up online sharing event of our learnings and insights was held online on 29th April 2024.
A working group has since been formed to follow up, with the name ‘Our Farms’.
Read the detailed report of insights and learnings here.
JUNE 10th – FARMING AND SAND-ART WITH NATURE
Launch of short film celebrating the beauty of biodiversity, multispecies swards and all that only scratch the surface of the land we will depend on for generations to come, however transitory we may be today. See the film here.
JANUARY 21st – WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH LAND?
A group met to discuss what options we have for land – be it a private land owner wanting to do new things to ensure their land is used for regenerative land use of some sort, or farmers looking for ways of delivering on all 4 Returns. Read the report here. This event was followed by a walk the land meeting, and led into the Netherlands trip in April 2024.
JANUARY 15th – BIOREGIONAL WEAVING – WHY AND HOW?
We kicked off the year with a gathering at SETU to discuss the strategy and governance aspects of BWL in Ireland. A decision to start the process to establish our own legal entity was approved and the nature of circles for delegated thematic topics was outlined. Read the report here.
Past Events 2023 (and early 2024)
12TH OCTOBER 2023 – 14th FEBRUARY 2024: THE NEW NORMAL FOR DAIRY
Over this six-month period, a BWL-Dairy group contributed with a ‘landscape perspective’ on the future of sustainable dairy sector in Ireland. This was one of four workstreams in the ‘activation phase’ of the Dairy Flagship part of the DAFM (The Department for Agriculture, Food and Marine) and EIT Climate KIC (CKIC) Deep Demonstration initiative to determine the future of sustainable food and agriculture in Ireland (external link here).
We built on our pre-existing network in the bioregion and started by meeting farmers in person on farm and online for deep-dive dialogues. We then gathered for three in-person workshops, four online events and had many email exchanges.
Dairy is the dominant, and often intensive, sector in our bioregion and we were pleased to see elements of the 4 Returns influence the overall vision of the Flagship. The BWL-Dairy group will continue to work through a BWL-circle now the activation is completed.
Reporting
“A Landscape Approach to the Future of Dairy in Ireland” is a final synthesis report with recommendations and systems analysis (Feb 2024) Read here
Sub-reports
- Are there farmer ‘typologies’ or is it more complex than that? (Jan 2024) Read here
- Co-visioning the future of the system around the dairy sector: what losses are being felt and what returns can we aim for? (Dec 2023) Read here
- A look at the current and future systems (4D modelling) and the emerging evidence of new systems and innovations for the future we aspire to (three horizons). Impact pathway identification – education, routes to market, nutrition and holistic approaches. (Oct 2023) Read here
NOVEMBER 2023: INTRODUCTION TO SYSTEMS CHANGE ONLINE COURSE
This training offer was for BWL partners wanting to develop a 4R concept in the bioregion that leads to long-lasting change. The course was a facilitated four week introductory journey led by BWL’s backbone organization Ashoka. The course looked at how to strategize for systems change and how to collaborate with other leaders to create deep, equitable, and lasting impact. The course outline is available here.
27th and 28th September- From Landscape Past to Landscape Future
BWL was delighted to partner with Landscape Alliance Ireland on the National Landscape Forum 2023 with the topic ‘From Landscape Past to Landscape Future’. Inspiring and knowledgeable interdisciplinary voices from across Ireland gathered at Mount Congreve in Waterford to made an impassioned call for an effective, coordinated and integrated action plan for Ireland’s future landscape – as committed to in the European Landscape Convention. See the programme here.
26TH SEPTEMBER – INTRODUCTION TO DAIRY DEEP DEMO
BWL has recently started working with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and EIT Climate KIC on a ‘deep demonstration’ project addressing the future of sustainable dairy in Ireland – specifically on the potential of using a holistic landscape approach. This work is part of a wider initiative to build the new normal for the sustainable agri-food sector in Ireland. We held an online information session for anyone interested in knowing more and you can read more about the Deep Demo in general at the external link here.
8TH AND 9TH SEPTEMBER – INNOVATING LANDSCAPE AND COMMUNITY FINANCE
An inspirational event over two days addressed emerging new models and approaches to funding whole communities and landscapes in ways that support and drive long-term positive change towards a thriving and regenerative future. International guests and local stakeholders gathered for discussions and field-trips that showcased the huge potential for holistic investment. The invitation and programme can be read here and a full report will be published shortly.
27th July: Organic farm walk and talk
We visited Robin’s Glen farm near Glenmore in south-east Kilkenny, for a ‘weaving walk and catch-up’. We learnt how Eleanor and Richard Murphy have been working with organic feed production over the years, shared ideas to bring in more regenerative and organic farming practices across the bioregion, and generally caught up over a cup of tea in the shed. A lovely and inspiring evening all in all.
2nd and 4th July – INFORMAL CATCH-UP EVENTS
We met in person and online to catch-up on what has been happening in the world of BWL and beyond. In addition to giving an overview of recent workshops and events, we discussed the ten emerging investment concepts and focused on one addressing the need for a more community-led approach to land-use management.
26th, 27th 28th May – CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS AND OPEN EVENTS
A series of events at each end of the bioregion to develop ideas that form part of an emerging portfolio of concepts that together could make major impact regarding our regenerative futures in line with the manifesto (see above) and overall mission. To delve deeper in to ten concepts, we held a residential event at the beautiful Dromana House on the banks of the Blackwater River in West Waterford, a workshop in the Coastguard Cultural Centre at Tramore. In addition two open events were arranged to include any new or existing stakeholders interested in the BWL. Read the report form these four events here.
7/12 FEBRUARY CATCH-UP and SHARING EVENT
An online and in-person opportunity to start the new year with an informal catch-up and sharing session. We reflected on the interesting and inspiring outcomes of the Dunhill workshop at the end of 2022, discussed how micro-grants might be wisely used and talked broad and wide about how to achieve the systemic changes we need to read our mission and deliver on our manifesto.
Read the full report here.
Past Events 2022
16 december – talks and workshop: weaving waterford: dunhill
This event gathered 10 inspirational speakers to talk about what they are doing that relates to a nature-based Waterford bioregion with thriving communities. We also looked at what concrete steps can lead to aspirational futures that include such innovative ways of working. Read the full report here.
13/14 November – COFFEE CATCH-UP and FUTURE THINKING WORKSHOP
An informal coffee morning turned into a rich discussion full of knowledge and opinions for the BWL mission and manifesto. The workshop on the next day looked at what might be done to lift the pockets of inspiration we see today into the future we aspire to. Updates on other BWL activities were part of both days. You can read the full report here and access the accompanying document (system innovations and other BWLs) from the European BWL Learning Summit here.
21 october – Manifesto Launch and Landscape Plan Introduction
We held an online meeting to share the process and outcomes of the manifesto workshop. We read the manifesto out loud. We touched on how it can be used. And we introduced the Landscape Plan as a container for capturing more content, pathways and implementation plans for the bioregion.
See the slides and report from the meeting here.
Listen to the manifesto here and watch the recording here.
11 September – Workshop: Co-writing a manifesto
As part of the Waterford Harvest Festival led by GIY, we gathered at GROW HQ to co-write a Waterford Manifesto for a Regenerative Bioregion. The report on our process and the manifesto can be read here.
5 August – Online meeting: Next Steps
We held an open online meeting to summarise insights and discuss possible next steps. We agreed that writing a manifesto was a good idea to give a collective voice as to what we are working for. You can read the report from the online meeting here.
5 July – Workshop: Collective intelligence and Ideas for Change
We held a multi-stakeholder workshop to explore the challenges, what has been done and what system change will be needed to reach future regenerative ecosystems and thriving communities. See what we did and what findings emerged in the BWL Workshop Report.
join the BWL SOUTH EAST IRELAND movement:
Join us and be part of a movement to discover together how a bioregion can make positive change. Farmers, corporates, NGOs, politicians and other individuals are all welcome.
We have ongoing individual and collective conversations and events around successful nature-based solutions and social innovations, and what it would mean to weave these together for a resilient food system, thriving landscapes and communities.
For those that are interested more widely, you will be included in our European network of leading thinkers and doers in this field and have the chance to participate in a deeper learning journey for you and your organisation.
For more information contact Programme Weaver, Sarah Prosser: sarah@bwl.ie
