editorial
What and who for?
As I write this in early January it is snowing outside, large flakes falling in mesmerising waves on top of several inches of lying snow. The severe winter weather experienced in the last few weeks has turned our countryside into a much tougher place than we might usually expect it to be at this time of year.
A green and pleasant land is the epitome of the
understanding of the rural idyll in the common psyche. A land chronicled by poets, writers and artists over the centuries and once lived in by locals who knew differently. Perhaps, but views, landscapes, church spires and beautiful villages still sell houses, small holdings and dreams.
The modern countryside has many functions and purposes which increasingly compete for space on the ground and attention in the policy making arena. Around 70% of the UK is under agricultural production (the rest being towns and cities including parks and gardens,
roads, mountains and forest). How land is used can cause great controversy. Is the primary purpose of land to be for food production? Or is it for energy generation, biofuels, tourism, recreation, living space, flood and water management, biodiversity or landscape conservation. Our land has to fulfil all of these competing demands for an increasingly diverse rural population as well as serving the needs of the majority urban population. If this is to be possible who is ultimately responsible for maintaining and sustaining the land?
Defra have just published a strategy for food (Food 2030: How we get there), which draws together existing initiatives on food and waste and encourages farmers to produce more food from fewer resources and in a more sustainable way. So perhaps the message from Government is finally: land is for food production?
Many people have a deeply spiritual relationship with land whether it is through gardening,
farming, walking or just being present in the landscape. A place of peace and tranquillity to find and meet with God whether it is snatched in an early morning run or sought purposefully at the weekend, is a precious contribution to sustaining a living faith and an inner health. Do we see Christ in how we relate to and treat our green and pleasant land? It is the responsibility of us all to ensure that what we have now is available for future
generations to enjoy and most importantly be a place where a living relationship with Christ can be experienced.
Jill Hopkinson, Editor
of the Countryside
Faith and the Future
3 – 5 November 2010 The Hayes, Swanwick, Derbyshire
Major ecumenical conference to celebrate 20 years of Faith in the Countryside and the Archbishops’ Commission on Rural Areas
For full details and to download a booking form visit… www.
rural20.org
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