Shared Stewardship Towards Nature - Dr.Peter Vujakovic

A Case for the Planet...

The second day of the International Conference on Science, Society and Sustainability at Lady Doak College, Madurai, saw two plenaries in the forenoon session. The first speaker Dr.Hilconda P.Calumpong, Institute of Environmental and Marine Studies, Silliman University, Philippines, spoke on the various initiatives of Silliman University in which she had participated, and highlighted pioneering researches, the results of which have led to initiatives that have influenced the national and local government units' policies on CRM as well as Coastal communities' behaviour in caring for and managing their coastal resources.

Dr.Peter Vujakovic, Head of Geographical and Life Sciences at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU), UK, gave a talk on 'Shared Stewardship of Nature - Past, Present and Future'.

His talk focussed on the 'Biodiversity' initiative currently being developed at CCCU, in the English county of Kent - known as the 'Garden of England' for its landscape and its fruit cultivation. The initiative is focused on the Canterbury UNESCO World Heritage Site (including Canterbury Cathedral, St.Augustine's Abbey and St.Martin's Church - the oldest Church in the English speaking world still used for worship).

He spoke on 'Conservation as Stewardship' and enumerated on the types of Biodiversity in campuses, namely, Species Biodiversity, Genetic Biodiversity, Habitat/Ecosystem Biodiversity, Cultural diversity/heritage varieties etc.

He then elaborated on Opportunities for Curriculum and Community Development, and Sustainable Biodiversity. According to him, 

effective biodiversity strategies should be built on all the three modes of Environmental Sustainability, Economic Sustainability and Social & Cultural Sustainability. He stressed on the importance of people's access to Green Environments. 

Enumerating next on the Biodiversity strategies for CCCU, he said that, 

1. CCCU builds on Cultural Capital eg.World Heritage Site, Salomon's Estate etc.

2. Works with staff, students and local community to enhance social capital. 

3. Focuses on Cultural sustainability eg.distinctive food production system of Kent/heritage varieties etc.

4. Aspirational, not preservationist. 

He also discussed the part of Biodiversity as part of Curriculum planning and their Futures Initiatives. Stressing on the value of Biodiversity as an asset, he listed the various values thus associated, namely, Direct Value Use, Indirect Value use, Option Value use, Ecological value etc. He concluded with a note on the ambitious Virtual Arboretum Project as a learning environment, and linked this project to wider concerns for the links that exist between our knowledge of the earth, the evolution of life, the communities in which we live, and the stewardship of nature.