Kent Law School’s Environmental Law Seminar Series continued in November with a talk by RSPB Warden Michael Walter on ‘Blean Woods: Amid Changing Climate and Attitudes, Where Does Responsibility Lie?’
Michael Walter, who studied zoology and botany, with a particular interest in woodlands and monitoring wildlife, spent most of his forty-year career with the RSPB as a warden at Blean Woods.
The first part of the talk reflected on the issues derived from the privatisation of natural habitats. The Victorian solution to the tragedy of the commons has led to many natural habitats being restricted to the general public. This process has gradually led to a different relationship between nature and society, which raises important questions: Can someone own habitat? Who owns the species and ecological processes within a privatised habitat?
The RSPB, as lawful owners of Blean Woods, focus their efforts in conserving the precious biodiversity as well as offering access to the public. But as the public uses of the woods, such as cycling and dog-walking, clash with each other and affect the wildlife, should the RSPB strictly regulate the public use? Does the public conceive them as the rightful owners? Does the RSPB own the Blean’s environment?
The second part of the talk focused on the anthropogenic effects on the wildlife, mainly due to climate change and agriculture. While many species decline, some even disappear, and a few appear, they all have to adapt to an environment of unpredictable ecological patterns. Management is key to ensuring the population of species. However, there is a limit to management as biodiversity is affected by global processes. Thus, while species in Blean Woods decline due to human activities happening elsewhere, such as desertification in Africa, expansion of agriculture and greenhouse gas emissions across the globe, who is ultimately responsible for protecting the wildlife?
In a nutshell, the talk illustrated from the perspective of management of Blean Woods, the contemporary society-environment issues, which raises important questions for law students regarding how to legally approach our shared responsibility for the current threats to natural habitats.
Report by Kent LLM student Salvador Camarón Klarwein (who co-organised the seminar with fellow Kent LLM students Em Veeravatanathikula, and Kanthanat Wee).
The Environmental Law Seminar Series has been designed specifically for students with an interest in the environmental law modules offered within the School’s one-year Master’s in Law programme, the Kent LLM.
Kent LLM students can graduate on either the Environmental Law or International Environmental Law pathway by (i) opting to study at least three (out of six) modules from those associated with the pathway of their choice and by (ii) focusing the topic of their dissertation on their chosen pathway.
More information about environmental law research, events and academics at Kent can be found on the Environmental Law mini-site. More information about studying the Kent LLM (and choosing your pathway) can be found on our postgraduate pages.