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Day 1 Conference Programme: Wednesday 2nd September 2026


08:45 – 09:30

Registration

Location: Forum Street


09:30 – 09:45

Welcome Talk

Speaker: Gale Alexander, Devon Resilience Innovation Project Manager

Location: Alumni Auditorium


09:45 – 10:45

Opening Keynote: Only Art and Beaver Will Save Us

Speaker: Nick Viney, Independent Regenerative Farmer, Dartmoor

Location: Alumni Auditorium


10:45 – 11:15

Morning Refreshment Break

Location: Forum Street


11:15 – 12:15

Resilience in Practice: Learning from Research, River Restoration and Land Management

Panel discussion with:

  • Dr. Richard Smith, Environment Agency
  • Professor Richard Brazier, University of Exeter
  • James Thomas, North Devon National Trust

Chair: Nick Viney

Location: Alumni Auditorium


12:15 – 13:30

Lunch

Catered lunch: Forum Street

Additional activities:

  • Lower Hoopern Valley guided tour: For pre-booked delegates only. Please collect a packed lunch from the catering point in the Forum Street and meet outside the Forum entrance at 12:25
  • DRIP documentary-style film screening: Take a seat in the Alumni Auditorium for one of two screenings:
    • First screening: 12:30
    • Second screening: 13:00

13:30 – 14:25

Workshop Block 1

Please choose one workshop to attend: A, B or C

Places are limited, so we recommend booking your spot here

Workshop A

Local Evidence, Wider Impact: Researching Flood Resilience Using Nature, Community and Technology

Room theme: Technical Innovations and Data

Room: Exploration Lab

Session leads:

  • Amirali Davary, University of Exeter
  • Georgie Freer-Carmichael, University of Plymouth
  • Carrie Park, University of Plymouth
  • Dr. Alan Puttock, University of Exeter

Workshop B

Principles of Effective Natural Flood Management

Room theme: Nature-Based Solutions

Room: Alumni Auditorium

Session leads:

  • Tom Dauben, Environment Agency
  • Phil Metcalfe, Environment Agency

Workshop C

Upstream Thinking: Delivering Multiple Benefits Through Partnership Working

Room theme: Collaborating and Engaging for Resilience

Room: Seminar rooms 1, 2 and 3

Session leads:

  • Dr. Laurence Couldrick, Westcountry Rivers Trust
  • Dr. David Smith, South West Water

14:30 – 15:25

Workshop Block 2

Please choose one workshop to attend: A, B or C

Places are limited, so we recommend booking your spot here

Workshop A

Smarter Flood Resilience: Forecasting, Data, and Digital Innovation

Room theme: Technical Innovations and Data

Room: Exploration Lab

Session leads:

  • Professor Albert Chen, University of Exeter
  • Dan Cornford, Integrated Geochemical Interpretation
  • Will Frost, North Devon UNESCO Biosphere
  • Dave Stewart, Torbay Council
  • Mike Wood, Torbay Council

Workshop B

Beavers in the Landscape: Understanding Benefits, Evidence, and Coexistence

Room theme: Nature-Based Solutions

Room: Alumni Auditorium

Session leads:

  • Professor Richard Brazier, University of Exeter
  • Dr. Matt Holden, Devon Wildlife Trust
  • Dr. Alan Puttock, University of Exeter

Workshop C

Beyond the Flood Map: Interactive Tools for Building Resilient Communities

Room theme: Collaborating and Engaging for Resilience

Room: Seminar rooms 1, 2 and 3

Session leads:

  • Liza Oxford, Plymouth City Council
  • Helen Staddon, Westcountry Rivers Trust

15:25 – 16:00

Afternoon Refreshment Break

Location: Forum Street


16:00 – 17:15

Lower Hoopern Valley Guided Tour

Location: Meet outside the Forum Entrance at 15:55

For more information on your guided tour, visit our Lower Hoopern Valley Tour page