Landmark Issue 19 2021 SINGLE PAGES

ISSUE 19 | 2021 to research projects that are addressing the impact of this pernicious disease. I need hardly say that it is wonderfully heartening the way that this pandemic, destructive as it is, has nevertheless brought out the best in so many kind and thoughtful people. In 1845 The Royal Agricultural College (as it then was) was founded with the purpose of adapting the use of the land to produce food for an expanding and increasingly urban population at a time of great societal change. As the world recovers from the impacts of the pandemic the need to ‘build back better’ has never been more relevant or pressing. How we manage the land over the next few decades is pivotal to tackling the issues of climate change, food security and biodiversity loss. We simply cannot afford to do nothing and expect the planet to heal itself. The future of land management will therefore require a new skill set. Change will be needed on many levels, from farming in a regenerative way to enable soils to sequester additional carbon, to natural capital enhancement and carbon sequestration, to how we link habitat across landscapes to make space for Nature. However, the most important and fundamental change will be in how we educate the farmers and land managers of tomorrow. The RAU has a long history of fostering innovation, curiosity and a passion to care for the land and the communities that depend on it. As your President, I do very much hope, therefore, that you will lead the way in equipping those future land managers for the challenges that lie ahead. HRHThe Prince of Wales