Wye Sustainability Virtual Institute
Wye and Sustainability
Wye has a population of only about 2000. It is an archetypal rural community in the centre of Kent, United Kingdom. For centuries the land around Wye has been farmed and produced a rich variety of livestock and agricultural produce. Over the last two hundred years Wye’s geographical location has promoted studies in agriculture located, firstly in a regional agricultural training college and, more latterly, as a college of the University of London and, yet more recently as part of Imperial College, London.
However, many of those still living in the area and, more importantly, students, academics and graduates of the college around the world have expressed a desire to see the re-establishment of the activities and reputation of Wye College. In physical terms that is highly unlikely since Imperial College has stripped all of the science laboratories, leased out the agricultural estate and has asked for bidders to rent the remaining buildings. Therefore looking at the heart of what the professionals of Wye have done over the centuries one must conclude that they have been the ones really concerned with the sustainable husbanding of our planet’s stressed resources.
The role played out by Imperial College
We in the village have been left in the dark about Imperial College’s grand design. They declined an invitation to meet with village and ABC planners at the community workshop in early March. Naturally they had suggested that thet would be present but when the day arrived they were conspicuous by their absence. Anyone who remebers the facilities at Wye College in science as well as agriculture will be horrified at the wholesale neglect visited upon the estate and premises. The remaining staff are completely demoralised and rumours are rife. The possibility of large-scale building within the Area of Outstanding natural Beauty, in the week that the South Down natural Park, is still very real. Most recently we have heard that there is a distinct possibility of Imperial college sanctioning the razing of Withersdane Hall. Of course it may fit in with the proposal to establish a retirement village in the grounds. Truthfully we are not absolutely sure that these rumours are true but it would be nice, as a village that has been host to the Agricultural College for more than a century, to be consulted. So it remains with those of us with concerns about the security of our planet to regroup and provide a resource on sustainability.
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