L'académie de la Rivière

We are delighted to welcome Geoffrey Thomas to The River Summit & Festival team. Helping us to launch ‘Académie des rivières’, as part of the event, Geoffrey will be exploring and writing about the state of our rivers in the run-up to September.

Learn more about Geoffrey’s work and how to get involved with Académie des rivières this year, below.

Geoffrey Thomas

Geoffrey Thomas first came to Chalabre in August, 2021. Within three weeks, the pull of the three rivers, the majesty of the mountains, and the rich social life of the village decided him to leave Budapest and move to France. Geoffrey’s background is in music and pedagogy, but the urgency of the ecological crisis led him to study environmental science and policy at the Central European University in Budapest where he received a master’s degree with distinction. His thesis concerns philosophical questions in the field of conservation.

Geoffrey’s challenge after completing his thesis was to combine environmental philosophy with action on the ground. Chalabre and its environs provide an ideal laboratory to study the interactions of rivers, people, ecology, agriculture, economics, law, and tradition. He continues to write and research environmental topics, with special attention to rivers, while studying this region. This comes from a conviction that we must understand broad trends in the context of local conditions.

Académie des rivières 

This is a forum to present your research and speak to a broader audience. We have scheduled an academic conference for Friday afternoon, September 15. Saturday afternoon’s event is more informal, open to a wider audience, features art, and involves river experiences.

Geoffrey will be joined by leading experts Fiona Regan of DCU Water Institute, Professor Jane Rendell and David Rendell.

The Académie des rivières is an opportunity to share expertise and learn more about the conditions in the area.

The activities of the River Summit include:

·       Evaluating the state of local rivers

·       Evaluating the state of riparian buffer zones

·       Identify dams, barriers, and wiers

·       Examining the effects of agriculture on the local river systems

Last year’s drought and the radically depleted state of lac de Montbel point to the extreme importance of freshwater systems. To address these challenges, we need expertise, and we must empower local citizens.

We would welcome any suggestions from those interested in joining the Académie des rivières. Please contact us on hello@zambuni.com.