WHAT surely strikes anyone who has attended the entire run of the Civic Society’s monthly winter talks (from November until March, in Stroud’s Old Town Hall), is that people tend to arrive earlier and earlier so that they can share ideas - many inspired by previous meetings.

The topics have ranged from the inside story of England’s Pub Heritage to the future of Stroud - to the future of Cheapside in Stroud - to this evening's talk on ‘Stroud’s landscapes’.

This recent concentration on Stroud, plus large audiences and even queues to join the Society, perhaps reflect local concern about Cheapside’s future; how to link town, canal, roads, foot and cycle paths and also on Stroud’s green infrastructure strategy, due to appear in April.

The speaker, Val Kirby, took a reflective look at how Stroud’s landscapes are more than just a view - they are an essential part of any change to areas where people live and work.

Val, we learned is a Fellow of the Landscape Institute and a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and is on the Conservation Board of the Cotswold AONB (Areas of Natural Beauty).

On top of all this Val is involved with the canal and is one of the Trustees and also chairs the group putting together the next stage of the lottery bid.

Val began by challenging us to think about the word ‘landscape’, noting that experts had come up with 80 different definitions. Landscape includes, she continued - showing two small slides of a rough hewn Dutch landscape painting beside an elegant 18th century house in its Capability Brown landscape - National Parks and so on and on.

Thus, she concluded, the word ‘landscape’ is ‘loaded’.

The ideal definition - our speaker conceded - was that the word ‘landscape’ means ‘an area as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and or human factors.’

Whatever the definition I think we were all glad to hear that the UK is a signatory of the Council of Europe which is designed to plan, manage and protect, where necessary, landscapes everywhere.

Val, a local resident suddenly brought her subject closer to home, noting that Stroud, an ‘attractive, unique and vibrant town’ needs careful planning, managing and protecting.

Stroud District Council is certainly working on a green infrastructure strategy, and will present its plan in April.

This will show joined up corridors, routes, and places where several things happen in the same space.

It promises to be dynamic, joined up, and long term.

It will consider how the landscape works as well as how it looks.

Plymouth’s green infrastructure, and London’s are among the best, giving people more access to open spaces, more opportunities for sustainability and connections between businesses and streets.

In Stroud, connections are planned between town and canal; management of the river and canal together and the linking of foot paths and cycle way networks are underway.

After some brief question and answer interactions, Val finished her talk by stressing that any plans should be community, not developer led, with more emphasis on neighbourhood thinking.

Universal assent was heard in vigorous applause.

So ended (after a vote of thanks by Tim Mars) the Civic Society’s penultimate talk.

We were swiftly cheered up, however, when the Chairperson, Juliet Shipman, invited us all to the last of the winter talks on March 27 in the Old Town Hall.

It will begin at 7.30 with the Society’s Annual General Meeting, swiftly followed by a glass of wine.

Then, when suitably aglow, Rob Cowan, an urbanist, writer, editor and cartoonist will make us laugh with his videos, illustrations and explanations about cities and the people who design and plan them.

For example he will explain ‘why Architects wear bow ties’.

Don’t miss it.

Finally, why not, for the small sum of £8 join the Civic Society at this final talk, so that you, like all the members, will receive our Summer Programme.

You will find trips out to visit houses and gardens like Cirencester Park; enjoy the architectural wonders of cities like Oxford, Birmingham and Cardiff and marvel at Downtown Abbey.

At the same time you will be up to date with ideas for planning, managing and protecting Stroud and its landscapes.