Feel rural. Think rural. Act rural.
Rural Insights provides independent, evidence-based intelligence that helps organisations navigate rural risk, unlock opportunity and make confident, future-focused decisions.
Rural areas are frequently framed through challenge, yet for many organisations they offer significant potential for investment, innovation and long-term value creation. Founded and led by Dr Jessica Sellick, the platform brings clarity to complex issues — practical, decision-ready intelligence that supports better planning, investment and delivery.
From undergrounding power lines to regulating outer space — complex issues broken down into practical, evidence-based briefings, all viewed through a clear rural lens.
Hydrogen can be a low-carbon fuel. When it is burned, it releases energy without producing carbon dioxide. It can either come from fossil fuel sources or produced using electricity and water. If the electricity used to produce it comes from a renewable source, hydrogen can have low carbon emissions. In the UK, the government is
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Evidence shows that regular contact with nature can improve health, reduce avoidable illness, support wider social and economic goals, and deliver public service savings. Rural areas are increasingly exploring how to make better use of the natural assets around them as part of health, economic and place-based strategies. As understanding of nature‑based approaches deepens —
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Wildfire activity in the UK has risen in recent years, with the Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS) recording 47,879 hectares burned across 181 sites in 2025 – the highest annual total since monitoring began in 2012 – and surpassing the previous annual record set in 2019. While many recorded incidents are linked to human activity, periods of hotter and drier weather are contributing to conditions in which fires
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“If the farmer is poor then so is the whole country.”
Here you'll find insights on both familiar and under-explored issues - all viewed through a countryside lens that helps you feel rural, think rural, and act rural.