East Devon Catchment Partnership Catchment Communities Conference
Peter Burgess www.devonwildlifetrust.org Catchment Communities Conference 750 km2
7% developed (16% nationally) Catchment Communities Conference
66% designated for its special landscape qualities 4 Special Areas of Conservation 2 Special Protection Areas 29 SSSI’s
50% of farms are sheep, beef and dairy enterprises
10% Cereals Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference
Working with Natural Processes Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference
www.devonwildlifetrust.org
Some Highlights………. Catchment Communities Conference
• Led the East Devon Diffuse Pollution Project
• Supported the development of the Culm Community Crayfish Project
• Project managed the production of the Soils and Natural Flood Management publication
• Connecting the Culm Interreg bid support
• Conduit for Defra funding – multiple small scale projects have been funded
• Secured funding for the Ottery St Mary Natural Flood Management Project Catchment Communities Conference
Catchment Communities Conference © Pennon Group plc 2018 Group Pennon©
SWW’s Catchment Programme Management Catchment SWW’s Upstream Thinking: Upstream
Upstream Thinking and Biodiversity Team leader (SWW) (SWW) leader Team Biodiversity and Thinking Upstream Dr David Smith, David Dr Catchment Communities Conference in in © Pennon Group plc 2018 Group Pennon© 20) - the landscape natural water water storage storage water and
Improving Improving 15) (2015 £10m - quality quality
moorland restoration agricultural improvements Focus on water Focus quality Flagship Flagship environmental project £9m (2010 Partnership delivery of work: 2 strands - - Upstream Thinking: AMP5/6 Upstream Thinking: Catchment Communities Conference © Pennon Group plc 2018 Group Pennon©
3 Issues Catchment Communities Conference © Pennon Group plc 2016 Group Pennon© Cross Otter Otter Valley River Exe Cofton (groundwater) River Dart Fernworthy Reservoir Yeo River Tamar Barnstaple River Fowey & College Reservoirs Argal
Cober River
4 UST2 catchmentsUST2
Reservoir Drift Catchment Communities Conference WRT/DWT - CWT DWT - - WRT WRT andDWT WRT CWT DWT – – – WRT andDWT WRT - Yeo Exmoor Mires, ENPA, DWT/WRT ENPA, Exmoor Mires, – - Cross andOtter Cross CWT - Cober & College & Cofton Fernworthy Argal 1. River River 1.Exe River 2.Dart Tamar River 3. River 4.Fowey 5. 6. Barnstaple7. 8. River 9. Drift 10. Who and and Who where? : :
River Trust (WRT) Trust River
SWW (WTWs impact) (WTWs SWW University of Exeter (Mires) Exeter of University catchments) (within partners Project Upstream Thinking:
• • • Scientific monitoring Scientific Westcountry Exmoor PartnershipMires(EMP) Exmoor NationalPark(ENPA) Cornwall Wildlife Trust (CWT) CornwallTrust Wildlife (DWT) Trust Devon Wildlife • • • • • Catchment interventions Catchment Catchment Communities Conference © Pennon Group plc 2018 Group Pennon© Simple investment Simple
on on the farm Upstream Thinking: Direct DOC/nutrient DOC/nutrient source Direct Catchment Communities Conference © Pennon Group plc 2018 Group Pennon© Complex Capital investment Complex
on on the farm Upstream Thinking: Potential DOC/pollution source DOC/pollution Potential Catchment Communities Conference
© Pennon Group plc 2018 Group Pennon© 8
For example Culm grassland Culm For example benefits flowand quality water • and restoration mire and valley management • Natural Natural
Capital outcomes Capital Upstream Thinking: Thinking: Upstream Catchment Communities Conference © Pennon Group plc 2018 Group Pennon© 9 on the on moors Upstream Upstream Thinking: Catchment Communities Conference , Stannon CONFIDENTIAL: © Pennon Group plc 2017 plc Group Pennon © CONFIDENTIAL: , Park and Park , Burrator pound , pound , Wistland , Stitians
reduced nutrient and sediment loading into bathing waters bathing into loading sediment and nutrient reduced storage carbon base flows catchment reduction of catchment flow areas urban in flow to sources catchment of reduction risks CSO of discharge reduction reduction nutrient loading catchment flood risk reduction, flood risk reduction,
ew areas and catchments for this approach in 2020 in approach this for catchments and areas ew atchment management for slow clean raw water supplies supplies water raw clean slow for management atchment
River Axe River business plan: business Roadford, N • • • • • • • C outcomes: additional these deliver to be targeted also can
10 Multiple output schemes output Multiple Catchment Communities Conference © Pennon Group plc 2018 Group Pennon© Axe CSMG Reservoir Wistlandpound Meldon Reservoir Reservoir Avon Dam Avon Roadford Lake Burrator Lower Lower Reservoir River Tavy River schemes Stannon Lake Colliford Park & Stithians Reservoir
Ongoing current New WINEP schemes NewWINEP investigations NewWINEP • • •
11 UST3: Where for AMP7? for Where UST3: Stantyway Farm, Clinton Devon Catchment Communities Conference Estates
Sam Walker Farm facts Catchment Communities Conference
• 265 acres mainly arable • Organic • Easternmost breeding site of cirl buntings in UK with higher tier stewardship scheme • Ring fenced • Loamy stony soils over sandstone with excellent potential to grow most crops Soils of Stantyway Farm Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference
Flood risk management priority area Catchment Communities Conference Mineral content Catchment Communities Conference Air and water – soil pores Catchment Communities Conference
4.4 tonnes per square metre Catchment Communities Conference 2.4 tonnes per square metre Catchment Communities Conference 8 tonnes per square metre – if tyre pressures reduced in field Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Organic matter Catchment Communities Conference
• Soil at the farm is commonly known to go very hard, organic matter is relatively low • Aiming to vary the depths at which roots are working and the nutrients they consume with a broader crop rotation • Once the OM improves, the soil will host more fauna, particularly worms, and pore space, structure and water retention will improve massively. Fungi and bacteria will increase and further improve the cycle Best means of building soil OM in this
situation Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference And once I’ve built up the OM... Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Communities Catchment
CULM COMMUNITY
PROJECT
Education Programme White-clawed Crayfish Conference Communities Catchment
River Culm Education Programme Conference Communities Catchment Aims • Engage children with the wildlife of their local river. • Highlight the plight of the white clawed crayfish and the importance of biosecurity. • Encourage the children to attend other project events. • Encourage teachers to use the natural environment as a teaching resource. What was the plan? Conference Communities Catchment
Develop Recruit Site visits content schools
Risk Volunteers assessments
School assemblies
Interactive school workshops
Outdoor learning river sessions Were we successful? Conference Communities Catchment
Engaged with over 1700 children and 45 teachers Involved 8 schools and a home education group Delivered school assemblies Ran interactive in school workshops Organised hands-on outdoor learning sessions at the River Culm, Coldharbour Mill What did we learn? Conference Communities Catchment
Volunteers essential Work collaboratively - Coldharbour Mill Be flexible to the needs of the schools Make it accessible to all children On going evaluation Feedback Conference Communities Catchment
Excellent! Interactive, informative and engaging. Thank you! Willand School, teacher
This has been a fabulous day for the children to engage in genuine scientific studies. They loved it! Thank you so much for a such a wonderful experience and opportunity. We really appreciate it. Willand School, Headteacher Woods for Water
Roland Stonex Catchment Communities Conference Farm Conservation and Woodland Adviser Introduction • To stimulate woodland planting and management that will benefit water bodies experiencing elevated phosphate and sediment levels and where communities are impacted by flooding • Provides targeted visits and bespoke advice based on opportunity maps from Forest Research and Environment Agency • Supported by grants Catchment Communities Conference Project areas Catchment Communities Conference Catchment Communities Conference Woodland creation • Trees as buffers to reduce pollutants entering watercourses • Tree roots help to bind soil, reducing erosion and sediment delivery • Tree roots aid water infiltration into the soil, thereby helping to reduce downstream
flooding Catchment Communities Conference Woodland creation Priority areas Grant aid 1. Wider catchment - Woodland Trust 2. Riparian (capital only) 3. Floodplain - Countryside Stewardship (capital + revenue)
Min block size 0.1ha Min width 10m
Min scheme size 0.5ha Catchment Communities Conference Wood 4 Water Catchment Communities Conference Sustainable Drainage Systems
• To maintain water quality • To ‘slow the flow’ using natural processes
50% grant aid available Catchment Communities Conference in selected target areas Species Recovery - Beavers Mark Elliott Catchment Communities Conference Devon Beaver Project Lead @elyethefish
East Devon Catchment Communities Conference 19th October 2018
Additional photos by David Plummer, Sylvia Meller, Mike Symes, Alastair Rogers, Francisco Teles, Nick Upton and David White www.devonwildlifetrust.org Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber)
•Large animals – Around 1m long and 18kg Catchment Communities Conference •Native to Britain - hunted to extinction about 400 years ago •Entirely herbivorous – absolutely no fish. •Fiercely territorial •1 litter a year, with 2-6 kits (average 3) •Mainly nocturnal and semi-aquatic •Live in burrows and lodges •Build dams to create ponds if necessary – keystone species
www.devonwildlifetrust.org Catchment Communities Conference
www.devonwildlifetrust.org Catchment Communities Conference
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2011 map of beaver enclosure – at point of release Catchment Communities Conference
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2012 Catchment Communities Conference
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2013 Catchment Communities Conference
www.devonwildlifetrust.org 2014
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2015 Catchment Communities Conference
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2016 Catchment Communities Conference
www.devonwildlifetrust.org 2017
www.devonwildlifetrust.org Catchment Communities Conference
www.devonwildlifetrust.org Catchment Communities Conference
www.devonwildlifetrust.org Catchment Communities Conference
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River Otter Beaver Trial (ROBT) Catchment Communities Conference
• First licensed trial release of beavers into the wild in England • Trial runs for five years (February 2015 – 2020) • Covers entire River Otter catchment – but no further • Management Strategy for the trial period to address conflicts • At the end of the Trial, Defra will decide what happens next
www.devonwildlifetrust.org Beavers are unlikely to build dams in the main river, but will hold water in headwaters, floodplain ditches and
tributaries Catchment Communities Conference
www.devonwildlifetrust.org Catchment Communities Conference
This behaviour will cause conflicts in certain locations.
www.devonwildlifetrust.org Catchment Communities Conference
The future management of conflicts is an essential component of their reintroduction.
The majority of conflicts with agriculture and fish migration would be reduced by paying landowners to give rivers more space and store water on their land.
www.devonwildlifetrust.org Catchment Communities Conference
In November 2016, the Scottish Government announced that beavers would be recognised as a resident species and protected under the Habitats Regulations.
In December 2017, Defra announced they would now license other wild trials
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Thank you for listening. Catchment Communities Conference
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