INDEX

MAKING SPACE FOR WATER (MSW): TAKING FORWARD A NEW GOVERNMENT STRATEGY FOR FLOOD & COASTAL EROSION RISK MANAGEMENT
(Posted 12 June 2007)

The MSW programme has four key themes under which 25 individual projects fall.

  • Holistic approach to managing flood and coastal erosion risk
  • Achieving sustainable development
  • Increasing resilience to flooding
  • Funding

Background information and details of the projects are available on the Defra website:
(http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/policy/strategy.htm)

Quarterly Update document (March 2007) provides an overview of the projects under the MSW programme, gives an update on progress and key achievements to date; and sets out upcoming key milestones:
(http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/policy/strategy/update2.pdf)

HARBASINS
(Posted 12 June 2007)

HARBASINS is a European project, which commenced in 2005 and which aims to enhance the compatibility of management strategies for the North Sea’s coastal waters, estuaries and river basins.  The project is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Interreg IIIB North Sea Programme. The activities of HARBASINS are structured around four central work packages related to the ecological, chemical and hydromorphological quality aspects and the management plans of the Water Framework Directive, with a fifth work package coordinating the overall project management and knowledge dissemination.

The first transnational workshop on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, the Birds and Habitats Directives, and Integrated Coastal Zone Management took place in Antwerp, Belgium, 5 – 7 June 2007.

The second Harbasins workshop will be held on 3 - 4 of October 2007 in Hull, UK

For details of the project and the workshops visit the project’s website:
(http://www.harbasins.org/index.php?id=27)

DAISIE - DELIVERING ALIEN INVASIVE SPECIES INVENTORIES FOR EUROPE
(Posted 12 June 2007)

Biological invasions by non-native or alien species are widely recognized as a significant component of human-caused global environmental change. This change often results in loss in economic value, biological diversity and function of invaded ecosystems. The spread of alien species also poses an increasing risk to human health and socio-economic values. DAISIE is a project supported by the European Commission under the Sixth Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities. DAISIE will deliver an Alien Species Gateway to act as a “one-stop-shop” for information on biological invasions in Europe.

It will bring together:

  • The European Alien Species Expertise Registry
  • European Alien Species Database
  • European Invasive Alien Species Accounts
  • Species Distribution Maps and Spatial Analysis

The project runs from 2005 to 2008.

For further details visit the project’s website:
(http://www.daisie.se/)

RISKBASE – COORDINATED ACTION ON RISK BASED MANAGEMENT OF RIVER BASINS
(Posted 12 June 2007)

The objective of RISKBASE is to review and synthesise the outcome of EC FP4-FP6 projects, and other major initiatives, related to integrated risk assessment-based management of the water/sediment/soil system at the river-basin scale.

The above synthesis leads to the development of integrated risk assessment-based management approaches enabling the prevention and/or reduction of the negative impacts caused by human activities on that system. The project aims to develop:

  • Overarching concept, generic approach and guiding principles to integrated risk based management of EU river basins
  • Recommendations towards evolution and implementation of risk based management in national and community policies and towards implementation in management
  • Proposal for the European research agenda related to risk based management.

The project started in September 2006 and will end in August 2009.

For further details visit the project’s website:
(http://www.riskbase.info/)

AQUATERRA
Integrated Project of the 6th EU RTD Framework Programme
(Posted 12 June 2007)

AquaTerra is an integrated project of the 6th EU RTD Framework Programme (duration from the 1st of June 2004 for a time period of 5 years) that aims to provide the scientific basis for an improved river basin management through a better understanding of the river-sediment-soil-groundwater system as a whole, by integrating both natural and socio-economics aspects at different temporal and spatial scales. This should be applicable to European contexts facing modifications or changes due to climate change, land use and pollution of soil and water. AquaTerra integrates across multiple disciplines, from geosciences, environmental engineering and chemistry to socio-economic sciences, from the catchment to the regional scale with case studies located in major European river basins. AquaTerra has 10 sub-projects.

For further information visit the project’s website:
(http://www.attempto-projects.de/aquaterra/)

NOFDP
Nature-Oriented Flood Damage Prevention
(Posted 12 June 2007)

NOFDP is an investment project that focuses on giving ecological systems of water bodies and catchments areas a greater role to play in flood damage prevention, in line with the EU Water Framework Directive. The project partnership, led by the Hessian Ministry of Environment, Rural Development and Consumer Protection, brings together seven partners from Germany and the Netherlands including four waterboards, the German Federal Institute of Hydrology and a group of outside experts. The main objective of the project is the development of an “Information and Decision Support System” (IDSS) software, which will couple databases and integrated modelling techniques. Key deliverables of this 4-years’ project will be presented at an international final NOFDP conference in Darmstadt, Germany on 16 – 18 April 2008.

For further details visit the project’s website:
(http://nofdp.bafg.de/servlet/is/Entry.7543.Display/)

BROADS AUTHORITY PROJECTS
(Posted 12 June 2007)

The Broads Authority is a statutory body and its general duty is to manage the Broads. Several past and present projects (including Barton Broad, Trinity Broad, Upper Thurne and Lound), cover specific areas or activities within the Broads. They may be concerned with conservation, land and water management, planning, recreation or visitor services. Most projects involve all of these areas in varying degrees. They usually involve several organisations or individual people working together. They are often jointly funded by these organisations and often have grants from other sources as well. Projects often take place over several years and once completed they need to be maintained and sometimes further developed.

To find out more about the projects visit the Broads Authority website:
(http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/projects.html)

THE COTSWOLD CANALS PARTNERSHIP PROJECT
(Posted 12 June 2007)

The Partnership’s aim is to restore the Stroudwater Navigation and Thames & Severn Canal, now known collectively as the Cotswold canals. Phase 1 of this project involves full restoration of the 10km navigation between Brimscombe Port, once the commercial and operational heart of the waterway, and the Ocean in Stonehouse, a tranquil rural idyll. The Canals Partnership is committed to ensuring that the project takes an informed and practical approach to conservation of the canal’s environment and biodiversity. The Conservation Management Plan is critical in ensuring this, by providing a comprehensive assessment of natural and man made assets and determining how they are, or could be, valued.

One of the regular activities is the Saul Canal Festival, taking place this year from 29 June to 1 July. (http://www.junctionevents.org.uk/index.htm). The event is designed to attract media attention, people and funds to facilitate the re-establishment of the link between the rivers Thames and Severn. The event takes place at Saul Junction, an unusual ‘waterway crossroads’ where the Gloucester - Sharpness Canal intersects the soon to be restored Stroudwater Navigation.

For further information see the project’s website:
(http://www.cotswoldcanalsproject.org/default.asp?pid=2)

STREAMCLEAN
(Posted 12 June 2007)

This is a 5 - year plan to combat the menace of streams polluted with sewage. Operation Streamclean is a venture set-up and funded by Wessex Water with the aim of reducing sewage pollution entering streams and watercourses and a programme of education and awareness to help local residents and business to reduce their own impacts on water quality.

For details on the Streamclean and other projects within the Bourne Stream Partnership visit the partnership’s website:
(http://www.bournestreampartnership.org.uk/)

THAMES21
(Posted 12 June 2007)

Thames21 is an environmental charity working with communities to bring London’s waterways to life. Thames21 mobilise communities to take action on London’s waterways. They have a programme of clean ups across the capital every year as well as fun and informative foreshore discovery days to find out more about local stretches of river or canal.

A list of the 2007 events is available on the Thames21 website:
(http://www.thames21.org.uk/events.html)