INDEX

 

RIBBLE PILOT PROJECT
(The UK’s Pilot for the WFD, led by the Environment Agency):
Consultation document ‘Managing the Water Environment together - an integrated Catchment Management Plan for the Ribble.’
(Posted 25 September 2006)

A prototype River Basin Management Plan will be developed for the Ribble by 2007 incorporating the requirements of the Water Framework Directive, Catchment Abstraction Management Strategies (CAMS), Catchment Flood Management Plans (CFMP), Shoreline Management Plans (SMP) and Fisheries Actions Plans (FAP).

The pilot project team has produced the above consultation document that will form the basis of the final prototype plan. The River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) will set out how the environmental objectives for all water bodies within the river basin will be achieved. The plans will be based upon detailed analysis of the pressure on the water bodies and an assessment of their impacts. The Environment Agency will lead this process involving many other organisations and stakeholders in order to achieve the objectives of the Directive.

The closing date for comments is the 4th November 2006. Following this consultation period, the team will produce a response document and the plan will be finalised taking into account the views of respondents and will be available at the end of March 2007.

For more information see the Ribble Pilot website:
(http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/regions/northwest/501317/944991/?lang=_e)
To obtain a copy of the consultation document contact:   ribble@environment-agency.gov.uk

Ribble Pilot News (July 2006)
(Posted 18 August 2006)

The latest issue of the Newsletter also informs on the project’s work on the new Ribble Integrated Catchment Management Plan. In addition, there are articles on economic analysis and the WFD, and how subsidy changes could influence farming in the Ribble.

The newsletter is available for download from the Ribble Pilot website:
(http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/regions/northwest/501317/574516/?version=1&lang=_e)

NORMAN Co-ordination action
(Posted 25 September 2006)

NORMAN is a project funded by the European Commission, DG Research, under the Sixth Framework Programme. The objective of the project is to facilitate the production of ‘good quality’ data on emerging substances comparable across Europe which should provide the basis for further identification of newly emerging pollutants and assessment of their potential risks to humans and ecosystems. It aims to establish a European network of reference laboratories, research centres and related organisations (including standardisation bodies) in order to:

  • Improve the exchange of information on emerging environmental contaminants
  • Encourage the validation and harmonisation of common measurement methods and monitoring tools so that the demands of risk assessors and risk managers can be better met.

Further information is available on the project’s website:
(http://www.norman-network.net/index_php.php)
The first issue of NORMAN NETWORK NEWSLETTER was published in June 2006 and can be viewed on the website:
(http://www.norman-network.net/newsletters/newsletter_norman_1.pdf)

THE WORLD CONSERVATION UNION (IUCN)
Water & Nature Initiative
(Posted 25 September 2006)

A 5-year action plan of 80 partner organizations to improve water management for healthy rivers and healthy communities. Demonstration of good management in ten basins is supported by the development of tools for financing, governance, empowerment, and information.

Latest news and information on past and forthcoming IUCN publications are available on the project’s website:
(http://www.waterandnature.org/)

THE QUAGGY WATERWAYS ACTION GROUP
– Bringing an Urban River to Life
(Posted 25 September 2006)

The Quaggy Waterways Action Group (QWAG) is a collection of local people who believe that by restoring the River Quaggy in South East London they can bring wildlife, education, amenity and beauty into the fabric of their urban environment.

Information on restoration projects along the river, details of latest meetings, walks and other events can be found on the QWAG’s website: (http://www.qwag.org.uk/home)

BORDERS WETLAND VISION PROJECT
(Posted 18 August 2006)

The Borders Wetland Vision project is a Scottish Borders Local Biodiversity Action Plan project. The Vision adopts a strategic, information based approach to wetland conservation, utilising opportunity maps identifying where environmental enhancements for wetlands could be delivered in future, using existing wetland areas of environmental value as a starting point. The project is co-ordinated by Scottish Borders Council (SBC), and also involves Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Scottish Borders Biological Records Centre (SBBRC), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Tweed Forum.

SBC recently commissioned Macaulay Research Consultancy Services (MRCS) to develop cutting-edge software that will help local authorities to find the best management solution for wetlands. SBC plans to use the research to help guide its Sustainable Flood Management programme. As a future development it aims to produce web-based wetland maps for farmers, landowners and land managers. The user-friendly maps will help land managers decide on Land Management Contracts and identify opportunities for wetlands development to meet the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive.

More information is available on the Macaulay’s website:
(http://www.macaulay.ac.uk/news/newsdetails.php?03082006)

EUROPEAN NETWORK OF MUNICIPALITIES AND RIVERS, ENMaR
Interim Report, June 2006
(Posted 18 August 2006)

ENMaR is the European Network of Municipalities and Rivers, an Interreg IIIC Project. It will demonstrate differences, similarities, problems and opportunities in implementing the WFD at the local level in the European regions involved. The first half of the ENMaR project is already over. The project partners organised a series of workshops, which were well attended. This report delivers the first findings of the ENMaR project by giving an overview of the situation in the participating regions. It is aimed at local municipalities, who can compare its own situation with correspondents in other river basins, as well as providing feedback from the local level for the European decision makers.

The Interim Report (in English, German or Latvian) is available for download from the project’s website:
(http://www.enmar.org)

The latest issue of the ENMaR Newsletter, 02/2006, focuses on the water service as well as news from the project:
(http://www.enmar.org/sites/publications/newsletter/Newsletter_6_english.pdf)

LOCAR
The Lowland Catchment Research Programme
(Posted 25 September 2006)

The National Environment Research Council, NERC, brought together a multi-disciplinary team of around 100 scientists and students, who have studied different components of the complex path that water takes through permeable catchments, and have taken on the challenging task of bringing these components together to give a unique picture of how the system functions as a whole. An essential requirement was the establishment of high quality field research facilities in three contrasting permeable lowland catchments, the Frome/Piddle in Dorset, the Pang/Lambourn in Berkshire and the Tern in Shropshire. Scientific outcomes from the LOCAR Programme were presented at a final conference in London on 14 & 15 September.

Further information about LOCAR projects is available at the LOCAR website:
(http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/thematics/locar/)

UK RIVERS NETWORK (UKRN)
(Posted 25 September 2006)

The UK Rivers Network (UKRN) is an informal network of groups and individuals interested in rivers and related issues across England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Network have secured indefinite funding to keep their website online as an educational resource and it was entirely revamped and updated in the Spring 2006.

For details see the UKRN website:  (http://www.ukrivers.net/index.html)

NITRABAR
A pan-European EC LIFE Environment Project to demonstrate a passive system for the removal of nitrates from agricultural practices
(Posted 18 August 2006)

The NITRABAR Project was officially launched at the ecos millennium environmental centre, Northern Ireland, on 26th May. The occasion of the project launch was used as the opportunity to go live with the project website.  This contains a description of the diffuse pollution issue being addressed by NITRABAR, a description of NITRABAR approach, information on the project partnership and a timeline of activities. It will be updated regularly with project news.

An introductory fact sheet which describes the NITRABAR Project in non-technical language is available for download from the website:
(http://www.nitrabar.eu/)

SARF, THE SCOTTISH AQUACULTURE RESEARCH FORUM
Call for Proposals 2006
(Posted 18 August 2006)

SARF is an independent company whose main aim is to support research into aquaculture and related areas. SARF has announced an open call for proposals in 13 areas. SARF has a range of members including representatives from the aquaculture industry, government organisations, wild fish groups and environmental NGOs. The research undertaken will be across a broad range of areas and will be required to meet the collective needs of its members including the implementation of the WFD. Deadline for submission of applications is 2 October 2006 and the expected date for announcement of outcome of application is 27 November 2006.

Details on the proposed research areas and the application are available on the SARF website:
(http://www.sarf.org.uk/)

SKEP - SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(Posted 18 August 2006)

The SKEP ERA-NET is a partnership of 15 government ministries and agencies, from 11 European countries, co-ordinated by the UK (Environment Agency), responsible for funding environmental research. The project aims to improve the co-ordination of environmental research in Europe. The objectives include: delivering better value for money for research; encouraging innovation through more efficient use of research funding; and the improvement of environmental protection capability by setting down foundations for co-ordinating research programmes.

There are six work packages (WP) and the project runs from June 2005 to May 2009.

    WP1 ERA-NET management and co-ordination
    WP2 Exchange of research programme information
    WP3 Best practice in research management
    WP4 Dissemination and implementation of research
    WP5 Plan and develop collaborative work areas
    WP6 Investigate emerging issues for future research planning

More information can be found on the SKEP website:
(http://www.skep-era.net/site/50.asp)