Countryside Management Association News

The way forward for water

Have your say in our public consultation on the draft River Basin Management Plan

An invitation to conservation organisations

Your water, your future

The Environment Agency works with others to protect and improve the water environment for the benefit of people and wildlife in England and Wales.

The environment has steadily improved over the past 20 years. The quality of river water has got better every year since 1990. Bathing waters are the cleanest on record, and wildlife such as otters and salmon are making a comeback.

But huge challenges remain. Stretches of urban rivers are still in poor condition. Some fish and other wildlife are under threat from non-native species. Too many lakes, rivers, streams and canals are choked by vegetation and sediment, or harmed by too much abstraction, or polluted with fertilisers and pesticides. Physical changes have put many of estuaries and coasts at risk.

We’re tackling these challenges by the delivery of River Basin Management Plans for each of the 11 River Basin Districts in England and Wales. Each plan is currently in draft form, putting forward actions that we all propose to take to create a healthier water environment fit for the 21st century.

We can only implement these plans successfully in collaboration with industry, local authorities, farmers, developers, conservation groups and the wider public. That’s why we’re holding a six-month consultation on each and every draft plan.

It’s your water environment, and we want you to have your say in its future.

See www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wfd for more information.

Water for life and livelihoods

We’ve developed the draft River Basin Management Plan for your River Basin District in response to the Water Framework Directive.

This new European law requires that we measure ecology and water quality in a more comprehensive and meaningful way than before. This is equipping us with better data to identify and address the worst environmental problems. The aim is to take a balanced approach in the programme of measures proposed, improving the prospects for wildlife while also enhancing the lives and livelihoods of local communities.

The draft River Basin Management Plan we’re consulting you on, which covers the period from 2009 to 2015, was not drafted in isolation. We have worked closely with specially created River Basin Liaison Panels to ensure that we incorporate an understanding of a wide range of perspectives – from anglers, boaters and environmental groups to water companies, planners and the navigation authorities. Now we want to consult more widely.

The role of conservation organisations

The ecology of rivers, lakes, wetlands and estuaries is at the centre of the draft River Basin Management Plans. Each plan is a mechanism to help meet biodiversity targets by improving local habitats, water quality and water flow.

We want to hear from conservation groups and organisations that have specialist insight and local knowledge as far as the needs of wildlife are concerned. We want you to help us use the River Basin Management Plans to develop habitat creation and enhancement programmes that can make a real impact.

We also want to plan for the future in a fair and balanced way, which means taking account of business and domestic needs as well as environmental issues. We want a debate with you about which environmental improvements are the most desirable and deliverable, so that we can get the balance right.

Have your say

We’re inviting you to look at the proposals for your River Basin District online and tell us what you think.

What do you like or dislike about the draft River Basin District Management Plan for your area? Have the right actions been identified to improve the water environment? We are particularly keen to hear of new offers to speed up improvements to the water environment. Are there plans that you have or know of that could complement or conflict with the aims?

Visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wfd to respond to the consultation online and find out about consultation events in your region.

The consultation runs from December 22 2008 to June 22 2009.

Play your part

The plans are aimed at securing a better water environment for wildlife. Once you’ve helped us to identify problems and priorities in your River Basin District, we hope you will work with us on local improvement works.

You can help ensure that the plans capture and build on the measures already being implemented as a result of biodiversity action plans. You can also help us assess how the plans may affect Natura 2000 sites - we want to ensure that the protection already afforded to important wildlife sites under the European Habitats and Birds Directives is not undermined.

For all of this we value your local knowledge – we need your involvement to help ensure that all local plans are integrated and complementary.