Context: (Briefly)Natural England’s role and purpose Context : Some of the big issues and challenges from Natural England’s perspective How we are rising to the Challenge: Examples of the range of our work with partners to contribute to WFD objectives Challenges for the future – Delivering for WFD and the wider environment
Natural England is an Executive Non-departmental Public Body responsible to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Our purpose is to protect and improve England’s natural environment and encourage people to enjoy and get involved in their surroundings Our broad remit means that our reach extends across the country. We work with people such as farmers, town and country planners, researchers and scientists, and the general public on a range of schemes and initiatives. -
Responsible for protection and enhancement of 4000+ of England’s key wildlife & geological sites Designate and advise on National Parks, AONBs & Marine Conservation Zones. Run Agri-Environment & other schemes to deliver over £400m/yr to farmers & landowners to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of England’s farmland. Fund, manage, & provide expertise for hundreds of conservation projects to support species & habitats. Promote access to the wider countryside , including help fund & establish National and coastal trails Provision of scientific expertise, advice, research
CONTEXT NOT all these sites are in WFD RBMP’s (ie not all fit the definition of ‘waterbodies’ ) - and there water dependent habitats that are not represented. But gives picture of condition of the watery SSSI series across ENGLAND. It is clear that unfavourable recovering status is the major component of condition for all broad freshwater habitat types Key message: A relatively small proportion of the freshwater and wetland SSSI resource is classified as unfavourable. But wetland habitats generally in poorest condition compared with many terrestrial habitats. There is a very strong bias towards unfavourable recovering status which in turn will depend upon the ongoing successful implementation of a number of key actions (remedies.) to improve condition. TRaC waters and habitats are big issue. STILL MUCH WORK TO DO.
WFD requires a programme of measures to be established to achieve the aims of the Directive. Includes the water-dependent featues of Natura protected areas KEY POINT: WFD includes TRaC waters: Coastal water and Estuarine sites can be very large in area. Area –not necessarily a good measure of the challenges facing sites – eg Rivers are long linear features of small area. Water Pollution and Drainage (ag. run off), Invasive Species, Abstarction Also some of adverse conditions such as water pollution are also impacting on water dependent features of esturaine and coastal natura sites – But does illustrate that there are some significant issues with Transitional and Coastal Waters in Natura sites meeting their conservation objectives, as required by the WFD, especially around hydromorphology.
These Measures have to be operational by December 2012 Remedies are the Mechanisms, or in WFD terminology ‘Measures’ to address the adverse reasons on these sites Making good Progress to getting these remedies agreed and underway . But still plenty to do (remedies BY NUMBER ) WFD also include very challenging target to Achieve the conservation objectives of these sites by 2015. Very hard to meet BUT Key Message: We maintain and accelerate effort: & Whats most important that we make and demonstrate progress towards getting sites to meet their conservation objectives
SO How are Natural England approaching the challenges facing the wider water environment encompassed by the WFD, and particulary those key sites represnted by the Natura and SSSI series ? Whistestop tour through some of Natural Englands Work programmes that contribute to achieving the WFD objectives. This includes: use of the new Defra WFD funding > & Natural Englands own CES scheme for sites that cannot be managed through Agri-env funding (eg for geo sites & some habitst not eligible for HLS like lakes, canals etc) Funding for WFD related work through agri environment programme And specifically to to adreess issues of diffuse agricultural pollution – CSF , offering farming advice & grants Key role working with Water industry, Environment Agency and Ofwat , in advice on investment for the water environmnet, as part of through the water company price review process. Joint working at the catchment level - Supporting Defras pilot Catchments; Funding through the ‘Wetland Vision’ ; Nature Improvement Areas (response to Lawton – making space for nature (£7.5m) 12 projects- NE provide secetariat for selection panel Working with Defra on Develepoment of the Catchment Retsoration Fund Our own work on Ecosystem Services at a catchment scale – 3 upland Pilots Contributing to the science and evidence supporting WFD implementation - eg support of work on small point source discharges; and underpinning standards through UKTAG work.
DRAFT MAP
In 2007, Cumbria was chosen for a trial to take a more strategic approach to Freshwater Invasive Non-Native Species (FINNS). The initiative then stalled for a while, but over the last 18 months we have had a county-wide co-ordinator in place that is largely funded and steered through NE and EA. The Cumbria Co-ordinator has worked with the Cumbria Invasives Forum, which is a wide range of relevant stakeholders, to develop a freshwater invasives Biosecurity Plan for the county. The Plan is presented it in a way that catchment and Local Action Groups, River Trusts etc can take the actions (Table 14) and amend it to a catchment/local action plan that will fit within the county-wide plan. . We have developed it to fit with the first RBMP cycle, but ongoing implementation is seen as the important factor by the Forum. Having a county-wide co-ordinator is a very helpful way of managing FINNS. As well as the biosecurity plan she has initiated a lot of local action groups, providing training, advice, equipment and sourcing funding for groups, is working with relevant stakeholders, such as canoe clubs and plant nurseries on Check, Clean, Dry and Plant Wise campaigns and acted as the link between national, county and local initiatives. The co-ordinator is hosted by South Cumbria Rivers Trust on behalf of the Cumbria Invasives Forum http://www.scrt.co.uk/cfinns/freshwater-biosecurity NOTE DEFRA’s recently launched initiative and funding on NNIS
the GIA funds used to develop and start to initiate the Cumbria Freshwater Invasive Non-Native Species(CFINNS) Biosecurity Plan In 2007, Cumbria was chosen for a trial to take a more strategic approach to Freshwater Invasive Non-Native Species (FINNS). The initiative then stalled for a while, but over the last 18 months we have had a county-wide co-ordinator in place that is largely funded and steered through NE and EA. The Cumbria Co-ordinator has worked with the Cumbria Invasives Forum, which is a wide range of relevant stakeholders, to develop a freshwater invasives Biosecurity Plan for the county. The Plan is presented it in a way that catchment and Local Action Groups, River Trusts etc can take the actions (Table 14) and amend it to a catchment/local action plan that will fit within the county-wide plan. . We have developed it to fit with the first RBMP cycle, but ongoing implementation is seen as the important factor by the Forum. Having a county-wide co-ordinator is a very helpful way of managing FINNS . As well as the biosecurity plan she has initiated a lot of local action groups, providing training, advice, equipment and sourcing funding for groups, is working with relevant stakeholders, such as canoe clubs and plant nurseries on Check, Clean, Dry and Plant Wise campaigns and acted as the link between national, county and local initiatives. The co-ordinator is hosted by South Cumbria Rivers Trust on behalf of the Cumbria Invasives Forum http://www.scrt.co.uk/cfinns/freshwater-biosecurity
River Avon – we have funded NNIS, river restoration and DWP projects this year on the river – Working with Rivers Trusts Cumbria: examples the River Restoration plan output & works NE & EA) - have worked with Jacobs to produce reach-scale restoration plans on the Eden, Derwent and Kent We have now developed a partnership with three RT’s to implement RRS demonstration projects – we are currently negotiating with landowners/managers to put in place land management through ES schemes; WFD funds are being used for capital works and we are implementing monitoring plans to assess the impact of the work on both the land and the river.
Environmental Stewardship is targeted across multiple objectives that deliver improvements to the water environment by supporting beneficial land management activities. ‘Resource Protection’ is one of key objectives for ES which we look to deliver in parallel with those for biodiversity, landscape and the historic environment: We work with agreement holders to deliver over 1.3 million ha of ES options with elements that contribute to some degree to the improvement of water quality, through a range of ES options. We recognise that there is room to improve the efficiency and targeting of ES delivery and are engaged with the industry and partners through the Defra-led “Making ES More Effective” (MESME) project to achieve this. Also many Env Stewardship options that have secondary benefits for resource protection outcomes as well. 81% of ES options contribute in some way to improvements in water quality (1.3m Ha)
(from: Mid-Term Evaluation of RDPE 2010) Area under successful land management contributing to maintenance & improvement of water quality c. 80% of ES options contribute in some way to improvements in water quality – but clearly with varying effectiveness Note: figures include level of benefit regardless of magnitude – so even an option with a small benefit (but covering a large area) will have been included (thus overall high values). ELS -938,599 OELS 50,979 HLS 384,295 OHLS 1,007 Total 1,382,880 % of total ES option area (2,269,367ha) = 80% Resource protection has been a later addition to English agri-environment schemes since it was not an explicit objective of the classic schemes.
AE Schemes 0Options specifically targetted at RP : At least 130000 ha of key options are targeted specifically at Resource Protection in ES or Classic schemes (2009 figures) Agri-environment schemes currently support over 116,000 km of grass buffer strips in arable areas Note that there are other available RP options and also that some non-resource protection specific options will have secondary benefits for resource protection outcomes as well. The Environmental Stewardship Review of Progress identified some additional options useful for resource protection with some already implemented and others being progressed. Thus whilst more water related options may not be needed, better targeting of options could enhance impact. THUS Improved targetting, Working with CFE, Other NGO’s , ELS Training and Information Programme
Targeting ES esp. ELS at priority areas, and advice on good practice through NEs “ELS Training and Information Project” & CFE Examples of advice material available to farmers and land owners, in collaboration with Campaign for Farmed Environment, Environmnet Agency. Advice also inlcudes workshops , individual farm visits. Work around upland management also linked to number of catchment scale peatland restoration projects Many are Natura Water dependent sites- we are involved, and the new WFD GiA funding has contributed to.
Envionmental Stewardship , can be multi- objective and deliver a range of environmental and landscape benefits, including strong focus on outcomes under the WFD . Case study: Knepp castle -Sussex
Lowland Rewilding and Floodplain restoration project: Funded through ELS/HLS
Fundamental & Exciting component of this Env Stewardship agreement is River Restoration , Working jointly with the Estate and Environment Agency to: Restore the historic route of the river, remove barriers to fish, re-wet the floodplain. This summer..
Brief Mention of Wetland Vision Work Natural Engalnd been involved with since 2008 Partnership with EA, English Heritage, the RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts, Develop a 50-year Vision for England’s freshwater wetlands NE: Analysing and supporting agri-environment targeting work Inform our work on climate change adaptation, including habitat networks. Inform the development of a wider 50-year Vision for the Natural Environment
Key outputs of Project is mapping and analysis to establish historic range, current situation and potential for restoration.
Vision has number of Key Messages and implications for WFD; Not least Many wetlands encompass WFD waterbodies, or are water-dependent Natura sites, and / or are fundamental to achieving good status for surface and groundwaters Natural England focussed funding on 4 priority “landscape scale wetland complexes” : East Anglian Fens Humberhead Levels Midlands Meres and Mosses North-West England Coastal Arc Most of the priority areas continue in one form or another, through work in Integrated Biodiversity Areas; and through Potential Nature Improvement Areas in response to the Lawton Review and the NEWP. The fens IBDA progresses the fens W Vis, asimilarly Meres and Mosses, Morecambe Bay and Humberhead levels continue as potential NIAs.
Partnership between Natural England and the Environment Agency, funded by Defra, aims to reduce the pollution of surface water caused by farming operations. The Project is part of the national response to meet the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive and contributes towards achieving Natura 2000 objectives and the SSSI outcomes The pollution of waterways in England is a problem for the whole country to confront, and with agricultural land covering three-quarters of the country, farmers naturally have an important role to play in protecting our rivers, lakes, groundwater and bathing waters It is estimated that in England, agriculture accounts for: • between 10 and 60 per cent of phosphate levels in water; • about two-thirds of nitrogen • 76 per cent of sediment in rivers; (affecting fish spawning habitats and linked to phosphate); • 80 per cent of Drinking Water Protected Areas at risk of failing to meet the required standards; • 15 per cent of bathing waters at risk of failing to meet the required standards.
50 Catchments where the project operates
CSF Aims to adress diffuse water pollution from agriculture in number of ways: Free Training and advice , information Providing capital works grants on farm to address the problems at source Through Partnership with number of farming industry bodies wit their advice programmes. Very difficult to assess effectiveness of actions in catchments with complex geologies, rainfall patterns and diverse inputs of pollution (NOT just agriculture) into the catchments . HOWEVER First & Second Phase EVALUATION has demonstarted some promising initial results. Analysis available on the CSF website, linked via NE and Defra web pages. (Farmer engagement was highly effective, with some 9,023 farm holdings receiving advice directly. This represents 17 per cent of all farm holdings within Priority Catchments (38 per cent by area) and 45 per cent within targeted sub-catchments (62 per cent by area). Modelling indicates that improvements in management practices will result in significant reductions in pollutant losses. Reductions from the first four years of the ECSFDI are generally predicted to be between 5 and 10 per cent across Target Areas, but can be up to 36 per cent. These reductions translate into in-river decreases in pollutant concentrations of similar magnitude. Responses vary for different pollutants and Priority Catchments, due to variation in advice delivery and uptake and the significance of agricultural pollutant sources. In some cases, predicted phosphorus reductions from the ECSFDI will help achieve compliance with Water Framework Directive (WFD) standards for Good Ecological Status. Where WFD standards are being met (through improvements at sewage treatment works) the ECSFDI will help reduce concentrations further towards guideline standards for Special Areas of Conservation. MONITORING: At the sub-catchment scale, improvements in water quality were up to 30 per cent . The effects were catchment and pollutant specific, with the Test; Wyre; and Yealm showing a strong and consistent decrease in concentration across a range of pollutants whilst in the Deben, Alde & Ore; Hampshire Avon; and Wensum concentrations tended to increase more often than decrease17. Overall, the most consistent effect was apparent for phosphorous, with seven out of the nine catchments showing a reduction in mean concentration, while nitrogen and suspended solids showed a more variable response. Faecal Indicator Organisms were only monitored in four of the nine catchments and the results were highly variable 5. Pollutant losses and water quality Reductions in pollutant losses and improvements in water quality were assessed in order to measure the success of the ECSFDI in terms of reducing water pollution caused by farming. The assessment included: • modelling reductions in losses of DWPA pollutants resulting from changes to farming practices • monitoring and modelling in-river pollutant loads and concentrations Environment Agency routine monitoring was ‘enhanced’ at key sites across nine representative Priority Catchments and five targeted Priority Catchments for pesticides.
Natural England has key role with other regulators and the water industry in ensuring that during the water company Price review process, outcomes for natural environment are understood and secured in the company Final Business Plans and Ofwat’s Final Determinations We worked closely with the EA and Defra to ensure we developed a robust programme of environmental investment with some very significant investment from water companies to achieve Environmental objectives : including those for designated sites –Natura and SSSI, and the WFD Programme work beginning on Price Review for 2014
Less ‘news’ grabbing than direct action to restore habitats - but just as important to delivering an improved water environment: NE contributing to the evidence and work on aligning WFD standards with designated site conservation objectives by UKTAG, along with the other conservation and environment agencies.
three national ecosystem services pilot projects. These pilot projects aim to show, through integrated working with partners and land managers, how the provision of ecosystem services in upland areas can also broaden farming business opportunities. ilots. What is it? ‘Delivering Nature’s Services’ is a project seeking to turn the ecosystem approach from concept into a delivery tool. We aim to show that investment and improvement in the natural environment can result in cost effective benefits for wildlife, people and society. Where is it? We are testing the approach in three upland areas; Bassenthwaite lake catchment (Lake District), Southern Pennines National Character Area and South West uplands (Dartmoor and Exmoor). How are we doing it? Working closely with a wide range of private and public partners, Is it ‘worth’ it? We are undertaking a valuation exercise for each of the three pilots to estimate the cost-benefit analysis of undertaking the management plans for each of the three p How is it being delivered? The management plans are being delivered through combining private and public sector money and grants to enable management. So what’s new? The pilots have take a bottom up (localism) approach working with partners and people from outset . Where have we got to? Currently undertaking the valuation, finalising the delivery plans and undertaking an evaluation to capture the lessons learned to inform future implementation.
Specific eg: Bassenthwaite and Haweswater Vital Uplands Based in the Lake District National Park, this pilot is building on an existing catchment based lake restoration project which has involved a large range of partners and interested parties. The key project aims are to: Demonstrate how multiple public benefits can be delivered within the Bassenthwaite catchment through integrated partnership working. Built on existing catchment based lake restoration project Planning for habitat creation for biodiversity, carbon storage, reduced flood risk, water quality, increased recreation opportunities and maintain viable rural businesses. Catchment ‘blueprint’ now being implemented through HLS agreements, UU water company projects, FC grants Based in the Lake District National Park, this pilot is building on an existing catchment based lake restoration project which has involved a large range of partners and interested parties. The end of the Lake District ESA scheme offers opportunities for new ES + other agreements. 70 people from 20 + organisations planning habitat creation for biodiversity, carbon storage, reduce flood risk, increase recreation opportunities and maintain viable rural businesses. Catchment ‘blueprint’ now being implemented through HLS agreements, water company projects, Forestry Commission woodland grants and through Environment Agency’s CFMP’s. To support the HLS United Utlities customers are funding £375K woodland creation and improved waste management. Combining is a win-win-win: Social win – support for sustainable farming management; Environmental win – a more resilient landscape with carbon secured, biodiversity habitat enhanced; Economic win –cheaper way to improve water quality. Delivery more efficient for us and customer if we ask for the environmental outcomes together – e.g. we work with FC on woodland creation; single visits to the farmers We can do a lot more with existing funds – e.g. in Bassenthwaite new HLS and renewed CFMP offer significant opportunities You can reach a consensus view but need to talk to lots of people: Bassenthwaite pilot has involved over 70 people (20 organisations) in planning future land and water management Holistic management is worth doing: estimated £7m benefit over 25 yrs in Keighley catchment from biodiversity, water quality and carbon in woodland alone
The England Biodiversity Strategy includes the following priorities: Creating 200,000 hectares of new wildlife habitats by 2020 – this is equivalent to an area the size of Warwickshire Securing 50% of SSSIs in favourable condition, while maintaining at least 95% in favourable or recovering condition The new EBS contains outcomes to : achieve no net loss of priority habitats by 2020 expand the total area of priority habitat by 200,000 hectares (not quantified by habitat) by 2020 ensure that 90% priority habitats are in favourable or recovering condition by 2020 Natural England will be working closely with The Environment Agency and Defra to ensure that actions delivered as part of realising WDF can also contribute to EBS.
Demonstrated the diverse range of Work Natural Engalnd involved in – and its links to the Water Framework Directive. Natural England has key role working with partners to ensure delivery for designated sites, & deliver wider landscape, biodiversity and ecosystem benefits, in synergy with achieving objectives of the WFD Importance of need for holistic approaches to restore and improve the water environment being recognised through development of catchment pilots & approaches, & work driven by the NEWP, WWP and Water co. programmes WFD driving real interest, investment, research and project delivery in the water environment – with significant benefits for society and the natural environment Now very clear recognition these aims are not mutually exclusive.
Highlights Some of the Key reasons for adverse condition on Freshwater sites Invasive species, Water Pollution (agricultural and no agtricultural) , and innapropriate Water level mangagement some of biggest threats.