DEFRA Strategic Evidence & Partnership Project
Strategic Evidence & Partnership Overview • Introduction to the Rivers Trust movement • Our blueprint for an integrated catchment management approach to WFD delivery • An assessment of current policy & delivery frameworks • A vision for integrated WFD delivery in the future • The role of the third sector in WFD delivery (Big Society)
Introduction to the Rivers Trust
Arlin Rickard – Chief Executive www.theriverstrust.org
Global thinking – local action The Rivers Trusts are probably the fastest growing environmental movement in the UK today
Introduction to the Rivers Trust • Grassroots ‘bottom-up’ movement – ‘wet feet’ • Recognised as river basin ‘deliverers’ • Raising awareness and providing education
Introduction to the Rivers Trust • Grassroots ‘bottom-up’ movement – ‘wet feet’ • Recognised as river basin ‘deliverers’ • Raising awareness and providing education • Engaging people who own and manage resources
–
e.g. riparian owners, farmers, anglers, water co’s
• Empowering communities to take action and take local “ownership” • Forming partnerships • Developing links with Europe
The Rivers Trusts • 40 Rivers Trusts & other River
Groups in England & Wales
• 2 Rivers Trusts in NI • 25 Trusts in Scotland - RAFTS > 100 technical specialists > 10,000 active volunteers > 16,000 supporters Active in every WFD River Basin District
Rivers Trust linked projects EU Interreg IV 2007-13 • IVB North Sea - Living North Seas (lead RT) • IVB Atlantic - AARC (lead WRT) • IVA C/Border - WATER (lead WRT & RT partner) • IVA C/Border - Celtic Sea Trout • IVB NWE - Alfa (ERT partner) • IVB NWE - Collabor8 (WRT partner) • EU LIFE + ISAC Project (lead WUF & RT partner)
EU Water Framework Directive Ensuring ‘good ecological status’ by 2015 will be a major challenge! WFD Public Participation (Article 14)
“Member States shall encourage the active involvement of all interested parties in the implementation of this Directive, in particular in the production, review and updating of the river basin management plans…”
EU Water Framework Directive Ensuring ‘good ecological status’ by 2015 will be a major challenge!
Managing the environment is really about managing people… Nature can usually manage itself…
Rivers Trusts cleaning up..!
Invasive non-native species (INNS) New UK-wide RT / RAFTS INNS bio-security initiative • Coordinating expertise and effort across 3rd sector NGO’s & groups • Pilot Biosecurity Plans in progress • Study of extensive Rivers Trust activities • 3rd Sector Conference took place June 2011
Rivers Trusts working with DEFRA Rivers Trusts are working in partnership with DEFRA in England In collaboration with the Environment Agency
Rivers Trusts working with DEFRA Rivers Trusts are working in partnership with DEFRA in England In collaboration with the Environment Agency This initiative is currently funding projects across England with: • 25+ Rivers Trusts • 170+ projects
® Contributing to WFD Good Ecological Status ® Eel Regulation ® Habitats Directive
Rivers Trusts working with DEFRA Works undertaken include – • Fish migration barrier removal • Fish easements & passes • Riparian environmental & habitat improvements • Research to identify & facilitate the interventions • Monitoring of works & outcomes
Rivers Trusts working with DEFRA Eel Management Strategy & Restoration
Rivers Trusts working with DEFRA Recovery after exclusion of livestock BEFORE
AFTER
Westcountry Rivers Trust / Tale Valley Trust
Rivers Trusts working with DEFRA Frome Salmonid Improvement
Rivers Trusts working with DEFRA River Taw Head Weir Removal BEFORE
Rivers Trusts working with DEFRA River Taw Head Weir Removal DURING
Rivers Trusts working with DEFRA River Taw Head Weir Removal AFTER
Strategic Evidence & Partnership Project Objectives 1 • To review the effectiveness of current policy instruments (regulation, advice, incentives) targeting WFD water quality objectives • Assess the feasibility of a Paid Ecosystem Services model for managing water quality • To help develop a system for 3rd sector organisations (e.g Rivers Trusts) to share and use data for the targeted delivery of catchment and waterbody restoration
Strategic Evidence & Partnership Project Objectives 2 • Look at ways of increasing the ownership of WFD measures by third sector organisations and local stakeholders • Bring ART, Defra, Defra Agencies and water companies together to seek solutions to a complex natural resource management problem
Strategic Evidence & Partnership Project Scope • Steering group including the following organisations:
• 1 Year project based around three case study areas: the Tamar, the Severn and the Wye
• Policy analysis undertaken through primary research with individuals ‘on-the-ground’
Strategic Evidence & Partnership Overview • Introduction to the Rivers Trust movement • Our blueprint for an integrated catchment management approach to WFD delivery • An assessment of current policy & delivery frameworks • A vision for integrated WFD delivery in the future • The role of the third sector in WFD delivery (Big Society)
Project Approach Tamar
Tamar
Tamar
Our blueprint for WFD delivery
1
A joined-up common strategy for managing catchments based on restoring ecosystem function
2
A way of society paying for the delivery of ecosystem function (PES)
3
Locally managed integrated catchment management plans (to target advice, incentives and regulations)
4
Transparent sharing of information
Strategic Evidence & Partnership Overview • Introduction to the Rivers Trust movement • Our blueprint for an integrated catchment management approach to WFD delivery • An assessment of current policy & delivery frameworks • A vision for integrated WFD delivery in the future • The role of the third sector in WFD delivery (Big Society)
Current policy & delivery framework
1
A joined up common strategy for managing catchments based on restoring ecosystem function
• Silo thinking is preventing a common vision • Different initiatives need integration (Catchment Approach, Local Nature Partnerships, Nature Improvement Areas) • Elephant in the room is food security
Current policy & delivery framework
2
A way of society paying for the delivery of ecosystem function (PES)
‘Contemporary society is less sustainable than it could be. Responding to the pressures to provide food, water and energy security, while at the same time conserving biodiversity and adapting to rapid environmental change, will require getting the valuation right, creating functioning markets for ecosystem services, improving the use of our resources and adopting new ways of managing those resources’. (NEA)
Current policy & delivery framework
2
A way of society paying for the delivery of ecosystem function (PES)
‘To achieve so much means taking action across sectors rather than treating environmental concerns in isolation. It requires us all to put the value of nature at the heart of our decision-making – in Government, local communities and businesses. In this way we will improve the quality and increase the value of the natural environment across England’. (NEWP)
Current policy & delivery framework
2
A way of society paying for the delivery of ecosystem function (PES)
• Mechanisms to reward land managers are weak • Current agri-environment schemes are based on income forgone, not the value of ecosystem services provided • A regulatory baseline needs to be established to enable PES payers to enter the market
Current policy & delivery framework
2
A way of society paying for the delivery of ecosystem function (PES)
• PES will not happen on its own (some govt. intervention is required) • Defra’s (NEWP) proposed plan to establish a business-led Ecosystem Markets Task Force is timely
Current policy & delivery framework
3
Locally managed integrated catchment management plans
• Current WFD Plans not detailed enough to enable targeted delivery of actions • Lack of consensus regarding scale and severity of the problem (farming community disengaged) • Disagreements exist over current WFD waterbody assessments
Current policy & delivery framework
3
Locally managed integrated catchment management plans
• Stewardship schemes not delivering resource protection outcomes. • Capital payments not sufficient and not targeted • CSF Officers and other local deliverers need greater autonomy
Current policy & delivery framework
3
Locally managed integrated catchment management plans
• Modelling tools are required which are fit for purpose (need to incorporate economics) • DTC programme will help to refine the efficacy of land use/management changes further. • Let’s make use of existing modelling tools
Current policy & delivery framework
4
Transparent sharing of data, evidence & information
• Sharing information for a catchment based approach • Using data and models to target third sector resources • Using data and models to engage stakeholders • Data access - progress, issues and recommendations
Current policy & delivery framework Sharing Information for a Catchment Based Approach Wisdom
• Need to move from catchment data & information to knowledge & wisdom
Understanding principles
• All stakeholders need access
Understanding patterns
• Pilot catchments = engagement = opportunity to test & develop information sharing
Knowledge
Information Understanding relationships
Data
Engage farmers & deliver interventions Source = diffuse agricultural runoff P increases during high flows High P values in stream
Current policy & delivery framework Using data & models to target our resources 1. Assess river condition & diagnose threats • Monitor & survey • Characterise risk areas
2. Deliver catchment management interventions • Create tailored plans
Justification/ investigation
Delivery of measures
• Deliver interventions
3. Evaluate delivery of environmental & 2o outcomes
Assessment of outcomes
SOURCE
PATHWAY
RECEPTOR
Pollutant Level + Mobilisation + Connectivity = Pollution risk
SOURCE
PATHWAY
RECEPTOR
Pollutant Level + Mobilisation + Connectivity = Pollution risk
SCIMAP: A diffuse pollution risk modelling framework Land use
+ +
Slope Rainfall
SCIMAP: A diffuse pollution risk modelling framework
Targeting investigations
Current policy & delivery framework Using data & models to target our resources 1. Assess river condition & diagnose threats • Monitor & survey • Characterise risk areas
2. Deliver catchment management interventions • Create tailored plans
Justification/ investigation
Delivery of measures
• Deliver interventions
3. Evaluate delivery of environmental & 2o outcomes
Assessment of outcomes
UEA Export Coefficient Model: Adaptive Modelling Evaluation
Models
Observations
Interested citizens, conservation groups, farmers, tourism industry, water companies, local to national government, environment agencies, ‌
Why Adaptive Modelling?
? ?
UEA Export Coefficient Model: Adaptive Modelling
Agricultural census 2004
Local farmers
Permanent grass (ha)
19
19
Temporary grass (ha)
3
3
Rough grazing (ha)
3
3
Cereals (ha)
33
33
Root crops (ha)
16
16
Field vegetables (ha)
3
3
Oilseed rape (ha)
0
0
Woodland (ha)
2
2
Bare fallow (ha)
0
0
Cattle
158
300
Pigs
110
0
Sheep & goats
97
10
35121
0
Poultry
Baseline
Scenario
Current policy & delivery framework Sharing Information – Recent Progress • National EA / RT data sharing agreement – template • INSPIRE - many gov’t datasets now becoming available • Sharing read-only data between organisations a reality • Defra Ag Census – reaching agreement for RT access • OS Basemapping – EA can supply for RT internal use – investigating whether RTs can join PSMA
Current policy & delivery framework Sharing Information – Remaining issues • Third party IP in model outputs – CEH, ADAS, NSRI, etc. • Partnership not recognised in data licenses • Time-consuming & complex to negotiate • Private sector data costs prohibitive for third sector • RPA field level land use – currently investigating • Third sector data sharing – IT solutions
Current policy & delivery framework Sharing Information – Recommendations • EA catchment data sharing forum – streamline licensing • Engage with RPA – data for modelling community • Gov’t funded research agencies – data should be freely available to enable the Big Society • Grant-aid third sector for data licensing costs
Making information work: RT Web Mapping Portal
Strategic Evidence & Partnership Overview • Introduction to the Rivers Trust movement • Our blueprint for an integrated catchment management approach to WFD delivery • An assessment of current policy & delivery frameworks • A vision for integrated WFD delivery in the future • The role of the third sector in WFD delivery (Big Society)
A vision for future WFD delivery We want a catchment management plan that is‌ 1. Strategic Targeted and timely to achieve the greatest amount of benefit
2. Integrated Adopts different measures tailored to each situation and objective
3. Costed and funded The cost of each intervention is determined and funding acquired from the most appropriate stakeholder
4. Balanced Delivers improvements for the river, but not at the expense of food production or the farmers business
Ecosystem services from catchments Provisioning services • food • energy (hydropower, biomass fuels)
Paid for by the markets
Regulating services • carbon sequestration and climate regulation • flood and drought attenuation • nutrient dispersal and cycling Supporting services • purification of water and air • pest control and biodiversity Cultural services • cultural, intellectual and spiritual inspiration • recreational experiences (including ecotourism)
Provided for free by farmers …OR NOT..!?
Ecosystem services from catchments We have developed a series of simple models to map… •
Land critical for the delivery of multiple ecosystem services
•
Areas where these areas conflict with agricultural practice
•
Land where sustainable intensive agriculture can occur
Designed to… •
Initiate discussion between stakeholders
•
Provide evidence to engage with potential funders
•
Target and tailor catchment management interventions
•
Assess the scale of the challenge and the potential for success
Conflicts in land-use
6%
Can we support more balanced farming to reduce treatment costs and mitigate risk?
Upstream Thinking
The role of the 3rd Sector Martin Ross - SWW
Dylan Bright - WRT
- Estimated cost/benefit ratio of up to 65:1 - Sold to OFWAT
- Ensure works and advice
- 65p from every bill payer = ÂŁ9 million
- Minimise admin costs
creates multiple ecosystem benefits - Monitor concept
Mr Jones - Farmer
- Instigate farm resource management plan - Pay for remaining nongrant aided work - Change practices
Can we develop markets for other ecosystem services‌??
For South West Water pollution = Risk & Treatment Costs
DEFRA Strategic Evidence & Partnership Project