Medway Catchment Evidence Review 1
Photo on cover: ‘River Medway’ by Brian Adamson (CC BY 2.0)
Contents A Natural Capital Approach..................................................................... 5 Step 1: Setting out the vision...................................................................6 Natural Capital & the Medway Catchment Partnership................. 7 Workshop Summary.......................................................................................................8 Step 2: Understanding where we are starting from................10 Geography & Stakeholders..................................................................................... 11 Natural Assets.................................................................................................................... 13 Existing Plans and Activities...................................................................................16 Step 3: Building the evidence base.................................................. 20 Condition of Assets........................................................................................................21 Pressures................................................................................................................................24 Step 4: Identifying & weighing up our options..........................28 Opportunities.....................................................................................................................29 Opportunities for Multiple Service Provision.........................................32 Urban Toolbox.................................................................................................................. 33 Step 5: Implementation & evaluation............................................ 34 Workshop Outcomes..................................................................................................35 Data & Information Sources..................................................................36
Photo: ‘Ashdown Forest in the Snow’ by Mark Bridge (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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Photo: ‘River Beult’ by Natural England (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
“This should be “the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than that in which we found it.” Achieving this means looking after the environment we have – our natural capital – and making the most of opportunities to protect and improve it.” The Natural Capital Committee, 2017
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A Natural Capital Approach ‘Natural Capital’ is all of the useful and valuable things which nature provides us with, including plants, soils, air, water and living things. From this natural capital we gain a wide range of services, often known as ecosystem services, which allow us to live our daily lives. These ecosystem services include the food we eat, clean water for drinking and washing, and the materials we use for fuel
Step 1:
Setting out the vision
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4b
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Step 3:
Building the evidence base
4a
Capital Report’. They have also developed a practical guide aimed at anyone who wants to use a natural capital approach in making decisions about the natural environment. It provides a five step model intended to support decision makers, including planners, communities and landowners, in protecting and improving their local environment and natural capital. The guide aims to provide a method to:
• Measure the natural capital in a particular area and the benefits it can provide;
• Identify threats and opportunities to natural capital;
• Weigh up the available options and opportunities to make improvements; • Develop practical plans.
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Understanding where you are starting from
3a
A natural capital approach is promoted in the 25 Year Environment Plan. In this document, the UK Government sets out its aim to ‘set gold standards in protecting and growing natural capital – leading the world in using this approach as a tool in decision-making.’ The Natural Capital Committee (NCC) is an independent advisory committee, advising the government on the sustainable use of natural capital. The NCC set out their natural capital methodology in the ‘Third State of Natural
Step 2:
3b
and for building. There are also services which are less easy to see, such as regulation of the climate, the storage of carbon by peatlands, and the natural protection from flooding which is provided by wetlands and woodlands.
By developing this approach, the NCC does not aim to be prescriptive, as each situation will have its own priorities and opportunities, but to provide a structured way of making informed choices. The diagram to the left shows a summary of the approach, which is based on 5 key steps. The approach loops back from step 5 to step 1 in order to undertake evaluation and potentially to agree shifts in goals or objectives on the basis of experience. The dotted lines indicate that as the plan develops, earlier stages may need to be revisited.
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Step 4:
Identifying and weighing up your options
Step 5:
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Implementation and evaluation
This document will follow these steps, focusing particularly on steps 2 and 3, for the Medway Catchment. By gathering the data and evidence needed to support decisions, and working with stakeholders to understand local priorities and perspectives, the aim is to embed the natural capital approach into the heart of the Medway Catchment Partnership. The information and diagram on this page have been adapted from the NCC Natural Capital Workbook.
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Photo: ‘East Farleigh’ by Robert Pittmann (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Step 1: Setting out the vision
The first step is about developing the broad aims of the process. It is also about understanding who is engaged in the process and what is motivating them to engage. Exploring issues, such as locally important species or habitats, environmental problems which may require planning or management, and potential conflicts between stakeholders of differing interests, at an early stage will allow all the relevant stakeholders to be brought on board and enable the gathering of all the necessary data and information.
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Step 1: Setting out the vision
Natural Capital & the Medway Catchment Partnership The Medway Catchment Partnership is part of the nationwide Catchment-Based Approach (CaBA) movement. CaBA is a community-led approach that engages people and groups from across society to help improve our precious water environments. CaBA Partnerships are actively working in over 100 catchments across England and Wales. The Medway Catchment Partnership was established in 2013 and is hosted by the South East Rivers Trust. After 5 years of work, the partnership has decided it is time to revitalise their aims, objectives and plan of action. At the same time, there are a number of other initiatives in the Medway and on a wider scale which are working towards a natural capital approach. The DEFRA Local Action Project has selected the Medway as a focus areas for their nationwide work to develop tools for partnerships to tackle deficiencies, and enhance the benefits, of natural capital to the widest possible audience. More locally, Southern Water and the University of Kent are working on ‘Long Term Catchment Management R&D’ and the South East Rivers Trust with Kent County Council and several water companies are working on a waterresources focussed project called PROWATER. Both these projects will also be taking a natural capital approach. This has presented an opportunity to build on the energy surrounding natural capital, and to set a transparent natural capital approach at the heart of the Medway Catchment Partnership’s vision and action plan.
In April 2018, the partnership organised a workshop to gather ideas and priorities to inform and contribute to all of the above projects and initiatives, and to ensure all are starting from a consistent baseline. The workshop was a way to facilitate discussions and identify opportunities for collaboration and avoiding repetition. During the workshop, attendees were introduced to the ‘natural capital approach’ as it has been set out in the NCC guidance (see previous page) and to the work going on to translate this into an approach that local environmental partnerships can apply in their work.
This process is essentially a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis for the catchment. Of particular importance is the Opportunities and Threats part of this process. These two elements allow an understanding of the threats, pressures or barriers that prevent benefits being provided, or which have a negative impact on people, and the opportunities for actions to be delivered to remove or overcome these pressures to improve the environment and it’s ability to provide benefits.
This then lead to a series of discussions and workshop sessions designed to review the natural capital ‘asset base’ in the Medway Catchment landscape. Through this, stakeholders were able to understand where work is already underway, or has been done recently, and what or where the priorities are of the people working in the environment in the Medway catchment. Attendees were then asked to discuss and map out where the most ‘valuable’ areas/features in the landscape are located, and where there may be a lack of ecosystem service provision and natural capital value. The former may need protection or enhancement, whereas in the latter areas action may be required to improve the provision of environmental benefits and build resilience.
The Medway Catchment Partnership is one of over 100 CaBA Partnerships working across England and Wales 7
Breeding seabirds
Step 1: Setting out the vision
Workshop Summary
Saltmarshes
This map shows a summary of places and activities within the Medway catchment which the catchment partnership members highlighted as being particularly special and need protection, or which may be under pressure or causing issues.
Development pressures
Medway Estuary
Urban pollution
Nursery for marine fish
Barbel & brown trout
Tudeley Woods
Otters
Coastal squeeze
Signal crayfish
Workshop outcomes summary/diagram
Lack of habitat connectivity
Sunshine
Seagrass
Traffic
River Beult
Hammer ponds
Drinking water quality Overabstraction
Nightingales Flooding Chalk rivers Anti-social behaviour
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Recreational disturbance to habitats
Soil erosion
Ashdown forest
Meadows Air pollution
Historic Wealden landscape
Heathland drying out
Climate change & water resources
“Ashdown Forest is a designated Special Area for Conservation for its lowland heathland habitat, is home to specialist birds and invertebrates, and is a place for people to enjoy playing pooh sticks!” Attendee of the Medway Catchment Partnership workshop
Photo: ‘Frosty Morning Walk’ by Tom Lee (CC BY-ND 2.0)
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Photo: ‘River Len, Maidstone’ by Josh A. Tilley (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Step 2: Understanding where we are starting from
Before deciding how to move forwards, it is important to gather basic information on the area of focus, the people with an interest in this area and the natural capital assets in the area. At this stage, it is also key to understand the activities and plans which are already in place to protect or enhance the natural capital, who is funding these initiatives and why they are important.
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Step 2: Understanding where we are starting from
Geography & Stakeholders The Medway Catchment is in the South-East of England, with the majority of the catchment located within the county of Kent. Two of the biggest towns in the Medway Catchment are Maidstone (local authority population of 155,143 in 2011) and Royal Tunbridge Wells (115, 049). There are a large number of different organisations working in the Medway Catchment. The boundaries of the areas in which these organisations work are often overlapping but vary between the organisations. Some of these boundaries are explored on the maps below. Counties
The Medway Catchment Partnership falls into the work areas of the County Councils of Kent, Surrey, East Sussex
and West Sussex, and the Unitary Authority of Medway. Environment Agency & Natural England
These government agencies are geographically split into regional teams. The majority of the Medway Catchment falls into the work area of the Kent, South London and East Sussex team, though a small area of the catchment is within the Solent and South Downs area. Rivers Trusts
South East Rivers Trust is an NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) and is one of the regional branches of the national Rivers Trust movement. SERT works across the whole of the Medway Catchment and much of the South East of England.
Wildlife Trusts
The Wildlife Trust is also an NGO working across the UK, with regional branches working at county level. Kent, Surrey and Sussex Wildlife Trusts are working in the Medway Catchment area. Water Companies (bottom left map - grey outlines are companies supplying water only, blue shading shows water and sewerage companies)
Water is supplied to customers living in the Medway Catchment by Southern Water, South East Water (SEW) or Sutton & East Surrey Water (SES). Thames Water and Southern Water provide sewerage services to customers in the Medway.
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Step 2: Understanding where we are starting from
Stakeholders During the Natural Capital workshop, attendees were asked to map out, for ongoing or aspirational projects, the relevant stakeholders in the Medway Catchment. Combining these notes into the summary below, with a small number of additional stakeholders not mentioned in the workshop but identified later, gives a detailed and wide-ranging list of relevant stakeholders known to be important in the catchment.
NGOs
• Wildlife Trusts • Kent • Surrey • Sussex • South East Rivers Trust • Kent Mammal Group • RSPB • Bumblebee Conservation Trust • National Trust • BugLife • WWF • Canal & Rivers Trust • Angling Trust • Wild Trout Trust • British Ecological Society
Community Groups & Associations
• Angling Clubs • Royal Yachting Association • Medway and Swale Boating Association • Local recreation groups (e.g golf clubs) • Allotment Associations • Ramblers Groups • Local Conservation Groups
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Government & Public Bodies • DEFRA • Environment Agency • Enforcement & Regulations • Operations • Estates • Fisheries • Marine • Monitoring • Navigation • Natural England • CSF • Marine • Protected sites • Forestry Commission • Highways England • AONBs • Kent & Essex IFCA • Internal Drainage Board
Ports
• Port of London Authority • Peel Ports
Utilities
• Network Rail • British Gas • BT
Businesses & Professional Groups • • • • • • • • • •
Farmers and landowners Paper Industry Garden Centres Horticulturalists NFU Country Land and Business Association (CLA) Berry Gardens - berry and stone fruit production and marketing groups British Water (trade association for water and wastewater supply chain) Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management
Councils
• Kent County Council (and Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex County Councils) and Medway Council • Flood team • Environment and public rights of way team • Country Parks team • District Councils • Parish Councils
Water companies • • • •
SES Water Southern Water South East Water Thames Water
Universities & Research • • • • •
University of Kent University of Greenwich NERC NIAB EMR – horticultural research Records Centre
Partnerships & Forums
Regional • Kent Nature Partnership • Kent Resilience Forum • Local Enterprise Partnership • Kent Countryside Management Partnerships • Medway Flood Partnership • Kent Countryside Access Forum • Kent Environment and Community Network National • National Flood Forum • River Restoration Centre • CaBA
Step 2: Understanding where we are starting from
Natural Assets Overview The following pages will explore the natural assets - all the useful and valuable things nature provides us with. These assets are the foundations of the ecosystem services which we rely on in our daily lives. These ecosystem services are introduced below, and will form the structure of this natural capital evidence review.
Habitats & biodiversity
Healthy and well-connected habitats are essential to support plant and wildlife communities. The map shows habitats split into wetland, woodland, grassland and heathland, with Natural England priority habitats in darker shades, and CEH landcover 2007 data for these types of habitats in paler shades.
Water quality, flooding and low flows
Rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters and groundwater are sources of water for drinking and recreation and therefore the quality of these waterbodies is important to all our lives. The management of these waterbodies is also important for preventing flooding and droughts. Natural habitats, especially wetlands and woodlands are important for filtering and slowing the flow of water and are therefore important for maintaining good water quality and steady flows of water.
Culture
Access to green space and the countryside is important for cultural activities and recreation. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 gives a public right of access to ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land.
Air Quality
Clean air is important for a healthy environment and for the health of local populations.
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Step 2: Understanding where we are starting from
Natural Assets: Soils Soil Type Soil is the medium in which plants grow and is a vital habitat that supports a huge diversity of animal species and micro-organisms. Soil type also influences the character of our local landscapes. Fertile soil is critical for the production of food, timber and fibre, and it is therefore essential for our survival and economic prosperity.
Soil Surface Texture (below) The type, character and composition of soil affects the provision of ecosystem services in varied and complex ways. The map below shows the soils surface texture across the Medway catchment. At a general level, well-managed sandy soils are best at helping to maintain good water quality in our rivers and lakes because they allow water to soak in and for pollutants to be slowly filtered and broken down, In contrast, heavy rainfall will wash off clay soils quickly, carrying any pollutants, such as fertilisers, into the waterbodies. However, sandy soils which are poorly managed can be more susceptible to erosion. Eroded soils can also be carried into rivers and lakes, polluting the water and smothering habitats.
Healthy soils are a natural asset which underpins many of our key ecosystem services, including maintaining good water quality and preventing floods and droughts. These services are explored further in this document. Healthy soils also support other equally important services including provision of food, timber and fibres, nutrient cycling and storing carbon. 14
Step 2: Understanding where we are starting from
Natural Assets: Agricultural Land Agricultural Land Use The agricultural activities undertaken in a catchment often help to define the character of the rural landscape and can have a significant impact on the environment and its ability to provide the services we need. The type and intensity of farming and the management of agricultural land affects the ability of natural assets to provide the ecosystem service of food, timber and fibre production, and also of other services such as habitats for wildlife, the maintenance of good water quality and opportunities for recreation. Though not explored further in this report, well-managed farmland can also support important pollination services. The map to the left shows the use of land for growing crops, through the Crop Map of England (CROME). Fruit production is not specifically mapped in CROME, but is a particularly important economic and cultural activity in the Medway catchment. In addition to crops, the use of land for keeping livestock is also important for its impact on natural assets and its role in providing ecosystem services. Agricultural Land Classification (below) The character of agricultural land affects how it is used and therefore it’s value as an asset for the ecosystem service of food production. Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) is a method for assessing the quality of farmland to enable informed choices to be made about its future use within the planning system (as defined by the National Planning Policy Framework). The ALC system classifies land into five grades: the best and most versatile land is defined as Grades 1, 2 and 3, while Grades 4 and 5 are of poorer quality. In this evidence review, farmland quality is primarily considered during the identification of opportunities for improving ecosystem services. High quality farmland is generally excluded from the opportunity analysis as it is valuable for its role in food production services. However, low quality farmland is considered as a potential opportunity for providing habitats and areas for cultural and recreational enjoyment. 15
Step 2: Understanding where we are starting from
Existing Plans Water Quality Good water quality is a legal requirement under the Water Framework Directive (WFD), and relies on good management of the land feeding rivers, lakes and groundwater. In particular, waterbodies which are used by people, such as drinking water sources or bathing waters are often a priority. For this reason, the Environment Agency designates areas upstream of these important waterbodies under several different schemes.
Surface Water Safeguard Zones - these areas are the whole upstream catchment of a drinking water abstraction point on a river, lake or reservoir. Activities within this zone have the potential to impact the quality of the raw water abstracted for drinking. The nearer the activity is to the abstraction the greater the likelihood of impact. Drinking Water Protection Areas - this is the land directly upstream of the drinking water abstraction point.
Source Protection Zones - these are the areas of land through which water infiltrates into a groundwater borehole which is used for drinking water.
Groundwater Safeguard Zones - these zones are similar to the Source Protection Zones, but highlight areas where additional measures are needed to ensure abstracted water meets WFD standards.
Culture
The designation of zones to protect water quality may also tackle particular issues. Surface Water Nitrate Vulnerable Zones are designated as being at risk from agricultural nitrate pollution, and farmers working in these zones have to work to more stringent rules.
Beautiful landscapes and historic sites are protected through the work of the government and NGOs. Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are protected under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of these landscapes. Three AONBs fall within the Medway Catchment; the Kent Downs, Surrey Hills and High Weald. Country Parks are informal, semi-rural green spaces. They are mostly managed by local authorities and are often at the edge of urban areas, providing places to enjoy the outdoors and experience nature, especially for people living in cities. There are 16 couuntry parks within the Medway Catchment. Scheduled Monuments are a carefully chosen and managed selection of nationally important archaeological sites. There are just over 200 scheduled monuments in the Medway Catchment, including bridges, dockyards, churches and forts. Historic England also has a register of Historic Parks and Gardens which it protects as an important, distinctive and cherished part of our inheritance. The National Trust work to restore, conserve and open up to the public coastline, forests, moorland, historic houses, gardens, art collections and more. The National Trust looks after both properties and countryside in the Medway, such as Knole House and Deer Park. 16
Step 2: Understanding where we are starting from
Existing Plans Habitats Habitats and wildlife are protected at a number of scales and levels of protection. Special Areas of Conservation, such as Ashdown Forest, and Special Protection Areas, such as the Medway estuary marshes, are highly protected as they are sites of European importance for conservation, either due to their unusual or important habitats or the rare species they support. To support the protection of these sites, the UK has designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest. These may be found on public or private land must be kept in favourable condition by law. National Nature Reserves were established to protect some of our most important habitats, species and geology, and to provide ‘outdoor laboratories’ for research. Local Nature Reserves are designated by local authorities for their local importance to wildlife, geology, education and enjoyment. Recommended Marine Conservation Zones are areas that protect a range of nationally important, rare or threatened marine habitats and species. The Medway estuary was designated as an MCZ in 2013 for its habitats, which include intertidal sand, subtidal coarse sediment, estuarine rocky habitats, and for being home to the tentacled lagoon-worm (Alkmaria romijni). The RSPB has a network of reserves which support a range of species, especially birds. The reserves allow focused conservation work, as well as public access and education. Though not mapped in this document, Wildlife Trusts also manage sites for public access and to protect habitats and wildlife.
Drought ‘Catchment Abstraction Management Plans’ or CAMS, from the Environment Agency, focus on identifying the water requirements for aquatic ecology. The assessment is based on the availability of water resources in the most stressed catchment downstream. The map to the right shows Resource Availability at Q95, providing a measure of the availability of water for abstraction in low flow months. At Q95, all of the catchments in the Medway are either red, which means water is not available for licensing, or grey, which are Heavily Modified Waterbodies.
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Step 2: Understanding where we are starting from
Existing Plans Thames Estuary
Flood Risk The EA’s Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management team manages flood risk projects across the country. Flood Risk from Rivers and Sea Flood risk from rivers and the sea is also known as fluvial flood risk. The FCRM team have two projects relating to flooding from rivers and the sea planned or ongoing in the Medway Catchment.
Little Mill
One of these schemes, the Little Mill Flood Alleviation Scheme is not yet funded and therefore is an opportunity for partnership working. During 2017/18 the Environment Agency will investigate options for reducing flooding in Little Mill and East Peckham without worsening flood risk elsewhere in the catchment. The other scheme is for habitat creation in the Thames Estuary, which has been funded and tackles sea flooding, as well as having benefits for wildlife. Flood Risk from Surface Water Surface water flooding occurs when there is heavy rainfall and water is not able to soak away into the ground, but instead builds up at the surface. This is particularly a problem in urban areas where there are more impermeable surfaces.
Medway Flood Action Plan, November 2017
Paddock Wood
Paddock Wood is a scheme focusing on surface water flooding. Following a study in 2015, the flooding in this area was identified as primarily caused by surface water, and it is now on the Medway Flood Action Plan to investigate the use of natural flood risk management techniques in Paddock Wood and Ightham.
Air Quality Maintaining good air quality is important for people’s health, especially in urban areas where there is a high density of population and where there may be a higher density of polluting activities. Each local authority in the UK must monitor air quality and if they believe that they will not be able to achieve national air quality standards then they must declare an Air Quality Management Area. These areas may be just one or two streets, or a much larger area. Then the local authority will put together a plan to improve the air quality - a Local Air Quality Action Plan. In the Medway catchment there are various AQMAs in place for two pollutants - Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and PM10. The largest of these is the Maidstone Town AQMA, which is in place for both NO2 and PM10. 18
Step 2: Understanding where we are starting from
Existing Activities Kent Environment Strategy March 2016 The vision of the Kent Environment Strategy, and its more than 40 members and contributors is: ‘The county of Kent is benefiting from a competitive, innovative and resilient economy, with our natural and historic assets enhanced and protected for their unique value and positive impact on our society, economy, health and well-being.’ This vision will be realised through the following 3 themes:
• Theme 1: Building the foundations for delivery establishes priorities that provide an evidenced understanding of risks and opportunities from environmental change, and the relationship to our communities, health and well-being, and economy. It also includes priorities that establish how we can develop actions, as a partnership, to respond to those changes now and into the future. • Theme 2: Making best use of existing resources and minimising negative impacts focuses on minimising the impacts of current activities through reducing resource usage across all sectors. • Theme 3: Toward a sustainable future is about ensuring that the county’s communities, businesses, environment and services are resilient to environmental change, managing future risks and acting on opportunities.
PROWATER 2017-2022 Prowater is an Interreg 2 Seas project, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, which is working across Europe to design and implement payments for ecosystem services (PES) schemes to reduce the frequency and impact of water resource issues, particularly low flows, water shortages and droughts. The South of England partners are based in Kent and the South West, and will be particularly working with water companies to achieve these aims.
Flood Resilient Areas by Multi-layEr Safety Approach – FRAMES 2016-2019 FRAMES is a 3-year project to help increase the resilience of communities and infrastructure against flood risk in the UK. It is a €8 million project with 50% cofinance from the European Regional Development Fund. South East Rivers Trust is working with other organisations from the UK, Belgium, Denmark, Germany and The Netherlands, to reduce the consequences of flooding and help prepare communities for climate change. SERT are running a pilot project in Kent working with many local partners, such as local residents and councils, to increase local resilience of infrastructure and advise policy recommendations that will reduce recovery times after a flood.
Medway Flood Partnership November 2017 The Medway Flood Partnership has the following objectives:
• Develop a shared understanding of the strategic challenges and opportunities within the catchment and the need for collaboration to address them Broker strategic solutions to problems identified through the partnership Develop a shared action plan for the next 5 years, and a 25 year vision for the future • Improve communications and engagement by adopting a joined up approach to engagement with communities, government and MPs Identify the interrelationships between partner projects and ensure coordination between them
The Medway Flood Action Plan has three key work streams led by partners organisations: • Capital Investment and Maintenance - led by the Environment Agency
• Natural Flood Management - led by Natural England and South East Rivers Trust • Community Resilience - led by Kent County Council
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Photo: ‘Riverside Walk’ by Ray Wewerka (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Step 3: Building the evidence base
This stage is about understanding the natural capital in the focus area, including the extent and condition of the natural assets, the ecosystem services and benefits they provide, and the pressures or risks they may face.
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Step 3: Building the evidence base
Condition of Assets: Water Quality All waterbodies are monitored by the Environment Agency to assess whether they comply with the key objective of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) - to achieve ‘good ecological status’ by 2021. Some waterbodies are designated as ‘Highly Modified Waterbodies’ (HMWBs) or are artificial. These waterbodies must reach ‘Good Ecological Potential’, a level of water quality and ecological condition which is as close to good as possible given the constraints of their non-natural location, form or origin. The WFD monitoring data and ‘Reasons for Not Achieving Good’ database provide an insight into water quality across the Medway.
TraC Waters Lower Medway Eden Upper Medway
Middle Medway
Teise
Beult
Groundwater
Note: Groundwater is assessed for ‘Quantitative Status’ rather than ecological, and each status is assessed as either ‘Good’ or ‘Poor’.
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Step 3: Building the evidence base
Condition of Assets: Access & Culture The value of a green space for culture is dependent on many factors. A key factor is their accessibility; countryside and green spaces cannot provide cultural services to communities living nearby and further afield unless there is some level of access. In particular, green spaces which are open to the public for free are likely to provide cultural services to the greatest number and variety of people. It is this aspect which is predominantly explored in the map below.
Access
Visitor Surveys
The provision of cultural ecosystem services is dependent on the accessibility of the spaces. In the Medway Catchment there are 16 Country Parks and 32 local nature reserves which are accessible at no charge. There are also many areas of National Trust land and open access land which are open to the public for free. Over 90% of the towns and villages in the Medway lie within 5km of a freely accessible site.
Visitor surveys are a useful way to gain a greater insight into the condition and use of cultural assets. In the Medway Catchment, visitor surveys have taken place in Ashdown Forest in 2009 and across the North Kent shoreline in 2011. The survey locations are shown on the map by a blue star. Ashdown Forest was found to be a well-used resource with local visitors travelling from a catchment area of 13km. An estimated 2.91 million visitors use the site each year, with the most common reason for visiting the forest being its openness, followed by the views, the natural beauty, its ruralness and the opportunities to see birds and wildlife.
There are also nature reserves, parks and gardens, historic locations and points of interest owned by the National Trust, RSPB and private owners, some of which are open to visit for a fee or through membership, and some of which are not accessible.
There is at least 48km2 of freely accessible land including National Trust land, Local Nature Reserves, Country Parks and open access land - across the Medway Catchment.
Workshop Outcomes During the Medway Catchment Partnership workshop, several sites were mentioned as important assets in the catchment. These include: • Ashdown Forest
• Tudeley Woods & Nor Marsh RSPB reserves
• Kent Wildlife Trust’s reserves across the catchment 22
96% of those visiting the North Kent coastline in February and March were local visitors, taking part most commonly in dogwalking, walking, wildlife watching, cycling and to see the sea and enjoy the scenery. When asked what would make another site attractive for use instead of the protected coastline, 63% said ‘nothing’, suggesting that these are special sites to visit. However, some visitors would be attracted to another site if it was closer to home, had a good path network or better path surfacing and was more dog friendly.
Step 3: Building the evidence base
Condition of Assets: Habitats & Biodiversity The most valuable habitats across England are protected through national and international designations, as explored in the existing activities section. A way of understanding the condition of these special sites is to investigate Natural England’s condition assessments of Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Each SSSI unit is assessed as either ‘Favourable’ or ‘Unfavourable’ for it’s features of interest. Unfavourable sites may be ‘Recovering’, with a plan in place to improve the site, ‘No Change’ or ‘Declining’. The information below gives some examples of the condition of the SSSIs in the Medway catchment
Halling to Trottiscliffe Escarpment Favourable/Unfavourable Recovering
This collection of SSSI units are generally in favourable condition, though some are being managed through scrub clearance.
Weir Wood Reservoir
Medway Estuary and Marshes Unfavourable Recovering
The Medway Estuary and its surroundings are protected by national and international designations, including Ramsar, SPA and MCZ. The SSSI condition assessment describes the decline in wintering and breeding bird numbers, the reasons for which are not clear. Management is in place to maintain the habitat required to support the birds through stewardship schemes, ditch management, the consenting process and the Local Development Framework process. Some areas were updated to ‘Unfavourable Declining’ in 2017 due to algal blooms.
River Beult
Unfavourable No Change
Unfavourable No Change
This area of standing water is an SSSI, but is failing due to its impoverished characteristic flora. Non-native species are also a problem, including Crassula helmsii which dominates the lake’s exposed mud margins, and signal crayfish, which need continued removal.
The River Beult is a clay river, described as an important asset at the Medway Catchment Partnership workshops.
According to the SSSI condition assessment, a river restoration plan was completed in 2006, a technical document to inform future work. The suggestions put forward in the restoration plan have not yet been actioned.
Ashdown Forest
Favourable/Unfavourable Recovering
This site has large areas designated as SACs and/or SPAs. The different habitat patches, which include woodland, heathland and grassland are designated as SSSIs and are typically in favourable or recovering condition.
The SSSI condition assessment describes several of the habitat patches as suffering from a dominance of bracken, though in many areas this is being successfully managed through grazing.
There are 62 SSSIs in the Medway Catchment. 54% of the SSSI units are in favourable condition.
Eridge Park
Hoad’s Wood
This SSSI is made up of two parts. One is in favourable condition and the other is being restored to wood pasture, funded by Countryside Stewardship.
Most of this woodland is suffering from unconsented activities and a lack of management, causing the understorey vegetation to be diminished and the rides and paths to be overgrown.
Favourable/Unfavourable Recovering
Unfavourable Declining
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Step 3: Building the evidence base
Pressures During the workshop, stakeholders noted areas under particular pressures. Datasets which indicate the pressures natural assets may be facing are also explored over the next few pages, grouped by the type of ecosystem service to which they are predominantly a threat.
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Step 3: Building the evidence base
Pressures: Water Pollution
Pressures affecting Water Quality There are a wide variety of activities and pollution sources that pose a risk to water quality.
Some pollutants are generated at low levels from multiple sources and can occur without significant impact to water quality, unless external factors such as flow conditions or rainfall cause their concentrations in surface water to rise. For example, Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) only pose a risk when severe wet weather causes sewage treatment plants to overflow. The activities of people and businesses can also have an impact on water quality. Domestic sewage systems in rural areas can negatively impact nearby waterbodies if they are poorly maintained. Road runoff is likely to occur where busy roads cross over rivers, and may have a significant impact during high rainfall events. Businesses and industry may also have consent to discharge to waterbodies, which may impact water quality, especially in times of low flows where pollutants are less diluted. Other pollutants may enter the river in large quantities in a single pollution event, either due to accidental release or unawareness of the impact. Pollution incidents are categorised by both their level of impact and the asset they are impacting (air, water or land). The map to the right shows pollution incidents of a ‘Category 1’ (major) or ‘Category 2’ (significant) for their impact on water quality in the Medway.
Agriculture can also pose a risk to water quality, especially as the intensification of farming in the UK has typically led to an increased use of heavy machinery, which leads to compaction and increased runoff, and also widespread chemical treatment of the land, including the use of fertilisers and pesticides. Crop distribution data is highly valuable for identifying and mitigating pesticide risk as, when combined with local agronomist knowledge, it gives a good insight into which products will be applied and where. The physical properties of the pesticide, such as pesticide half life, and also the method of application will greatly affect the way it moves through the landscape. The Crop Map of England (CROME) dataset provides freely available information about crops across England.
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Step 3: Building the evidence base
Pressures: Air Pollution & Drought Air Quality Background air pollution maps are published by DEFRA and provide estimates of background concentrations for specific pollutants. The map to the left shows estimated background levels of NO2 for 2017. There are many different source of air pollution, including transport, agriculture and industry. The National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory provides data on individual sources in the industrial and commercial sector, called ‘point sources’ Traffic counts have been taken in a large number of locations across the Medway catchment, and can show places likely to suffer from a greater level of air pollution from cars and lorries. There are also a number of pollution incidents which are a ‘Category 1’ (major) or ‘Category 2’ (significant) for their impact on air quality in the Medway.
Drought Risk Abstractions must be carefully managed to ensure they are not negatively affecting the environment. There are locations where abstractions are licensed in the Medway catchment. The balloons show the number of abstractions in the Medway Catchment, summarised by EA operational catchments. The population density of an area has an impact on many natural assets and many of the ecosystem services explored in this section, both directly and indirectly. Though drought may not only be caused by the consumption of the local population, growing numbers of people will increase pressure on water supplies.
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Step 3: Building the evidence base
Pressures: Flood Risk Flood Risk Flood Risk from Rivers and Sea As described previously, flood risk from rivers and the sea is also known as fluvial flood risk. This type of flooding occurs when there is too much water in the rivers, or there is a storm surge, and riverbanks, coastal habitats or flood defences are not able to hold back the water. The Environment Agency fluvial flood risk data gives each location a flood risk from very low to high, taking into account the location and condition of flood defences, local water level data and local expert knowledge. Using an address database, the number of homes and businesses falling within flood zones can be identified. Properties at risk of fluvial flooding: High-risk zone
Medium-risk zone
Residential
2733
4877
Commercial
407
339
Flood Risk from Surface Water Surface water flooding occurs when intense rainfall overwhelms drainage systems. The risk of flooding from surface water map has been produced by the Environment Agency, using information and input from Lead Local Flood Authorities. The data shown on the map to the right has been developed with flood experts using models to observe how rain water flows and ponds, and producing maps that take local topography, weather patterns and historical data into account. The risk is categorised into ‘1 in 30 year’, ‘1 in 100 year’ or ‘1 in 1000 year’ flood risk. Properties at risk of surface water flooding: 1 in 30 year flood risk zone
1 in 100 year flood risk zone
Residential
1676
2644
Commercial
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273
More information on how this flood risk data was produced can be found in the Surface Water Flood Risk Map guidance booklet.
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Photo: ‘Grain Battery Tower’ by Si Gardener (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Step 4: Identifying & weighing up our options This step involves considering the options for action, intervention and investment. It is important to keep an open mind regarding the choice of investment and management options, which might include the restoration of a degraded asset or investment in the development of alternative natural capital assets.
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Step 4: Identifying & weighing up options
Opportunities The types of opportunities for increasing the quantity and quality of natural capital assets can vary depending on setting and scale. The following maps take a broad-scale, ruralfocused view. Layers of data are used to identify areas where action, intervention and investment may be best placed in order to improve the provision of several ecosystem services. The subsequent page lays out a toolbox of smaller-scale, urban-focused interventions. Together, these tools can be used to inform and target the Partnership’s action plan. Habitat Opportunity High
Low
Habitats After identifying the areas of habitat that need protecting or enhancing, the next step is to identify land where there is the greatest opportunity for the creation of new natural habitats. It is important to do this at locations that will enhance the ecological network and also where the physical characteristics of the land are suitable. The habitat creation opportunity map to the left has been created by scoring and combining the following layers:
• Proximity to existing habitat – Buffers (100m) on existing priority habitats. These areas are opportunities to extend habitat area and join up patches.
• English Habitat Network - this dataset was created by Natural England and identifies where current habitats need to be maintained or improved to promote habitat health. This data is useful both for identifying opportunities for habitat creation as well as avoiding developing land which could significantly degrade the ecological health of existing sites. • Low grade agricultural land – Due to its lower economic value, this land presents a potential opportunity for habitat creation. • Wetland opportunity – For the wetland opportunity map, physical factors indicating soil and land wetness are included. See below for more details.
Drought In order to reduce and prevent droughts, water needs to be held in the landscape and released slowly. This can be done by restoring/maintaining good soil condition everywhere, and by restoring/creating wetland habitats. The former of these should be undertaken everywhere as a minimum requirement of good land management practice. Opportunities for the latter can be identified using a wetland creation/ restoration suitability mapping exercise, by scoring and combining the following layers:
Wetland Opportunity High
Low Missing Data
• Soil hydrogeology – Naturally wet soils present a greater opportunity for wetland creation.
• Hydrological connectivity – Land that is highly connected to surface water during rainfall events.
• Flood plains – Flat areas that are naturally inundated present suitable conditions for wetland habitat. In both this map and the map above, urban areas, existing priority habitats and high value agricultural land are excluded because this land is likely to already be in a highly valuable use. 29
Step 4: Identifying & weighing up options
Opportunities Water Quality Protection/ Improvement Opportunity High
Low Missing Data
Water Quality - Surface Water The opportunity map for improving surface water quality could equally be described as a risk map for poor water quality, highlighting areas which may be more likely to contribute to erosion or runoff (which may contain contaminants such as fertilisers or pesticides). These areas could be targeted for interventions. The map to the left has been created by scoring and combining the following layers: • River proximity – land that is 20m from a river or stream.
• Hydrological connectivity – land that is highly connected to surface water during rainfall events. • Slope – steeper slopes present greater opportunities for reducing surface runoff.
• Soil type – Soils with a higher proportion of clay will not absorb water as quickly and can therefore contribute to surface water runoff. • Land practice – land practices that pose a high risk to water quality (e.g. arable farming) are an opportunity for mitigation or land use change.
Culture The first step in enhancing the provision of cultural resources is to improve the quality and capacity of the assets already in place. Then to look for opportunities to increase the provision of recreational resources. This can be achieved either by giving access to currently inaccessible green spaces, or by creating new accessible spaces. The map has been created using the following layers:
Culture/Access Opportunity High
• Proximity to urban areas - land within 1km of a town or village.
• Historic landfill - these sites can be improved to be used as green spaces. • Historic parks and gardens which are currently inaccessible.
• Low grade agricultural land - as described above, this land has a lower value for farming, so could be an opportunity for recreational use.
• Proximity to vulnerable sites - European protected sites are more vulnerable to recreational pressures than some other green spaces. In other areas of the country, land which is more than 400m away from, but within 5km of, a protected site has been identified as having potential to provide ‘Suitable Alternative Green Space’ (SANG).
• Indices of Deprivation – Areas with higher deprivation within the fields of health and the environment are a higher priority for providing accessible natural space. 30
Low
Step 4: Identifying & weighing up options
Opportunities Flooding
Opportunities for Attenuation Features High
Low
The Environment Agency has developed a set of mapping tools to demonstrate the opportunities across the country for ‘Working with Natural Processes’ to reduce and prevent flooding. This involves implementing measures that help to protect, restore and emulate the natural functions of catchments, floodplains, rivers and the coast. This concept (which is also known as Natural Flood Management) takes many different forms and can be applied in urban and rural areas, and on rivers, estuaries and coasts. The WWNP mapping datasets identify opportunities for: Run-off attenuation features (hotspot map, top right) - this layer estimates locations of high flow accumulation, where it may be possible to temporarily store water and attenuate flooding during high flows and target enhanced storage. It is based on the surface water flood risk maps. There are two layers, based on surface water flood risk level, which, for simplicity, have been combined into a hotspot map. A more detailed investigation of the data will show areas falling on slopes steeper than 6% which are tagged as gully blocking opportunities. Floodplain reconnection (dark blue areas, bottom right) - this layer shows locations where it may be possible to reconnect a watercourse to its natural floodplain, especially during high flows. It signposts areas where there is currently poor connectivity, such that flood waters are constrained to the channel and may move downstream rapidly. The dataset is based upon the fluvial flood risk maps, and identifies areas which have low and very low flood probability but are close to a watercourse, and which do not contain residential property or key services. Woodland planting (bottom right)
• Floodplain planting - signposts areas of floodplain which is not already wooded, based on fluvial Flood Zone 2 of the Flood Map for Planning.
• Riparian planting - signposts riparian areas not already wooded, based upon a 50m buffer of the river network. • Wider catchment - a best estimate of locations which are not already wooded and where there are slowly permeable soils, where scrub and tree planting may be most effective to increase infiltration and hydrological losses.
The mapping layers exclude roads and rail, urban areas, existing woodland, peat and waterbodies, as these are areas which may have restricted potential for interventions (especially woodland planting). The information and mapping layers used on this page have been sourced from the Environment Agency. 31
Step 4: Identifying & weighing up options
Opportunities Multi-Functional Opportunity Areas The final part of the rural opportunity mapping is to combine the opportunity maps to find locations where the provision of multiple ecosystem services can be enhanced. By focusing on areas that could improve the provision of several different services, projects and activities can be designed and implemented to have the greatest impact and the greatest value for money.
Multi-functional Opportunities High
Low Missing Data
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Step 4: Identifying & weighing up options
Urban Toolbox This page summarises some of the tools which can be used to create and improve urban green spaces and to combat some of the pressures which have been investigated across the Medway catchment. Some of these can be used in individual gardens, and others will need to be promoted and supported by wider communities. More detailed analysis in specific towns or cities could be undertaken in future to identify potential locations for these tools to be implemented. Reducing surface water flooding Surface water flooding can be mitigated by creating surfaces which water can infiltrate into, or by leading the water away from vulnerable areas and collecting it in more natural storage areas where it can drain away slowly.
Green Roofs Green roofs may be ‘intensive’ or ‘extensive’. Extensive green roofs are more suitable for fitting to existing buildings as they have a thin layer of soil, supporting plants like succulents or grasses. They reduce the impermeable surface of an area and are most effective in small rainfall events.
Rainwater Harvesting Water butts or larger storage features can be fitted to almost any building. Larger stores can reduce surface water flooding and any water storage can reduce water usage on private gardens.
Permeable Paving This feature allows rain water to infiltrate into the ground, reducing surface water flooding and filtering pollutants.
SuDS & Raingardens Sustainable Drainage Systems and raingardens collect rainwater and can help to filter pollutants and improve aesthetics.
Habitats & Wildlife These interventions provide habitats for plants and animals, forming part of a joined up network of habitats across an urban space.
Tree Planting Trees leaves can trap air pollutants and remove them from the surrounding air. They also intercept rainfall, increase infiltration where permeable surfaces are available and reduce runoff through evaporation and root uptake.
Improving water quality By providing the time and conditions for pollutants to break down, or by intercepting polluted waters, these interventions help improve water quality.
For more information, see the Local Action Toolkit - Urban Practitioner’s ‘Toolbox’
Better Green Spaces Closely-mown grass provides a permeable green surface, but could provide many more benefits. For example, areas mown less regularly can become wildflower meadows. Moreover, green spaces need to be accessible, safe and appealing to provide the many benefits to people of their use.
Nature-friendly gardens Gardens provide a great opportunity for wildlife, and to reduce rapid runoff of rainfall. To maximise this opportunity, garden owners can make some simple changes, like reducing the amount of man-made surfaces and planting pollinatorfriendly plants.
Natural Beauty These interventions help improve the aesthetics of an urban location.
Photos on this page (left to right): Arlington County (CC BY-SA 2.0), coconinoco (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), Center for Neighborhood Technology (CC BY-SA 2.0), John Lord (CC BY 2.0), Malcom (CC BY-NC 2.0), Mikey (CC BY 2.0), Elizabeth Phung (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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Photo: ‘River Medway, Poundsbridge’ by Debs-eye (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Step 5: Implementation & evaluation Step 5 is to develop a practical, implementable and prioritised action plan with partner buy-in and funding opportunities identified. The plan should set out the goals, measures, milestones and actions, together with the relevant accountabilities and responsibilities.
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Step 5: Implementation & Evaluation
Workshop Outcomes During the Medway Catchment Partnership workshop, the attendees were asked to suggest a long-list of priorities and ideas for improving the natural capital and provision of ecosystem services in the catchment. In small groups, some of these ideas were then discussed in more detail, with some examples shown below. These ideas, along with the data and evidence presented in this report, will be used to create a practical action plan.
Long list of priorities and ideas:
Landowner Engagement
• Bring waterbodies to Good status
• Advice visits
• Reduce invasives (INNS)
• Education and workshops
• Pacific oysters
• Demonstration of benefits – eg. silt trap project to show benefits and scale
• Japanese knotweed
• Improve air quality
• Lawton-style habitat network – bigger, better & better connected • Favourable conservation status for protected sites • SSSIs
• Natura 2000 - SACs and SPAs
• Protected habitats and species
• Increase soil health • Return of otters
• Reduce sediment reaching rivers
Returning Otters to the River Beult Project ideas and benefits: • Lack of habitat
• Slow traffic areas/ modified infrastructure
• Create habitat – coppicing, buffer strips, tree planting etc. • Public awareness campaign • Capital grant scheme
• Linking catchments with existing populations • Enhanced prey population
• Identify landowners
• Archers feature on river sediment! • Young farmers engagement • Best practice documents
• Identifying personal benefits • Business case
• Reduce perceived non-benefits/costs • Collaboration with other projects
• Citizen science monitoring • River restoration
Potential issues or blockers:
Tackling Population Pressure • Education on water use
• Technology for reduced water
• Improved water treatment technology • Better spatial planning
• Better maintained highways
• Better water-based recreation facilities • Development regulation
• Better designed developments e.g. grey water recycling • Managing visitors to waterbodies
• Education on waste water e.g. fats, oils, ‘disposables’ • SUDs (including maintenance)
• Unsustainable population
• Introduction (physically having otters) • Water quality
• Landowner objections
• Cars – road kill
• Barriers to movement
• Disturbance of inhabited sites
• Lack of prey
• Fish farms
• Angling club objections
• Lack of woody riparian habitat
• Lack of habitat
• Hunting/poaching
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Data & Information Sources
This report and natural capital mapping method has been developed as part of the DEFRA Local Action Project and has been delivered by Westcountry Rivers Limited, in partnership with the South East Rivers Trust and the Medway Catchment Partnership. Thank you to the attendees of the Medway Natural Capital Workshop for their ideas and enthusiasm. The following data and resources have been used in this report: Basemapping (throughout) • Coastline - OS Strategi
• Urban regions - OS Strategi • Railways - OS Strategi • Roads - OS Strategi • Lakes - OS Strategi
• Settlements - OS Strategi
• National Forest Inventory - CaBA data package • Rivers - OS Open Rivers
Organisations & Admin Boundaries (pg 11)
• Traffic Counts - Department for Transport
• Source Protection Zones - CaBA data package
• Population Census Data - Office for National Statistics
• Nitrogen Vulnerable Zones - OGL • AONBs - OGL
• Country Parks - OGL
• Scheduled Monuments - English Heritage • Parks & Gardens - Historic England
• National Trust land - National Trust
• Special Areas of Conservation - OGL • Special Protection Areas - OGL
• EA/NE Admin Areas - OGL
• Ramsar Sites - OGL
• Water Company Boundaries - OFWAT Your Water Company
• National Nature Reserves - OGL
• Counties/Unitary Authorities - OS Boundary-Line
Asset map (pg 13)
• SSSI - OGL
• Local Nature Reserves - OGL
• Recommended Marine Conservation Zones - OGL
• Groundwater Catchments - CaBA data package
• RSPB Reserves - RSPB
• Landcover (LCM2007) - CaBA data package
• FCRM Schemes - EA OGL
• TRaC Waters - EA OGL
• Resource Availability at Q95 - EA OGL
• Priority Habitats Inventory - CaBA data package
• AQMAs - UK AIR (DEFRA)
• Access Land - NE OGL
• Flood Storage Areas - EA OGL
• Soils & Soil Surface Texture - EU Soils • Crop map - CROME, NERC
• Agricultural land class - CaBA data package Existing Activities (pg 14-16)
• Drinking Water Protection Areas - CaBA data package • Surface Water Safeguard Zones - CaBA data package
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• Groundwater Safeguard Zones - CaBA data package
Condition Assessment (pg 19-21)
• WFD Status & RNAGs - Catchment Data Explorer • SSSI Units - OGL
Pressures (pg 23-25)
• Consented discharges - CaBA data package • Pollution Incidents - CaBA data package • Background air quality- UK AIR
• Air Pollution Large Point Sources - NAEI
• Abstractions - CaBA data package • Flood risk - EA OGL
Opportunities (pg 27-29)
• Digital Terrain Model - OS Terrain50
• English Habitat Network - CaBA data package • Historic landfill - EA OGL
• Index of Multiple Deprivation - OGL
• Working with Natural Processes - EA Documents:
How to do it: a natural capital workbook, Version 1 Natural Capital Committee
Medway Flood Action Plan Summary Document - Medway Flood Partnership, 2017 Kent Environment Strategy, A Strategy for Environment, Health & Economy - Kent County Council, 2016 Flood Resilient Areas by Multi-layEr Safety Approach – FRAMES - Summary by the Rivers Trust Visitor Access Patterns on Ashdown Forest - UE Associates, 2009
North Kent Visitor Survey Results - Fearnly & Liley, Footprint Ecology, 2011 Surface Water Flood Risk Map guidance booklet. Environment Agency, 2013
Working with Natural Processes - Environment Agency, 2017 Local Action Toolkit - Urban Practitioner’s ‘Toolbox’ Westcountry Rivers Trust, 2016
Report produced by: Westcountry Rivers Limited Rain-Charm House, Kyl Cober Parc, Stoke Climsland, Callington, Cornwall, UK, PL17 8PH Tel: 01579 372140 - Email: info@wrt.org.uk - Web: www.wrt,org,uk © South East Rivers Trust and Westcountry Rivers Ltd 2019
This document may be reproduced by prior permission of Westcountry Rivers Ltd.