Your water, your future

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Water for life and livelihoods

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

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

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

The role of conservation organisations

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

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

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

Have your say

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

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

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

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

Play your part

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

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

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

If you register before May 31st the early registration rate will apply and Congress organisers will contact you when their PayPal system is ready to take your payment.

Full details of the Congress and registration is on the web site: http://www.worldrangercongress.org

Confirmed registrations for the congress are now about 100 with additional confirmed sponsorships for unregistered delegates.

I am aware of 2 CMA members already registered but would like to know if any others are planning to attend so we can optimize travel plans etc.

I have also extended the deadline for applications for the CMA £250 bursary to 31st May. Contact me for an application form if you are interested, or for any further information about the Congress.

The Congress opening dinner is on Sunday, November 1st, and the closing dinner on Saturday, November 7th. The rest of the week will be devoted to presentations from Rangers from around the world on relevant topics (see website) together with field visits.

Roger Cole

CMA International Adviser

Replies are short in coming forward and the end of May is the deadline for analysis. Please help by forwarding quickly.

If you are a manager with access to the supporting documents please help in this way. (Person Specification; JD and organisational structure – thank you to those few received already).

If you are a ranger please see below and if you were once a ranger and would like to complete the questionnaire please help in this way but mark that your reply is from X dates.

Thank you all so much.

Dear Rangers,

GSNW is recommending to Lantra the land based sector’s Skills Council and the national Skills to Grow Strategy by CLG and CABE Space the requisite skills and job types for rangers working within parks and green spaces including coast and countryside. The purpose of which is to attract people to these jobs as career choices and provide a path of education and training options to begin and grow in that career. This work is being undertaken with BTCV, colleges and other partners working with Lantra.

We need those working as rangers to identify their jobs and the needed skills so Rangers are not overlooked but understood for the variety and complexity GSNW believes different Ranger’s jobs to be. We want these all to be considered for improvement in available training, education and encouragement to join the sector and we want those in post to have access to personal development to improve in your jobs that is affordable and specific to your working environments.

The end of May is your last chance to influence this work by completing the above questionnaire and sending the requested documents. Please don’t miss out on this opportunity – the essential and desirable skills can only be set from your replies and these will design future education and courses for Rangers. There is no limit on the number of replies or on the type of Ranger or Warden job done as we need a good cross section to sample. Please just send back to me.

Across the North West one reply has been received from the following – these will set the formal response from GSNW to the sector’s advisors: Your contribution will make a difference and will improve the education and training offer for Rangers in the future.

Please send me your completed questionnaires and the supporting documents and information, as soon as possible, to make sure your jobs and skills are included. I will ensure all are treated confidentially and you will receive the survey results back.

Thank you very much and best wishes,

Kirsty

Mrs Kirsty Rhind

GreenSpace North West Manager

krhind@gsnw.org.uk

07920 055965

www.gsnw.org.uk

http://www.loveparksweek.org.uk/