February 2024
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Date published
Monday, 19 February 2024
News from the team
Read on to discover how our partners at the National Trust, supported by Sally, are ‘com-peat-ly' transforming the hydrological landscape of the mires of Studland and ‘bog-gle’ at how Forestry England’s dedicated volunteers are helping them to prepare for more restoration in the current months. Yes, the Peat Partnership’s restoration phase is in full swing and it’s really exciting to see such good progress in its first year. Certainly, there is a lot of water around for the teams to see the impacts of their work very quickly!
While Sally’s been busy on site with the Peat Partnership, my focus has turned to the next tranche of delivery with preparatory work for major projects starting up in a few months in the Frome Headwaters and the Stour’s chalk streams and clay vales. I’m pleased to be supporting the partnership approach and embedding the water environment in the developing Local Nature Recovery Scheme, which has been really positive. I’ve also been working with South West Water (Bournemouth Water) and other partners to rekindle the Bourne Stream partnership, and look forward to continuing with this into the new financial year and beyond.
Beyond our catchments, I’ve supported our neighbouring catchment partnerships in the Bristol Avon and Hampshire Avon with workshops on building partnerships, and data and evidence at a catchment scale. There was plenty of excellent practice and experience from Dorset which I was able to share, and plenty for us to learn from too. We’ll be exploring some of this at our next Delivery Group meetings.
Finally, as we all start to turn our minds to end-of-year reporting, I’d like to invite you all to share what you’re doing. Soon we will be asking you once again to help us report back to the CaBA National Steering Group (yes, that form again!) but, before that, I’d really like to put together some highlights that give a glimpse into the fantastic work our partners and partnerships do. So please, get in touch and share the work you’re proud of this year so we can all celebrate with you.
Natalie
Partner news
River Frome SSSI update
Natural England has published an updated condition assessment (December 2023) for the River Frome SSSI, using recent, detailed surveys and data from a range of monitored and modelled sources. It reveals a picture of poor health but with signs of improvement. For more details see the summary and full report.
Sarah Oakely, Forestry England tells us how the FE is clearing the way…
There’s a real buzz around the Forestry England sites that are part of the Dorset Peat Partnership Project – mostly coming from chainsaws. This winter sees us cracking on with the preparatory felling work, clearing the way (literally) for us to be able to deliver the wetland restoration phase at the end of the summer.
Whitesheet and Gotham have had the attention of an excavator-mounted heavy-duty flail and tree shears. Oakers Bog is currently having some Corsican pine crop trees that were occupying mire habitat felled by a 14-tonne harvester. And Cannon Hill Mire has had a more personal touch with the tree felling and birch regen clearance being tackled by the mighty Friends of Uddens and Cannon Hill Woodlands, who have clocked up a staggering 651 volunteering hours for the project this winter alone. Fuelled by sausages and a passion for their local woods, these dedicated volunteers have turned out regularly over the winter months, adding a much-valued community connection to the project, and a chance to spread awareness and understanding of the aims of the work.
The final mire in the suite of FE sites shares a border with the National Trust at Greenlands. This is having the gentlest of tickles to remove some scattered small pine regen, although the ticklers (the Wareham Beat Team) may well have to wear waders to get to these last evasive stragglers.
Gen Crisford, National Trust updates us on the peatland restoration - peatland in Purbeck
Work has progressed at pace on the National Trust’s peatland restoration projects on Godlingston Heath, Purbeck. Around 90 dams have been installed in the channels, made of peat, heather bales, and timber.
Peat dams showed instant results, holding the water back, creating new pools and raising the water table. Longer peat contour bunds were also constructed across the width of the mire, equally effective in holding back water. The work involved expert excavator work, using bog mats to manoeuvre around the mire. Most of the peat dams were installed behind existing volunteer-built heather bale dams, as the bales slow the flow enough to hold the peat while it settles.
Plastic piling dams were installed on a particularly deep and disconnected stretch. This instantly changed the landscape, raising water levels and widening the flow pathways.
In the woodlands downstream of the mire, a large timber dam and earthworks diverted the water out of a deep ditch back onto the natural flow pathways across the woodland floor. The contractor installed dams made of woody debris to slow the flow here, restoring wet woodland habitat.
The contractors have now moved to Agglestone Mire to install peat and heather bale dams and timber dams, as well as flailing tall Molina grasses. Completion is expected by the end of February.
Wider News
Agriculture faces some major challenges, including high input prices, climate change, and the growing call for further regulation to protect the environment and to protect public drinking water supplies. Agriculture needs to adapt and change, so is soil carbon farming the answer, and is it the silver bullet it’s made out to be? These questions are addressed in a pioneering report by Ben Hunt, Catchment Source Manager, Wessex Water as part of Ben’s Nuffield Farming Scholarship.
Office for Environmental Protection Annual Report
The OEP has published its annual report, with the headline news that “Government is largely off track to meet its stated ambitions, statutory targets, and other commitments” on the environment, with the OEP Chair warning that "deeply, deeply concerning adverse environmental trends continue”.
The Wye Salmon Association teamed up with Cardiff University to bring together citizen scientists, agencies, and regulators to transform the knowledge of pollution in the River Wye. The project’s methods have been adopted by over 180 citizen scientist groups across the UK. Funding from NERC helped with purchasing monitoring tools and a free app was used to record the data. This data is used by regulators including the Environment Agency, Natural England, and Natural Resources Wales, helping to improve freshwater systems across the UK.
Freshwater habitat restoration
A report from POST (Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology) neatly outlines the challenges and opportunities facing the restoration of freshwater habitats in the UK.
Seaweed farming is being looked at as a source of low-carbon food across Europe and has the potential to take up excess nutrients and protect coasts. As seaweed farming in the UK begins to emerge, it is important to learn how others have dealt with social opposition to the farms. The WWF has created a guide containing advice on how to establish a social license for seaweed cultivation in the UK.
This month Biodiversity Net Gain became mandatory. This means that developers must deliver a BNG of 10% to support nature recovery.
Green Finance Institute farming toolkit
The toolkit is a useful free resource commissioned by Defra to support England’s farming community to understand and navigate emerging nature market opportunities such as selling carbon credits, biodiversity units, and natural flood management services.
Local news
- Dorset Local Nature Partnership held its annual forum earlier this month and showcased a wide range of nature recovery projects happening in the county. The speakers' presentations can be downloaded here. There were also opportunities to engage in workshops to help shape the Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
- Young coastal champions - The Dorset Coast Forum has shared the stories of their Young coastal champions. This Includes Lydia, a passionate nature journalist, Chloe, a dedicated seahorse researcher, and Honey, a skilled boat builder.
- Poole Harbour Aquatic Management Plan - The Poole Harbour Commissioners have updated the Poole Harbour Aquatic Management Plan which includes information on fisheries, managing the shoreline, and water quality and pollution.
- Dorset coast sewer work - Wessex Water will be relining over 800 meters of sewers in West Bexington, with works starting on the 26th of February. This will reduce the discharge of untreated stormwater at Chesil Beach. This £180,000 project follows the completion of a £800,000 pipeline last year.
Funding
The Dorset Community Tree Fund, funded by Dorset Council and managed by the Dorset National Landscape team, is open to local community organisations. The grant provides funding for trees and support for the planning and design phases of planting projects. The grant is expected to stay open until March 2025.
The University of Plymouth has funding available to support solutions-focused net-zero projects that enable collaboration between enterprises and researchers. The deadline for applications is the 27th of March.
Cranborne Chase community projects
Cranborne Chase National Landscape is offering funds of up to £5,000 for projects involving people learning about, celebrating, and improving their natural and cultural heritage.
Events and webinars
The River Restoration Centre’s Annual Network Conferenceis taking place on the 24th – 26th of April 2024 in Llandudno, North Wales. Topics will include citizen science and river restoration for fish. There is also an option of going on a tour of the River Dee catchment.
Redhill Park, Bournemouth - Join The Parks Foundation volunteer group to help plant trees on the 25th of February and receive a free native tree to plant at home.
Cranborne Chase National Landscape Annual Forum - Book here for the forum on the 28th of February to learn more and to help shape the 2024 National Landscape Management Plan. Lunch and refreshments are included.
BARI - The Bird and Recreation Initiative is hosting free guided bird-watching on the 29th of February. Spot and learn about the birds as the sun begins to set at sandbanks.
Birds of Poole Harbour are hosting free pop-up watches at Jerry’s Point, Studland. Local experts will be pointing out the winter species and will provide several spotting scopes for visitors to get a closer look. The next session is on the 6th of March.
Have your say
Report abandoned boats
Locations of abandoned end-of-life boats can be reported on The Green Blue website. Abandoned boats can create environmental problems from leakage of fuel and oils, the release of microplastics, and the shedding of glass fibres.
Water pollution survey
A questionnaire has been created to understand the concerns people have about their local aquatic environments. This is the first stage of a project funded by NERC creating a citizen-science partnership to address environmental problems in aquatic environments.
Sheep dip consultation
The Environment Agency has launched a consultation on changing the cost of applications for spreading materials such as sheep dip through a water quality permit. The form is online until the 1st of March.
Jobs
- Birds of Poole Harbour is looking for an Events Assistant to offer support through the spring and summer. The deadline for applications is the 26th of February.
- Dorset Council is hiring a Countryside, Wildlife, and Environment Teacher. Apply by 1st
- The Environment Agency is advertising a vacancy for an Environment Officer for Water Industry Regulation in Blandford Forum. The deadline for applications is the 1st of March.
- The UK Hydrographic Office is looking for a Principal Technical Specialist (Bathymetry). The deadline for applications is the 3rd of March.
- The RSPB has a vacancy for a Stone-curlew Field Officer to work across the Wessex area. Applications close on the 5th of March.
- Bristol Avon Rivers Trust is looking for a Senior Farm Advisor. The application deadline is the 18th of March.
- The RSPB is hiring a Senior Rural Surveyor. Apply by the 1st of April.