December 2023
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Date published
Monday, 11 December 2023
News from the team
Welcome to our final e-news of 2023.
It’s been a very busy year, made all the more challenging by extreme weather in heatwaves, flooding and storms. Certainly it feels like our responses to the climate crisis are needed more and more urgently and it’s heartening to be working with so many partners who have again worked hard this year to design and implement those responses in such an informed, creative and targeted way to maximise benefits to our rivers and communities. Many of our delivery partners are busy on sites throughout this winter, working with local farmers, community groups and residents to improve water quality and biodiversity, and to reinstate natural processes to help regulate low summer flows (which seem a long way off in wet December!) and reduce winter flooding, of which there is much about at the moment. We have heard from many of you at our Delivery Groups this autumn- thank you again for sharing your knowledge and insights, I learn so much at every one of those meetings. Sally has collated a highlights rundown in this month’s e-news for you to enjoy over a cuppa (mulled wine?) and mince pie, so please do enjoy and share this celebration of your collective efforts with other partners and colleagues.
Thank you again for another impactful year in Dorset’s catchment land; e-news will be moving to two-monthly bulletins in the new year, with the next edition in February.
Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
Natalie, Sally and Bethany
Reflections on a busy year for partners and DCP
Sally Wallington, Catchment Partnerships Officer
I’ve been with DCP for just over a year now and been amazed and heartened by the number of projects and effort being undertaken by farmers and landowners, partners and volunteers to improve the health of our river catchments in the Poole and Stour catchments.
Every year DCP and the other 107 catchment partnerships report to CaBA on partnership projects that are captured in the DCP catchment strategy. Thanks again to all the partners who sent in their data for 22-23 on 16 projects improving water quantity and quality and biodiversity It shows how active and engaged the partnership is and throughout the year partners have been building on these further and developing new projects.
River restoration on the Devils Brook is a great example of successful collaboration between DWT, Wessex Water, and FWAG delivering habitat improvements such as instream works, installation of 33 woody debris dams and fencing off access to livestock. Working with local communities and farmers helped steer the project and is critical to the sustainability of the work in the future.
There is a huge amount of monitoring going on including DWT’s riverfly volunteers collecting data on invertebrates, and Dorset Peat Partnership citizen science groups collating hydrological data from dipwells and undertaking vegetation surveys.
This year farmers across Poole Harbour completed the EA’s Nitrate Leaching Tool and submitted their nitrate loss records to the EA or Poole Harbour Nutrient Management Scheme. A Technical Nutrient Group has been set up as an independent expert science grouping to provide support and advice on key areas related to accounting for and managing nutrients in the Poole Harbour catchment.
Two more beaver kits were born at DWT’s enclosed beaver trial, and we look forward to DWT’s initial findings report which will add to the scientific research on beaver reintroduction in the UK.
A significant amount of time is spent by DCP and partners on grant applications and the Dorset Peat Partnership were rewarded with a £750,000 peatland restoration grant from Natural England’s Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme to restore 16 sites. The practical work is now underway on 5 sites. We are waiting on news for other bids and hopefully the time spent in development on the WINEP and NFM grant bid will pay dividends.
Elsewhere in the catchment congratulations go to the farmers and partners involved in the ‘Winning the Allen’ project in the Stour catchment and the Brit catchment recovery project in West Dorset for being successful in securing development awards from the Landscape Recovery Scheme.
Special thanks to Dr Peter Stone who has helped us all push forward on a range of projects to restore natural flows, improve water quality and natural habitat including Wild Woodbury, Frome headwaters flagship chalk stream restoration project, Dorset Peat Partnership and Wareham Arc.
We look forward to 2024 with partners developing several plans including Stour Valley, Kingston Lacy Estate Project and Wareham Arc, and being able to progress towards a co-ordinated licenced approach to releasing and managing wild beavers in Purbeck.
Partner news
Grace Hervé, Dorset Peat Partnership Project Manager
Full steam ahead on restoration work
With the restoration funding secured, the project partners have quickly turned their attention to getting on with the delivery of their sites. The National Trust in Purbeck have secured contractors to undertake restoration works this financial year at Greenlands and Agglestone Mire. The main aim of the works is to restore the hydrological function of the mires by raising the water table using various interventions to block channels using heather bales, peat, timber and leaky log dams which will each aid to divert and spread out the flows of water across the main body of the mire habitat, which we want to rewet to reduce carbon losses and encourage Sphagnum growth. The tussocky Molina will be tackled sensitively through flailing in a time appropriate manner. We look forward to reporting more on these sites early next year.
Meanwhile, other partners have been preparing sites for winter felling. At Whitesheet, in Ringwood Forest, Forestry England are removing gorse and scrub as these do not support peat-forming habitats because they remove water and carbon. They have brought in heavy machinery with flail heads and tree shears to remove the material and, once cleared, this site will be ready for the second phase of works in late summer 2024 to infill the drainage channels.
For more information about the project please visit our website and view our new film - Dorset Peat Partnership: Plans to restore Dorset's Precious Peat
Wider News
Fish Legal wins court battle against the government's restoration plan
Fish Legal took the government to court over the Humber Basin River Management Plan, and the High Court judge ruled that the government and the EA had failed in their duties. The plan was said to have been high-level and generic.
The National Federation of Young Farmer’s Clubs has launched a report with insights on how new entrants into farming can overcome barriers to working in the industry. The report shared positive examples of ways young farmers can progress their careers.
Algae and artificial intelligence
Scientists from the National Oceanography Centre have developed a genetic testing approach to be used alongside AI to test for toxic algae blooms. This method can predict a rise in toxic algae at least four weeks earlier than using microscopes.
NERC 2023 Impact Awards Finalists
The Natural Environment Research Council has announced the winners of the 2023 Impact Awards, including Dr Sophus Zu Ermgassen’s research on biodiversity net gain, and the work from Cardiff University that brought together citizen scientists and regulators to monitor the River Wye.
Trees for Cities is looking to partner in natural flood risk management projects. CABA can potentially help with bid writing for this. They tend to focus in urban areas with high levels of deprivation, and low canopy cover, but also where opportunities for natural flood risk management exist. Contact Carrie@treesforcities.org for more information.
Banning toxic pesticides in pet medication
An open letter from 24 environmental and veterinary organisations was sent to the government regarding veterinary medicines for dogs and cats. This was following new analysis of Environment agency data that found three of the five insecticides were present in English rivers in concentrations exceeding safe limits for wildlife.
Local news
Extra boost for seahorses in Studland Bay - An additional 57 eco moorings will be installed by the Studland Bay Marine Partnership thanks to a grant of £186,000 from the Marine Management Organisation’s Fisheries and Seafood Scheme. The moorings will help protect the seagrass which is home to rare species such as the Spiny Seahorse, pipefish and rays, as well as those of commercial species such as seabream, bass, and flat fish.
Dorset Wildlife Trust Woodland Recovery project - DWT have launched an appeal to support the Woodland Recovery project. The project will tackle challenges in Dorset’s woodlands, such as reducing the impact of ash dieback, regenerating woodland habitats, and creating more woodland on DWT reserves.
Rare sand lizards released at Winfrith Heath - The Dorset Wildlife Trust, Natural England, the Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Trust, and their captive breeding partners have teamed up to reintroduce the sand lizard at Winfrith Heath. After ensuring the heath was in good condition for the lizards, juvenile sand lizards bred in captivity were released.
Dorset swifts nest boxes - Common swifts declined by 60% between 1995-2020. One of the major causes of this decline is changes in housing. Birds of Poole Harbour have launched a crowd funder to install nest boxes to bolster common swift populations in Dorset. You can also help by adding swift sightings to the RSPB Swift Mapper.
Dorset National Landscape photo winners - The Take a Dorset View photo competition results have been announced. Phil George won the open category with his photo of Colmers Hill in Symondsbury. Runner-up and commended photos have been shared from both the open category and youth category entries. The winning images will be showcased in the Dorset magazine 2024.
Events and webinars
Birds of Poole Harbour January Cruise
BoPH are hosting cruises to see the impressive number of overwintering birds from the 3rd - 7th January. The cruise will guide you through each species encountered, kickstarting your year list of birds.
Making the most of the media
The Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) National Steering Group is hosting a free online event on the 9th January 2024 that will go through the fundamentals of press and media engagement. This includes looking at the basics of writing press releases and looking at the fundamentals of building a contact list.
RRC 2024 UK River Prize Applications
Applications have opened for the UK River Prize, with the deadline on the 19th February 2024. The prize celebrates the individuals and organisations that are working to improve the natural functioning and integrity of rivers and catchments.
RRC 2024 River Champions nominations
The nominations for the RRC River Champions are now open, with the deadline on the 21st February 2024. The award seeks to recognise the outstanding efforts of volunteers contributing to river restoration in their area.
RSPB Arne winter birds guided walks
RSPB Arne are hosting guided walks up until the 28th of February 2024. Experts on the walks will talk you through the variety of bird species that can be found across the coastal and heathland areas of the reserve.
Have your say
BCP Council 2050 urban forest strategy
BCP council have launched a consultation on their 2050 Urban Forest Strategy. The strategy aims for Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole to be home to a sustainable urban forest. The consultation closes on the 17th December.
Purbeck Local Plan consultation
Dorset Council has published a set of Supplementary Proposed Main Modifications to the Purbeck Local Plan. The consultation is open for responses until 22 December 2023.
PATH-SAFE pathogens survey
The Food Standards Agency is leading the Pathogen Surveillance in Agriculture, Food and Environment Programme with the aim to develop a national surveillance network to improve the detection and tracking of foodborne human pathogens. Defra have created a survey to gauge peoples perspective on the prevalence and sources of foodborne diseases in rivers and in river catchments.
Freshwater Habitats Trust PondNet Spawn Survey
The Freshwater Habitats Trust has launched a survey where sightings of Common frog and Common toad spawn can be recorded. This will help to build a picture of how and where amphibians and reptiles are living in the UK.
Freshwater Habitats Trust PondNet Spawn Survey
The Freshwater Habitats Trust has launched a survey where sightings of Common frog and Common toad spawn can be recorded. This will help to build a picture of how and where amphibians and reptiles are living in the UK.
Jobs
- The South East Rivers Trust is hiring a Project Officer & Senior Project Officer to work in the Restoring Rivers & Catchments Team. Apply soon!
- Bristol Avon Rivers Trust is hiring a Freshwater Ecologist to play a central role in coordinating the Angler’s Riverfly Monitoring Initiative. The closing date is the 31 December.
- The Environment Agency has a vacancy for a Senior Environmental Project Manager on FCERM projects, to be based at Blandford Forum. Applications to be submitted by the 31 December.
- The RSPB is looking for a Marine Policy Officer. Apply by the 3 January.
- Wessex Water are hiring a Water Quality Scientist based in Poole. Applications close on the 5 January.