Wet Woodlands and the Water Framework Directive

Ben Bunting, South West River Basin Programme Manager

The Water Framework Directive The most substantial piece of EC

water legislation to date Designed to improve and integrate

the way water is managed throughout Europe

Looks at ecology, chemistry and physical condition

Drives us to work together to deliver integrated catchment and coastal management, to protect and improve the water environment over time

December 2008 - dRBMP

Public Consultation

How far, how fast?

Closes 22nd June

An Opportunity!An Opportunity!

Where are we now? WFD Classification

Replaces General Quality Assessment (GQA) has driven 20 years of water quality

improvement

WFD Raises the bar a more sophisticated assessment over 30 aspects of the environment are

included a wide range of impacts on biological

health: industry, diffuse pollution, urban estuaries, coastal waters, lakes and

rivers One out, all out – a much stricter system

Where are we now?

4%

18%

54%

24% High - 0%

Good - 24%

Moderate - 54%

Poor - 18%

Bad - 4%

Nutrients, fish communities Nutrients, fish communities

and some metalsand some metals

Outcomes from the draft planSW RBD: reduce phosphate: 1,200km improve fish: 750km of river Improve diatoms: 700km Invertebrates: 100km Reduced ammonia significant reductions in

abstraction

Based on ‘certain’ outcomes, and a ‘one out, all out’approach

We want to do moreWe want to do more

ADAS: Woodlands and the WFD Broadly Positive

River Management: Woodlands help protect and achieve Good Ecological Status (Temperature, pollution interception, morphology)

Floods: Models suggest suitable river & floodplain woodlands can attenuate downstream impacts

Waste Management: Sewage sludge, wastewater treatment

Climate Change: Clear synergies

All assuming the right trees are in the right place!

What’s in the draft plan? Some specific actions for Forestry

Commission: “Review the SW Regional

Woodland and Forestry Framework Implementation Plan to ensure that WFD priorities are reflected”

“Identify sites where planting will contribute to achieving WFD targets, and review grant schemes to encourage delivery”

Other related projects: WATER, RELU, Upstream Thinking, West Cornwall Woodlands, Devon Floodplain Woodlands…

Does this cover everything?

What should be in the final plan? Better links between the work

already in the plan and outcomes for the environment

More actions that we are confident will deliver WFD and associated benefits

Does this mean more on river and floodplain woodlands?

If so, what have we

missed?

…and what will it

deliver?

Summary The draft River Basin Plans are

here, they matter and we want to make them better

Forestry and floodplain & wet woodland projects are present in the plan – have we got it right?

We want to do more with your help

Tell us what you think!