November 2023
Stoke Park Community Group – video now available to watch
Over the Summer, the BACP team visited the Stoke Park Community Group in Bristol during one of their organised volunteer days. We had the opportunity to capture some footage of the conservation work taking place in the park and we have produced a short video about their work. The video is now complete and available to watch on our website.
In the video Mark, Stoke Park Community Group Chairperson, explains how the group began, the work they carry out within the park, and their work on pond restoration. The community project has been funded by the BACP Catchment Partnership Fund in 2022/23.
Stoke Park Community Group are delivering great work to enhance their local environment and provide an excellent case study of the inspiring work that community groups across the catchment are delivering to improve their local water environments. We will be releasing more videos soon of other community led projects that have been funded through the Catchment Partnership Fund.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Catchment news
Ten years of CaBA - London Conference, November 2023
I was asked to present on the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership Fund, representing the BACP. The talk was well received at the conference, and I have since received several emails asking for advice and guidance on the fund which I think really highlights how innovative and unique the fund is; as well as showing that others nationally recognise the positive impact the fund has had by pooling funding at the catchment scale.
The talks across the day were insightful and engaging showing fantastic examples of what can be achieved through Catchment Partnerships, and how different this can be.
Rebecca Pow MP, minister for environmental quality and resilience, also attended and emphasised the importance of the Catchment Based Approach in the Government’s Plan for Water with particular emphasis on the line “We will deliver tailored long-term catchment action plans with new funding for local groups to improve all water bodies in England” that feature in the Plan for Water.
Green light for investment in Bristol's wastewater treatment
Greater Bristol’s water recycling centre at Avonmouth will see work begin early in the new year (2024) after the planning proposals gained support from city planners.
The expansion is to keep up with the Bristol’s rapid growth by adding more storage and processing infrastructure to the site to treat sewage and wastewater. Increased treatment capacity will also help to reduce the impact of storm overflows caused by sudden heavy storms. The plans are environmentally-led, contributing towards enhancing habitats for protected species and restoring local heritage sites, boosting the drive for sustainability in the area.
The decision follows a five-year-long consultation process, which extensively gauged both the views of the public and a wide range of organisations about the plans. The BACP made its representations as part of this consultation process.
The expansion is expected to be in operation by 2028 with the total investment expected to be in the region of £100 million. Visit the Wessex Water website to find out more.
Photo credit: Wessex Water
BART Autumn Newsletter
Bristol Avon Rivers Trust have released their Autumn 2023 newsletter. The newsletter covers the following updates: new members to the team, an overview of the 2023 RiverBlitz, project updates, and volunteering opportunities, amongst much more. Read the newsletter on their website here, and to receive future newsletters from BART, you can sign up here.
Midsomer Norton-Habitat Management Volunteering
Have a go at some practical habitat management and see the benefits of volunteering with the Somer Valley Rediscovered team in Midsomer Norton Town Park on 13th December 11:00-14:30. Get your hands dirty and learn about habitat management while meeting like-minded people. Together, you’ll explore ways to protect and enhance the local environment.
For more information or to register click here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Spotlight – Friends of Eastwood Farm
Working alongside Bristol City Council, Friends of Eastwood Farm have spent the last few years looking after the nature reserve, taking care of its water meadows and woodlands and allowing nature to take its course. Walking around the site, you really feel as though you are in the heart of the countryside, and not within Bristol’s city limits.
This year, the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership Fund supported the group to make the area more accessible to the public. The BACP funded the group for a signage project which involved creating walking paths of varying difficulty around the nature reserve, accompanied by a map and waymarked signs to guide walkers. The routes take in the mosaic of water environments across the reserve including the water meadows and the river Avon. The routes create more clearly marked ways around the reserve allowing those who don’t know the area to appreciate the reserve and find their way around better, as well as taking regular visitors to areas they may have never been before. It is hoped this will enable the local community to feel better connected with their local reserve within a heavily urbanised area. The group has also been involved in a number of other projects, such as funding the restoration of an old playground next to the reserve.
We look forward to seeing what other great work will be delivered by the Group in future years! Read more about the group and what they get up to on their website.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National news
Thames21 online tool to tackle road run-off pollution launched
Thames21 released a new online tool aimed to tackle road run-off pollution, which can severely impact water quality in rivers. The tool identifies the best nature-based solutions, such as wetlands, and where they should be placed, to help tackle road run-off entering rivers throughout London. Research for the tool began in 2019 by Thames21, Middlesex University, and South East Rivers Trust, and has been funded by the Mayor of London, Transport for London, and the Environment Agency.
The tool adds to a range of measures Transport for London are taking to reduce pollution entering watercourses in London, and will be invaluable to help Local Authorities responsible for roads in London to reduce run-off pollution.
Read more about the tool on the Thames21 website here.
WWT - River restoration project on military land in Wiltshire
A “first of its kind” project has seen an area of wetland on the Hampshire Avon in West Chisenbury, part of the Salisbury Plain Training Area, restored.
The project involved a 400-metre stretch of river which has now been put back into the centre of the floodplain, which will see new wetland habitats created all year round. Secondary channels have also been created to connect wetlands and ponds and establish a wildlife network across the river’s floodplain. The restoration, working entirely with natural process, will also help off-set nutrient pollution in this chalk stream catchment.
The project saw considerable investment through the Defence Infrastructure Organisation Conservation Stewardship Fund, and will significantly contribute to local biodiversity, providing habitat for fish, helping wetland plans to flourish, and capturing nutrient-loaded sediment and carbon.
Read more about the project here.
Photo credit: Wiltshire Wildlife Trust