The Sustainable Solutions for Water and Nature (SSWAN) partnership has published an outline of a new model and discussion paper for regulation of the water environment. The new SSWAN model shifts regulation towards catchment-based approaches to support cheaper, more innovative, more collaborative projects that more accurately reflect local priorities. SSWAN proposes a four-tier regulatory framework: […]

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Defra: ‘Water body buffering standard of the Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot Find out about the standard for water body buffering, what land is eligible and how much you can get paid. The water body buffering standard is for farmers piloting the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme. Water body buffers are strips of grassland you plant next to […]

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Catchment Sensitive Farming: reduce water and air pollution Training, advice and grant support for farmers and land managers to reduce water and air pollution from agriculture.   Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) is a partnership between the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, the Environment Agency and Natural England. It works with farmers and a range […]

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The Rivers Trust have also teamed up with a number of other organisations, including lead water company United Utilities, to bid for funding for a Catchment Monitoring Co-operative. The partnership was successful in securing £7.1m from OFWAT’s first Water Breakthrough Challenge, to demonstrate how we can build the evidence base we need to transform our rivers. […]

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The CaBA Chalk Stream Restoration Group has launched its first Chalk Stream Strategy – which calls for chalk streams in England to be given enhanced environmental status. Why do we need a chalk-stream restoration strategy?  Chalk streams are among the most biodiverse of the UK’s rivers. Nearly all the world’s chalk streams are in England and they […]

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From Defra Farmers across the country will be given additional support to take action to reduce water and air pollution from their land, the Government has announced today (2 August). Over the last 15 years, the Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) programme has been one of the main ways to help farmers tackle pollution which results […]

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The £2.1million government-funded Weardale Natural Flood Management scheme, which includes a series of nature based solutions such as storage areas, wooden leaky barriers and timber fences, could reduce flood risk across 41km2 to communities including Lanehead, Wearhead, Westgate and Stanhope. It’s also seen 150 hectares of peatland restored, will aim to create up to 75 […]

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Defra: ‘The government’s expansion of the popular Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) programme to cover every farm in England. The programme – which is a partnership between Defra, Natural England and the Environment Agency – provides free 1-2-1 advice to farmers to help them reduce water and air pollution through management of farmyard manure and soils […]

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