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A New Approach to the Thame Catchment . Sally Rowlands Secretary RTCT

A New Approach to the Thame Catchment . Sally Rowlands Secretary RTCT. Who are we? Newly formed (2012) charity focussed on The River Thame and its catchment. Our ambition is to cover the entire catchment but initial efforts have begun in the lower reaches of the Thame .

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A New Approach to the Thame Catchment . Sally Rowlands Secretary RTCT

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  1. A New Approach to the Thame Catchment.Sally Rowlands Secretary RTCT

  2. Who are we? • Newly formed (2012) charity focussed on The River Thame and its catchment. • Our ambition is to cover the entire catchment but initial efforts have begun in the lower reaches of the Thame. • Pragmatic approach to the scope of effort due to funding and deliverability.

  3. The opportunity • River Thame remains relatively unspoilt and traditional in structure. • The area has considerable potential for improvement of its biodiversity. • We have a group of enthusiastic landowners who are motivated to make this happen.

  4. What are we trying to achieve? • Preserve and enhance the terrestrial and aquatic life of the River Thame and its catchment. • Actively involve local people in its conservation and improvement through both volunteer activities and education.

  5. Views Farm Aylesbury Chiselhampton Thame Chalgrove Brook Baldon Brook Hurst W.Meadow Catchment and current Project Area

  6. Current Projects Focus of effort in the Lower Thame. Hurst Water Meadow (John Metcalfe) • Bat monitoring and breeding project. TOE2 Grant. Boxes installed and monitoring equipment purchased. First workshop May 2013. Baldon Brook (George Farrant Charles Dickerson • Woodland registered and management advice with Sylva Foundation. • Trial ponds dug in conjunction with Pond Conservation. Chalgrove Brook (Bob Campbell) • Initial survey of the brook to establish the level of invasion and impact of signal crayfish. • Fish refuge and cattle drink later this year • Collaboration with neighbours upstream over pollution issues. Watlington STW.

  7. Chiselhampton Ponds Complex (Sally Rowlands) • 7 different ponds in varied settings • Great Crested Newts and Common Toads. Host of other wildlife in parkland, woodland, meadows and riverbanks. • Recent pond dipping event with Stadhampton Primary School • Environmental walks in the spring. Views Farm (Stephen Dawson) • New ponds around the Study Centre. • Catchment Wetland creation • Great Milton Primary School syllabus. • Connections to the Oxford Academy School

  8. Catchment Restoration Project

  9. The Water Framework Directive • EU Legislation aimed at improving the water environment - became UK law in 2003 • Aim is to reach good ecological status of inland and coastal waters by 2015 • New approach in that Includes all surface waters (in theory) • Assessments using biology (plants, invertebrates, fish etc), water chemistry (e.g. phosphorus, nitrate etc) and hydromorphology • In practice, focus on larger waterbodies, ignoring 80% of the water network – (does it matter?)

  10. Small waterbodies are 80% of water network: • ponds, headwater streams and ditches

  11. The problem… • Our freshwaters are polluted: • ● About 75% of rivers and lakes fail minimum legal standard of ‘Good’ status – unlikely to reach 2015 targets • In England and Wales only 1 lake and 5 rivers undamaged, reaching ‘High’ status standard • 80% of countryside ponds degraded – in ‘Poor’ or ‘Very poor’ condition

  12. The problem… • Our freshwaters are polluted: • ● About 75% of rivers and lakes fail minimum legal standard of ‘Good’ status – unlikely to reach 2015 targets • In England and Wales only 1 lake and 5 rivers undamaged, reaching ‘High’ status standard • 80% of countryside ponds degraded – in ‘Poor’ or ‘Very poor’ condition

  13. The state of our rivers Water Framework Directive river classification

  14. The causes of pollution and degradation We broadly know the causes: ● Urban runoff, industry, roads, sewage, agriculture – current and historical impacts ● Farming is a source of nitrogen, phosphorus, sometimes metals, pesticides, organics and sediment What about the role of small point sources like sceptic tanks? The challenge of catchment management is to understand pathways and risks at the field-scale

  15. The effects of degradation and pollution • Loss of ecosystem services, amenity and biodiversity: • Nutrient cycling • Flood control • Angling • Diversity of wetland plants, invertebrates and fish • ££Millions of pounds spent annually on: • Cleaning up water for drinking • Agri-environmental schemes • Flood control • Developing new ways to reduce pollution Loss of natural function of freshwater ecosystems may impact our ability to deal with extreme weather event caused by changing climate conditions

  16. We know the problem. How to resolve it? • £180,000 award from Defra to establish an evidence based Catchment Restoration project • Implement Water Friendly Farming Project ideas and results into a Catchment wide experiment. Partnership between • River Thame Conservation Trust -local connections and knowledge • Pond Conservation – Technical expertise • Environment Agency – Information and resources

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