Managing wetlands for wildlife and people

1. Managing wetlandsfor wildlife and people Tricia Henton 19 April 2010

2. The Environment Agency – what we do • England and Wales remit • £1.24 billion budget • 13,000 staff • Environmental regulator, operator, adviser

3. Our biodiversity responsibilities • Legal duties • Help protect nationally and internationally important wildlife sites. • Help conserve and enhance priority habitats and species. • Obligations • Lead role for several water and wetland habitats and species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. • Ministerial and government targets for improving and creating habitats to support the 2010 biodiversity target.

4. How we deliver biodiversity outcomes • Environmental regulation • Pollution control • Regulating water abstraction • Flood risk management • Habitat creation • Water level management • Partnership working • National and local projects • River basin management planning

5. River basin management plans • Achieving good ecological status or potential in water bodies • Restoring sustainable abstraction • Tackling diffuse pollution • Priorities for ‘Protected Areas’ to benefit people and wildlife

6. What we have helped to deliver 2004-2010 • 2000 ha of new habitat (1350 ha from flood risk management work) • 60,000 ha of improved SSSI land Frieston shore, Lincolnshire

7. Jubilee River flood scheme Jubilee River – Maidenhead to Windsor

8. Rural and urban habitat gain River Quaggy – Lewisham, South London Sladesbridge - Cornwall

9. Estuary management Alkborough Flats coastal realignment scheme - 440ha of new habitat created Humber Estuary Strategy - protecting 400,000 people

10. Water level management Installing structures to raise and control water levels

11. Water level management Somerset Levels and Moors Water level structures operated by the Environment Agency and Internal Drainage Boards

12. Improving river habitat • Includes: • river restoration • instream enhancement • removal of weirs • buffer zone creation • riparian tree planting • extensive pollarding • wetland creation within 10 metres of channel • large scale invasive plant removal

13. Improving and creating ponds 166 ponds created in 2007-08 and 2008-09 Flood Risk Management: 97 Other/partnership work: 69

14. Habitat gain through Flood Risk Management work 1233 ha total 993 ha freshwater 240 ha intertidal

15. Controlling non-native species • GB Non-native Species Strategy • Flood risk and recreational benefits • Preventing spread • Rapid response to new problems Floating pennywort

16. Looking ahead – large scale habitat creation • Delivered through Regional Habitat Creation Programmes • Contributes to the Wetland Vision • Developing ecological networks Great Fen Project site, Cambs

17. Learning points • Clear, realistic targets – absolutely essential • Ministerial commitment and guidance – high level expectation • Effective delivery mechanisms - avoids disappointment • Funded work programmes – secures action • Demonstrate benefits of work – engenders support and momentum

18. Future uncertainties • Changing climate • Economy • Political situation