Catchment Change Network.net

Prof Graham Harris of Lancaster Environment Centre, along with colleagues this week hosted a successful international summit in Windermere focussed on ‘Achieving Ecological Outcomes’. Working with colleagues from the FBA, the summit welcomed scientists from the US, Australia, South Africa and Europe to attempt to get to grips with issues of catchment management. Among the issues that resonated for me were (1) an agreement that raising high level awareness does have value (see my previous post by the EA’s director of Evidence) (2) general acceptance of the view that we are in it for the long haul and that and positive change in water quality will probably take tens of years to show an improvement, if at all…. So the challenge is to persuade the nation that we have the issue but at the same time we investing water quality for future generations and certainly not Water Framework Directive Targets of 2015….. Congratulations to Graham and team for an excellent meeting, helped along by the beauty of the Lake DIstrict in the spring sun. Some snaps I took at the meeting are available here…

The Director of Evidence spoke to me at the Windermere FBA summit this week calling for increased awareness of environmental issues as a means of making way for change. Spot in Miranda…so let’s make it happen…

For https://pro-essay-writer.com/ the first time, we can actually claim that we have world-class standards, mr

Yesterday and today I have been in Edinburgh at their biennial SAC SEPA conference on Climate, Water and Soil: Science, Policy, Practice (I gave a keynote on ‘Managing soil and water for multiple objectives’). Congratulations to Brian D’Arcy from SEPA on his retirement and a great job inspiring these meetings over the years. In a terrific discussion led by Brian Chambers, there was a general consensus for multifuntional land use needs in the lowlands and a view from the floor (c. 100 delegates) that we had suffered with the loss of our extenion service, especially in England and Wales (Scotland perhaps less so). It’s a no brainer really isn’t it? So what went wrong and more importantly what can we do about it?

Last week we were lucky to be visited by Prof Terry Cooper from the US. Terry is an inpirational teacher of soil and water science and professed some exciting new ideas for cross-Atlantic teaching collaboration.

Eden Rivers Trust is currently looking to recruit a full time Catchment Engagement Officer to work with landowners, farmers and local stakeholders in the Eden catchment to encourage local ‘on the ground’ support for the Demonstration Test Catchment Project, a joint Defra, Environment Agency and Welsh Assembly Government initiative. The job holder will collaborate with researchers and key stakeholders to raise awareness of the project, identify farms willing to participate in the project, negotiate access agreements, resolve landowner queries and establish mechanisms by which farmers can take an active part in the project.

An Application form (including equal opportunities policy and questionnaire) and detailed job description for this role is available by emailing office@edenriverstrust.org.uk or via our website www.edenriverstrust.org.uk

Applicants should send a signed and completed application form, a copy of the Equal Opportunities Questionnaire and a short (one page) covering letter to ERT Director Simon Johnson, Unit’s O&Q, Skirsgill Business Park, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0FA, or by email to office@edenriverstrust.org.uk . Please mark envelopes or the subject line to your email with “Job Application” Applications should reach us by 5pm Wednesday 14^th April 2010 Interviews will be held soon after at the ERT offices in Penrith.