Atmosphere Company challenged over riverbank habitat destruction

Atmosphere Company bosses have immediately (ninth March, 2022) been introduced with a file detailing a collection of examples of unacceptable and pointless habitat destruction alongside the banks of no fewer than 9 English rivers. That is in direct contravention of each the Company’s personal steerage and nationwide authorities coverage on the atmosphere.

The Angling Belief file, titled ‘Riparian Habitat Destruction’ was introduced to the Atmosphere Company at this week’s assembly of the England Fisheries Group – a proper nationwide stakeholder discussion board – by Martin Salter, Head of Coverage on the Angling Belief.

It listed a collection of utmost examples of habitat destruction on stretches of the rivers Dearne, Arrow, Thames, Severn, Dane, Hull, Lugg, Tone and Warwickshire Avon which noticed the digital elimination of all of the tree cowl and bankside vegetation, which offer important habitat for fish, birds and different wildlife.

In addition to highlighting the harm to the riverbank, the file challenges the Atmosphere Company over its failure to make sure that the actions of its Navigation and Flood Defence employees are coordinated and consistent with revealed steerage and laws. Examples are offered of fisheries employees putting in, with rod licence cash, woody particles to learn fish and biodiversity just for the EA’s personal Flood Defence employees to tear all of it out two years later.

Different areas demonstrating what the Angling Belief describes as a “large disconnect between coverage and observe” embody the federal government’s Bushes Motion Plan revealed in Might 2021, which states that:

“…the Authorities has dedicated to rising tree planting charges throughout the UK to 30,000 hectares per yr by the top of this Parliament. To attain this we’re desiring to spend over £500 million of the £640 million Nature for Local weather Fund on bushes and woodlands in England between 2020 and 2025 to assist this ambition.”

Martin Salter, Head of Coverage on the Angling Belief mentioned:

“Regardless of the Angling Belief submitting an in depth file of proof to the Atmosphere Company in 2017, the widespread destruction of critically essential riparian habitat and the scandalous waste of public cash continues unabated with a number of excessive profile circumstances gaining nationwide protection.

“These riverbank habitats serve to scale back flooding, erosion, sediment ingress, air pollution and predation while offering shade and habitat for bugs, birds, bats, and fish. They’re a key a part of addressing the most important challenges of local weather change, flood alleviation, riparian habitat enchancment and reversing the decline in species range and abundance alongside our rivers.”

In 2017 the Atmosphere Company revealed ‘Woody Particles and Bushes close to Rivers: A Information for Landowners’ outlining the significance of bushes to riverbanks.

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The Atmosphere Company’s recommendation says:

“Bushes subsequent to rivers are invaluable as a result of:

Their roots stabilise riverbanks serving to to scale back and stop erosion.
Bushes within the higher reaches of river catchments assist to alleviate flood danger downstream, by intercepting and slowing flood flows, and rising infiltration.
Overhanging branches that contact the water and underwater tree roots present important refuge and spawning substrate for fish, together with habitat for invertebrates.
Overhanging branches present perches for kingfishers and yield bugs that fall into the river, offering meals for fish.
A mosaic of bushes and open areas present a mixture of mild and shade, and contribute to lowering the impacts of local weather change.
Bushes and shrubs present habitat for nesting birds and roosting websites for bats.

Good Apply:

Retain mature bushes and riverside scrub.
Pollard or coppice slightly than eradicating all the tree.
Retain the foundation balls.”

Martin Salter added:

“It’s all too obvious that the completely different departments on the EA usually are not speaking to one another nor following or imposing their very own revealed tips. This has led to an enormous disconnect between coverage and observe to the detriment of atmosphere. The taxpayer is being requested to fund the planting of bushes and the set up of bankside habitat and in addition pay for it to be ripped out, generally by completely different contractors from the identical organisation. It’s utter insanity and the entire situation wants finding out with clear steerage that’s carried out and understood by everybody concerned with our rivers.”

Former Midlands match ace and Angling Belief and Chub Examine Group member Andy Burt offered among the latest examples of habitat destruction on his native River Avon in Warwickshire.

Andy mentioned:

“I’ve fished the Warwickshire Avon for over 50 years, it’s a lovely river and like many I spend lots of time alongside its banks fishing or just out for a stroll. A stretch of the river I cherished at Marlcliff has now been fully destroyed for no obvious purpose and two years in the past the destruction was accomplished all the best way down and alongside the River Arrow.

“This space of the Warwickshire Avon now stays barren, the bushes that offered a nesting web site for birds, refuge, shelter, meals and essential shade have now gone. The whole warfare declared upon the bankside has left everlasting harm to the river and wildlife, it’s unlikely to ever look the identical in my lifetime. I doubt the fishing will ever get well even when the vegetation is allowed to get well. In my opinion, inflicting that a lot hurt to the atmosphere must be greater than a breach of official steerage – it must be a legal offence.”

Nick Measham, CEO of Salmon and Trout Conservation, mentioned:

“This file highlights the disconnect and waste of public cash by the EA. It’s damning. Tree cowl and marginal vegetation are important to offering meals and shelter for bugs that are crucial parts of the meals chain for wild fish, mammals and birds. Destroying this in a too-often misguided try to scale back flood danger is legal and one more instance of the EA’s failure to work coherently. Water high quality and amount are nothing with out pure habitat in and alongside our rivers.”

Shaun Leonard, Director of the Wild Trout Belief (WTT) added:

“WTT works with EA fisheries groups, angling golf equipment and conservation volunteers throughout England to enhance habitat and ‘sluggish the movement’, planting bushes and placing wooden into our rivers. Too typically, we meet different EA departments, Inside Drainage Boards and Native Authorities doing precisely the other, stripping those self same rivers of bushes and marginal vegetation! We are able to’t hope to satisfy our nationwide environmental targets with out joined up pondering and motion”.