October 2024

News from the team

With the first named storm of the autumn already behind us, water storage, flood reduction and land management are firmly on the radar, with projects underway across the partnership which are moving us forward in understanding and responding to these challenges.
 
Our core team has been busy as always, with Sally focused on managing four peat restoration sites for our partners at the RSPB and National Trust Purbeck, as well as supporting the Dorset Peat Partnership more widely. Two of these sites are now complete and the other two will be finishing soon, a great achievement for Sally and the teams involved.
 
Holly has started supporting the Peat Partnership behind the scenes and getting stuck in with partnership meetings as well as producing much of this month’s newsletter.
 
Bethany is now well into the third year of her apprenticeship with Wessex Water’s catchment management team. Now her workload is increasing, she is stepping away from our newsletter editorial team, so I’d like to thank her for all her work on it up to now and wish her the best for her future modules.

Meanwhile, I have been working with other partnerships across Dorset including Dorset Coast Forum, the Local Nature Partnership and Litter Free Dorset, ensuring that improving our water environment is integrated into projects and plans beyond our own. This has also included working with Dorset Council and the Dorset National Landscape team on some opportunity mapping which Westcountry Rivers Trust have been commissioned to produce and will be included in the Local Nature Recovery Strategy when it is published. More details will be shared on this soon.
 
Our autumn Delivery Group meetings are underway and are showcasing partners’ work across the catchments; thank you to everyone involved, it’s always so exciting to see what’s happening.
 
There are lots of updates to read about here too, so grab a cuppa.
 
Happy reading......Natalie

Partner update

Dorset Peat Partnership Project Manager Update - Grace Hervé
 
The Dorset Peat partners have been working at amazing pace during September and October, to deliver their peatland restoration works across the Dorset Heaths and mires.
 
Across this period, ten sites* out of a total of fifteen which are due to be delivered by March 2025 have been in operation, with multiple contractors carrying out the works working closely with the land managers to deliver the works accurately to the specifications of the restoration plans.
 
We have been witness to a lot of low ground pressure excavators gently navigating their way across the precious peatland bog habitats with ease, to carry out a variety of works, mulching up the tussocky Molinia, exposing drainage channels, clearing scrub and regen, installing stakes and posts to hold leaky debris dams in place, installing 3-metre wide solid timber dams, and infilling drains with spoil and peat blocks, all for the benefit of holding back water, slowing the flow and rewetting the habitats to enable sites to become strongholds for carbon capture and to provide new opportunities for Sphagnum plant communities to establish.
 
The changes are instantly notable and in the current climate conditions, so evident to see how blocking up the previously drained habitats is both changing the dynamics of water flow on site and decreasing nuisance flooding.
 
In addition to all the machinery action across the sites, we are also grateful to the media response to the RSPB press release, getting further exposure of this important work through local radio and ITV Meridian news.
 
It just goes to show that teamwork makes the dream work. To which I can conclude by reporting that we have now completed on seven of the ten sites previously mentioned.
 
Further updates of our journey across all our peatland sites can be found at Dorset Peat Partnership | Dorset Wildlife Trust

*Sites - Agglestone Mire, Cannon Hill Mire, Holt Heath, Oakers Bog, Stoborough Heath, Salterns Copse, Snags Valley, Upton Heath, Whitesheet mire and Drains West of Greenland’s mire.

Wider news

The Blue Carbon Mapping project
The Scottish Association for Marine Science, WWF, RSPB, and The Wildlife Trusts have come together to produce the Blue Carbon Mapping Project. This project is a series of reports showing an estimate of the quantity of peat stored in the world's seabeds.
 
The Big River Watch
The Rivers Trust have published the results of the September Big River Watch. A total of 2700 surveys were completed, with over 4.8k people reporting findings on wildlife, pollution, litter, artificial barriers, and more. All the collected data can be viewed on the Big River Watch Data Explorer.
 
Fish barrier removal
Over the past year, the Environment Agency has removed weirs along both the River Camel and the River Tarrant. This has increased the rivers’ connectivity, allowing fish to move more freely. They have also reduced the canopy of some forested areas to give habitats more light and have created leaky dams to slow the flow of water.

Rural Flood Resilience Partnership
The EA and the NFU have launched the Rural Flood Resilience Partnership. This partnership aims to help farmers and rural communities adapt to a changing climate. They have published a 2-year work plan that entails seven strategic outcomes.
 
The Riverwoods Blueprint Project
A group of partners have secured funding for a river woodland creation and restoration project. This is a 5-year project that will take place in various locations across Scotland.
 
Improving the resilience of river corridors
An open-access journal article has been published explaining how enhancing the natural absorbing capacity of rivers can restore their resilience.

Local news

Dorset Coast Forum’s Education Hub
Dorset Coast Forum have launched a new Education Hub webpage, where you can download lots of educational resources with coastal information for a variety of ages.
 
Macroalgae in the Solent
Eutrophication from agriculture, sewage treatment works, road runoff, and domestic sewage treatment plants is causing the growth of excessive microalgae. This is smothering mudflats and saltmarsh habitats. Find out more about what the Environment Agency and partners are doing to reduce nutrient levels.

Nature Recovery Dorset
A new initiative, Nature Recovery Dorset, has been launched to restore, enhance, and connect spaces in nature for Dorset. The initiative is led by Dorset Council and forms part of the plan to develop a local nature recovery strategy for Dorset. The timeline for this plan can be accessed here.

Get involved

Chesil Cove curved seawall survey
Dorset Coast Forum would like your say on the proposed seawall and other potential improvements at Chesil Cove. Share your views by filling out the survey. 

Hedgehog Monitoring Programme
The National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme have asked volunteer partner organisations to put up cameras around their local area for 30 days to capture hedgehog activities. They need help classifying the hedgehogs that can be seen in the images.

Funding

The Angling Improvement Fund (AIF)
The Angling Trust have reopened the AIF. They aim to support projects tackling the spread of invasive non-native species and increasing biosecurity at angling venues. They have £5000 available to support individual clubs, or £10,000 for wider catchment projects.
 
Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF)
Dorset have been awarded a sum of money from the REPF. This is available for trail development projects, community-sustainable energy products and more. Applications close on 17th November 2024.
 
Value of Marine Artificial Structures Fund
The Natural Environment Research Council has funding available to enhance understanding of the ecological, economic, and social value of marine artificial structures. The closing date for applications is 7th November 2024.
 
Pushing the frontiers of environmental research funding
The Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) have a funding opportunity available for projects that are ambitious and curiosity-driven in environmental research. Apply before 21st January 2025.
 
UK Seafood Fund
DEFRA have funding available for reducing vessel fuel use and carbon emissions. The application deadline is 13th December 2024. 

Events and webinars

20 years of the Rivers Trust
There is an autumn conference for staff in the Rivers Trust Movement to celebrate accomplishments and discuss ongoing opportunities and challenges. As well as this, there are several smaller in-person events taking place throughout the week of the 20th – 28th November.
 
Dorset National Landscape Annual Forum
Dorset National Landscape is hosting two free events on Wednesday, 6th November, where you can share your views on what their future priorities should be and help shape their future management plan. 

Amphibian and Reptile Conference
The Amphibian and Reptile Conservation and the British Herpetology Society are running a joint scientific meeting on Saturday 30th November. This will include several research-based presentations and talks.

Dorset COP: The Power of Community
Sustainable Dorset is hosting its second annual community-led COP event. There will be talks and workshops, focusing on climate and ecological crises. This event takes place on the 2nd November. Book your place here.
 
Wormery composting workshop
West Country Rivers Trust is delivering free a 2-hour workshop on Friday 8th November, giving wormery composting tips. Reserve your space here. 

Jobs

• The Environment Agency is searching for a Senior Assistant Scientist in microbiology and molecular biology. Applications close on Wednesday 30th October.
• Plantlife are advertising a vacancy for a Nature Economy Specialist. Send in your application before Monday, 4th November.
• The RSPB are advertising for a Fair to Nature Advisory and Project Development Officer. The application deadline is Tuesday, 5th November.
• Wessex Water are hiring a Head of Conservation and Recreation and a Head of Environmental Engagement and Regulation. Apply by Thursday 7th November.
• The Environment Agency are advertising a vacancy for an Environment Planning officer in water quality. The closing date for applications is Friday 8th November.
• The Environment Agency is searching for a Catchment Planning Technical Specialist. Apply before Friday, 8th November.
• Darwin Ecology have a vacancy for a Senior Ecologist. Applications will be reviewed on receipt.