Warwickshire Avon Catchment Partnership

, United Kingdom

City population: 316926

Duration: 2014 – ongoing

Implementation status: Ongoing

Scale: Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level

Project area: unknown

Type of area: Agricultural area or farmland, Public Greenspace Area, Other

Last updated: June 2024

The catchment includes the River Avon (a major resource for recreational activities and public water supply) and its various tributaries. Coventry is the largest urban area in the catchment, and the catchment has a high value for wildlife. (Ref. 1) Main priorities include engaging communities to take ownership of their local water environment, reducing urban and rural pollution; delivering enhancement projects in the 3 Priority Areas (e.g. Coventry Brooks) and Returning water corridors to a near-natural state. (Ref. 2). The Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) is a Government policy framework that empowers local action to improve the water environment through community partnerships. A renewed focus on the catchment-based approach has led to Catchment Partnerships (i.e. The Warwickshire Avon Catchment Partnership) being set up to drive local delivery of these projects. (Ref. 3)

Source: Ref. 2

Overview

Nature-based solution

Blue infrastructure
Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
Other
Green areas for water management
Sustainable urban drainage systems
Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Riverbank/Lakeside greens

Key challenges

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity restoration
Water management (SDG 6)
Flood protection
Improvements to water quality
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Enabling opportunities for physical activity
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Inclusive governance
Effective management

Focus

Maintenance and management of urban nature, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Protection of natural ecosystems

Project objectives

Overall objectives of WACP are to identify and reduce urban/rural pollution; engage communities to take ownership of their local water environment; deliver enhancement projects (e.g. in Coventry Brooks); return water corridors to a near-natural state, and enhance governance and partnership. (Ref. 2)

Implementation activities

Developing and costing up proposed projects from the ‘Coventry Brooks Plan’ (e.g. the Guphill Brook project; including creation of pools, wildflower and wetland plants etc.). (Ref. 2) Reducing impact of diffuse pollution through: Implementation of SuDS, reedbeds (e.g. Longford Nature park reedbed restoration in Coventry). (Ref. 2, 1) Deliver at least 2 practical projects per year (and use these as demonstration sites). (Ref. 2) Habitat restoration workstreams: provide habitat to facilitate water vole recolonization or potential re-introduction via wildflower seeding and planting (Guphill Brook); enhance fish habitat via plug planting and native tree planting (Ref. 2) Provide volunteering opportunities for locals to actively care for their area and build life-long connections with nature (Ref. 2) The management of every parcel of land, small or large, in rural or urban areas can help to reduce flood risk for the 800,000+ people living in the Warwickshire Avon catchment. (Ref. 3)

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity restoration:

Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
Restore ecological connectivity
Public engagement

Main beneficiaries

Local government/Municipality
Non-government organisation/Civil Society
Private sector/Corporate/Company
Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

Private foundation/trust

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

Dissemination of information and education
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Citizen monitoring and review
Other

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

-The “catchment partnership is being hosted by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and the Severn Rivers Trust. (Ref. 1) -The “catchment partnership is being hosted by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and the Severn Rivers Trust. Partners include: Campaign for Farmed Environment, Country Land and Business Association, Coventry City Council, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Natural England, National Farmers Union, Severn Rivers Trust, Severn Trent Water, Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire Rural Hub, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Woodland Trust, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, Amenity Forum, Independent landowners.” (Ref. 1, 2) -Consultants to initiative include Wild Trout Trust (Ref. 2, Ref. 5)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (The Water Framework Directive (through: The River Sherbourne joins the River Sowe in the Warwickshire Avon catchment). (Ref. 4) )

... a national policy or strategy? Yes (The Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) is a Government policy framework that empowers local action to improve the water environment through community partnerships. A renewed focus on the catchment based approach has led to Catchment Partnerships (i.e. The Warwickshire Avon Catchment Partnership) being set up to drive local delivery. (Ref. 3) )

... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

Public local authority budget
Public national budget
Private Foundation/Trust

Type of funding

Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Other

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution

Provision of labour

Who provided the non-financial contribution?

Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Other

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

Water management and blue areas
Improved water quality
Increased protection against flooding
Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
Green space and habitat
Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
Reduced biodiversity loss
Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
Enhanced support of pollination
Increased spread of native/heirloom/open-pollinated seed

Economic impacts

Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

Social justice and cohesion
Improved access to urban green space
Increased opportunities for social interaction
Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Improvement in people’s connection to nature
Protection of natural heritage
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research

Type of reported impacts

Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

Yes

References

Ref. 1. CaBA (n.d.) Warwickshire Avon. Severn. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 28 August 2020]
Ref. 2. WWT (2016) Warwickshire Avon Catchment Partnership. WWT, Living landscape. Precious, T. & Rowe, G. [Document provided].
Ref. 3. WACP (2017) Warwickshire Avon Cathcment Plan. Warwickshire Avon Catchment Partnership. [Document provided].
Ref. 4. The Wild Trout Trust (2016) Advisory Visit: River Sherbourne, Coventry. [Not available in 2020].
Ref. 5. WACP (2017) Warwickshire Avon Catchment Delivery Action Plan 2017-2020. Warwickshire Avon Catchment Partnership. [Document provided].

Source: Ref. 1

Source: Ref. 2

Pool filling to connect to brook and provide fish refuge in flood

Source: Ref. 2

Proposal from Wild Trout Trust to enhance fish habitat

Source: Ref. 2

Longford Nature Park Restoration

Source: Ref. 2