A region example for its local participative approach to tackling a coastal-rural environmental issue. Raising public awareness, supporting agro-environmental practices, and engaging local communities in the restoration program were keys to the success of the practice.
]]>Ythan estuary is located on the North-East coast of Scotland, North of Aberdeen, where agriculture and fisheries are the main activities in this coastal-rural area. It is a Ramsar Site and a Special Protection Area under the Birds Directive. High levels of nitrates and phosphates in the estuary, due to agricultural practices, led to a growth of green macro-algae threatening the food supply of wading birds. Current approaches to regulating this problem were only partially effective. Despite SPA status, it didn’t protect the site from the impacts of activities upstream or more general impacts such as pollution of the adjacent sea area.
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With the support of a LIFE project, an innovative approach was taken by encouraging the local community to take responsibility for the state of the river and its associated habitats and to instigate a voluntary response to tackle the problems facing the river, in order to preserve this natural heritage. A program of measures was introduced to reduce inputs of pollutants, and sustainable land and river management was promoted through raising public awareness and engaging the community in a range of measures:
They selected river restoration sites and assisted with restoration work on 12 sites.
A forest management plan was also established for a large woodland, adjacent to the river. The project (awarded ‘Best environmental project’) successfully demonstrated a range of interventions to raise awareness of the river and mobilise interest in mitigation projects in the local community and is a model for similar initiatives to clean up river catchments.
A region example for its local participative approach to tackling a coastal-rural environmental issue. Raising public awareness, supporting agro-environmental practices, and engaging local communities in the restoration program were keys to the success of the practice.
]]>Ythan estuary is located on the North-East coast of Scotland, North of Aberdeen, where agriculture and fisheries are the main activities in this coastal-rural area. It is a Ramsar Site and a Special Protection Area under the Birds Directive. High levels of nitrates and phosphates in the estuary, due to agricultural practices, led to a growth of green macro-algae threatening the food supply of wading birds. Current approaches to regulating this problem were only partially effective. Despite SPA status, it didn’t protect the site from the impacts of activities upstream or more general impacts such as pollution of the adjacent sea area.
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With the support of a LIFE project, an innovative approach was taken by encouraging the local community to take responsibility for the state of the river and its associated habitats and to instigate a voluntary response to tackle the problems facing the river, in order to preserve this natural heritage. A program of measures was introduced to reduce inputs of pollutants, and sustainable land and river management was promoted through raising public awareness and engaging the community in a range of measures:
They selected river restoration sites and assisted with restoration work on 12 sites.
A forest management plan was also established for a large woodland, adjacent to the river. The project (awarded ‘Best environmental project’) successfully demonstrated a range of interventions to raise awareness of the river and mobilise interest in mitigation projects in the local community and is a model for similar initiatives to clean up river catchments.
Region: Ythan river Scotland
]]>Region: Ythan river Scotland
]]>Region: Ythan river Scotland
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