The Severn Estuary

INTERREG IVc Deltanet: April 2010

The Severn Estuary

Rhoda Ballinger


Format of talkFormat of talk

• Brief background to the Severn & SEP

• Integrated policy & management– Context– SEP / CU good practice– Factors influencing our performance – Transferability of good practice– Problems we need advice on


The Severn & SEPThe Severn & SEP


LocationLocation

The Severn Estuary


• Highest tidal range in Europe• Low-lying surrounding areas

– Flood risk

• Major cities, ports & industry • Nature conservation &

archaeological importance (Natura 2000)

• Agriculture (Levels: 850km2)• Tourism & recreation• Offshore resources:

• aggregates (80 - 90% supply for S Wales)

• Renewable energy potential

Severn characteristics


Set up in 1995

Independent, Estuary-wide NON-statutory

initiative

Led by Local Authorities & Statutory Agencies

Involves all those interested in the future

of the estuary

Strategy document 2001

Severn Estuary Severn Estuary PartnershipPartnership


SEP’s new roleSEP’s new role

• Establish a set of ‘principles’ for the estuary that are delivered locally through individual strategies, policies and action plans

• Act as a coordinating body to ensure that agreed actions are delivered efficiently and effectively

• Promote and publicise the estuary at national and international level

• Add value and fill gaps providing extra capacity as necessary

• Ensure effective communications between organisations and individuals

• Under new marine legislation?


Integrated approachIntegrated approach


Institutional IssuesInstitutional Issues

• Administratively complex

• Lack of strategic STATUTORY policy framework

• New Marine & Coastal Access Act 2009



Institutional IssuesInstitutional Issues• Sectorally-based

policy & management• Limited linkage

between science/policy E S T U A R Y

S H O R E L IN EM A N A G E M E N T

P L A N S

C O A S TA LP O L IC Y

G U ID E L IN E S

C O A S TA L /E S T U A R Y

S T R AT E G IE S

L O C A LE N V IR O N M E N TA G E N C Y P L A N S

G U ID E L IN E S(E A )

L O C A LE N V IR O N M E N TA G E N C Y P L A N S

(L E A P s )

W AT E R L E V E LM A N A G E M E N T

P L A N S


G U ID E L IN E S(D E F R A /N A W )

P L A N N IN GP O L IC Y

G U ID A N C E(P P G s , D T L R )

(P P W , TA N s , N A W )


P L A N S

C O A S TA LH A B ITAT

M A N A G E M E N TP L A N S

E U R O P E A NS IT E


L O C A LB IO D IV E R S IT YM A N A G E M E N T

P L A N S

H E R ITA G EC O A S T


R E G IO N A LP O L IC Y

G U ID A N C E

S T R AT E G YP L A N S

B E A C HM A N A G E M E N T

P L A N S

H A R B O U RM A N A G E M E N T

P L A N S

C O A S TA L Z O N EM A N A G E M E N T

P L A N

NA

TIO

NA

LL

OC

AL

S HOR E LIN ENATU R EC ONS E R VATION

PL AN NIN G C ATCH M E N TC OAS TAL

Princ ipa l links req uired be tw eenshore line m a nagem e nt and o ther p la ns

S T R U C T U R EP L A N S

L O C A LP L A N S

UNIT

ARY

DEVE

LOPM

ENT

PLAN

S

Sou rce: M od ified fro m Ba lling er et al., 1 99 7


Good Practice IGood Practice I

• SEP Steering & Working groups

• Events– Severn Estuary Forum

(annually since 05)– Severn Wonders Festival

(06) – Workshops & conferences

• Secretariat for various estuary-wide sectoral groups– ASERA (Natura 2000 site)– SECG – flood & erosion

risk– Joint Estuary Days

Forum Joint Advisory Committee

Management Group

Staff


Good Practice IIGood Practice II

• Publications:– SEP website– Severn Tidings newsletter– information leaflets


Good Practice IIIGood Practice III

• Information Provision: – Contacts Database (>2000); – Web-based ‘Who Does What’ Guide


Good Practice IVGood Practice IV

• Strategy document 2001– 13 sectoral areas– 95 issues– >350 proposals for actions

• Joint Workshop: for Severn River Basin Plan (WFD)


Good Practice VGood Practice V

• INTERREG projects:– COREPOINT (IIIB)

• Promoting ICZM• LIS / SEA with spatial

planners

– IMCORE (IVB)• Climate change

adaptation• SECCGRAG• Futures scenario

building


EvaluationEvaluation• +ve• Survival• Many successes & initiatives• Neutral facilitation role recognised• Estuary-wide view recognised• Limited industry/business

involvement• Drivers for ICZM

• -ve• Strategy now somewhat outdated

• not that well used by partner organisations

• Resource and status issues• Reliance on short-term EC

projects

• NEW drivers (marine planning etc)


TransferabilityTransferability

• Some aspects resource intensive

• Could provide advice as required

• Socio-cultural variations & issues

• New policy drivers for integration (marine planning)


Our needsOur needs

• Land-sea coordinated policy – In context of:

• marine planning• devolved government

• Advice on state of the estuary reporting– Including real-time monitoring– Translation of scientific information on

environmental quality & climate change to policy sectors and the public


ReferencesReferences

• Knowles, S. & Myatt-Bell, L. (2001) The Severn Estuary Strategy: A consensus Approach to Estuary Management, Ocean and Coastal Management 44, pp. 135-159

• Stojanovic, T.S. and Ballinger, R.C.(2009) Integrated coastal management: a comparative analysis of four UK initiatives, Applied Geography, 29 (1), 49 – 62.

• Stojanovic, T.S., Ball, I., Ballinger, R.C., Lymbery, G. and Dodds, W. (2009) The role of research networks for science-policy collaboration in coastal areas, Marine Policy, 33 (60), 901 – 911

• Ballinger, R.C and Stojanovic, T.S. (2010) Policy development and the estuary environment: a Severn Estuary case study" for the special issue of Marine Pollution Bulletin, "The Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel : A 25 Year Critical Review.” 50 (8) 866-874

• Severn Estuary website: http://www.severnestuary.net


Thanks for listening!Thanks for listening!

ContactsContacts

• Severn Estuary Partnership:

• [email protected]

• Dr Rhoda Ballinger

• [email protected]


Flood risk & sediment Flood risk & sediment management management – Good Practice– Good Practice

• Other partners mainly contribute to this through statutory functions & responsibilities– e.g. Environment Agency

• Shoreline Management Plan II for estuary• Severn Flood Risk Management Strategy under

development

• SEP provided some support for the above & has facilitated dissemination & public involvement


Improved environmentImproved environment- - Good PracticeGood Practice

• Other partners mainly contribute to this through statutory functions & responsibilities– Government Agencies e.g. Environment

Agency

• SEP role:– State of the Estuary report– Interreg IVb IMCORE project

• climate change


Improved public Improved public awarenessawareness

• SuccessSuccess– Good involvement BUT still

only reached relatively small audience

– Considerable support from partners (esp EA)

• Transferability– Some aspects would be – Could provide advice as

required– Socio-cultural variations &

issues

The Severn Estuary

Documents

guideinterreg ivc deltanet

severn estuary partnershipset

good practice iipublications

policy sectors

severn wonders festival

sectoral areas

seps new roleestablish

estuarystrategy document