We hope you're all well and keeping your spirits up out there; the coronavirus outbreak is creating a lot of anxiety and disruption. We want to let you know how we're responding to this challenging time and we hope this update will inspire you with ways you can remain connected to your rivers and wildlife, while staying safe.
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has today launched a new Public Engagement with Research and Innovation Strategy, which sets out a new and ambitious way of engaging the public with our research.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has today launched a consultation as part of its Open Access Review. The consultation will inform the development of a new open access policy, aimed at ensuring that the published outputs of research are widely and freely accessible to all.
The UK government and UKRI recognise open access as an important part of achieving maximum impact from public investment in research.
A more ecosystem-based approach to the management of floodplains would help to conserve and restore biodiversity and reduce chemical and nutrient pollution in rivers, lakes and wetlands, and increase water retention according to the EEA report ‘Floodplains: a natural system to preserve and restore.’ Such an approach would recognise the multiple functions floodplains play.
The Catchment Based Approach (CaBA), the initiative to drive collaborative water management across England, has published its annual report that includes a summary of the environmental work undertaken by its 106 river catchment partnerships nationwide. The benefits arising include improvement of water quality, addressing flood risk and water scarcity and empowering local communities through citizen science.
Australian rivers are different to those in other parts of the world. Our ancient land mass – subject to droughts and flooding rains, cared for and lived with for tens of thousands of years – has produced globally distinctive landscapes and ecosystems that can’t be found anywhere else.
Within Australia, there is an enormous diversity of rivers. This diversity is what makes each river so special and worth valuing.
The 2020 Australasia Riverprize by the Bert and Vera Thiess Foundation will be awarded in Brisbane, Australia in September 2020.
Tips from a judge on applying for Riverprize can be viewed here.
The first-ever Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions has been developed by IUCN. Last week, the IUCN Council adopted the standard, clearing the way for it to be launched at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in June.
With growing global concern over the biodiversity and climate crises, the importance of nature-based solutions has been widely recognised from the United Nations and national governments to the private sector and civil society.
When major floods occur, like this winter, there is a commonly heard call to “dredge the rivers!” as a solution. Here’s a quick run through why it’s not the solution many want it to be, with reference to a report we published following the winter 2013/14 floods which impacted the Somerset Levels particularly badly, amongst other areas, and led to extensive calls for more dredging as a solution.
In principle, there is a fundamental link between climate change and flooding because, put simply, a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture.