Thanks Anna - I answered in the live Q&A, but just for use by others via this forum I'll give a full response here. Yes, it was quite an amazing response! We were quite shocked and I had to start turning folk away eventually which was unexpected. We posted out on social media, but basically I think the reason we had such a good response was a) we used existing extensive local networks so were able to reach a receptive audience easily, b) I think people genuinely felt motivated to do something for their local environment and perhaps the short-term commitment and 'something to do over the winter' appealed?!
@Sue Burton (SWEPT) – Thanks for your presentation, this is a very interesting project for South Wales. Are there any plans for a similar/equivalent study for other parts of Wales?
Thanks Dave - I answered in the live Q&A, but I'll give a full response here which may be helpful to others too. I've already been involved in an open coast version with Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. Results have yet to be written up but basically widespread elevated levels were again found. There are independent projects also setting up in the Pembroke River area and in North Pembrokeshire. NRW are also utilising the testing kits for rapid assessments in areas of the Milford Haven waterway which has now been classified as an Opportunity Catchment. There has been interest in SE Wales and also the south of England. The SWEPT report and appendices are designed to facilitate easy replication if desired.
Fergus and Sue: You both mentioned diffuse pollution as an issue. What are the main challenges in the management of diffuse pollution and are there any new innovative ways of overcoming these or is it a case of regulation and enforcement?
By its very nature its so widespread! But there has been a lot of work done now and evidence gathered at least within the Milford Haven waterway catchment for us to know where the key areas of concern are. The problem is that there are so many of them! We discussed the fact that both innovative means of management (which exist but cost) and additional regulation (which is ultimately the responsibility of Welsh Government but may not be the best workable solution to an industry that is already under pressure) are needed if we are to solve the problem of agricultural run-off. And the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. We discussed this further in the regional break-outs. Farmers are being forced - largely by economics - to increase the size of their dairy herds. This exacerbates the problem of slurry storage and therefore the knock-on risk to the environment when spreading has to increase and/or when inadequate storage fails. If the buyer (supermarkets ideally but it often comes down to the consumer) paid a price for milk that allowed farmers to operate sustainably and within their means, then we wouldn't have such a problem in the first place.
Hi Sue - the SWEPT project has been a great success in awareness/engagement. Has the monitoring data been compared to any standards to prioritise or address N in impacted streams, and what, how, and who, can put those measures in place?
Hi Mark - I attempted to answer this in the live session, but if you needed further info let me know. Basically, we compared against NRW statutory testing and found SWEPT results useful in identifying whether a water input was unpolluted, slightly or very polluted. NRW are using the data collected to help prioritise their efforts. Any immediate pollution concerns were reported to NRW during the course of the project and these were all followed up and addressed.
Yes its been good to see that our goal to infill local detail to supplement NRW statutory data has proved useful as we'd hoped. Its being used in WFD assessments and also in some follow-on opportunity catchment work. Now all we need is to see some action to reduce levels! I'd love to be able to repeat SWEPT in a year or two and record decreased N+P pollution!
Can the issue of dog mess on our beaches be solved - the clean up policy or enforcement in these areas seems to be lacking. When running workshops and events on beaches, we are concerned about dog mess hazards for our participants.
When I first came to post 20 years ago, and the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum then set-up, we used to run coastal surgeries around the coast together. Dog mess on beaches was always one of the top issues! I hoped that by now we wouldn't have such a problem as it is significantly more frowned upon by society generally these days. But on many of our wilder beaches (of which we have a plethora) it is obviously still an issue. And there will always be those who don't see it as a problem as "the sea will wash it away". More and better awareness I guess is the answer? Including how it can affect bathing water status. And enforcement where possible. How disappointing...
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Anna Holmes:
Sue - that's amazing that you got so many volunteers for your project! How did you round up so many willing citizen scientists?
Thanks Anna - I answered in the live Q&A, but just for use by others via this forum I'll give a full response here. Yes, it was quite an amazing response! We were quite shocked and I had to start turning folk away eventually which was unexpected. We posted out on social media, but basically I think the reason we had such a good response was a) we used existing extensive local networks so were able to reach a receptive audience easily, b) I think people genuinely felt motivated to do something for their local environment and perhaps the short-term commitment and 'something to do over the winter' appealed?!
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
David Gold:
@Sue Burton (SWEPT) – Thanks for your presentation, this is a very interesting project for South Wales. Are there any plans for a similar/equivalent study for other parts of Wales?
Thanks Dave - I answered in the live Q&A, but I'll give a full response here which may be helpful to others too. I've already been involved in an open coast version with Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. Results have yet to be written up but basically widespread elevated levels were again found. There are independent projects also setting up in the Pembroke River area and in North Pembrokeshire. NRW are also utilising the testing kits for rapid assessments in areas of the Milford Haven waterway which has now been classified as an Opportunity Catchment. There has been interest in SE Wales and also the south of England. The SWEPT report and appendices are designed to facilitate easy replication if desired.
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Helen Haider:
Fergus and Sue: You both mentioned diffuse pollution as an issue. What are the main challenges in the management of diffuse pollution and are there any new innovative ways of overcoming these or is it a case of regulation and enforcement?
By its very nature its so widespread! But there has been a lot of work done now and evidence gathered at least within the Milford Haven waterway catchment for us to know where the key areas of concern are. The problem is that there are so many of them! We discussed the fact that both innovative means of management (which exist but cost) and additional regulation (which is ultimately the responsibility of Welsh Government but may not be the best workable solution to an industry that is already under pressure) are needed if we are to solve the problem of agricultural run-off. And the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. We discussed this further in the regional break-outs. Farmers are being forced - largely by economics - to increase the size of their dairy herds. This exacerbates the problem of slurry storage and therefore the knock-on risk to the environment when spreading has to increase and/or when inadequate storage fails. If the buyer (supermarkets ideally but it often comes down to the consumer) paid a price for milk that allowed farmers to operate sustainably and within their means, then we wouldn't have such a problem in the first place.
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Mark Charlesworth:
Hi Sue - the SWEPT project has been a great success in awareness/engagement. Has the monitoring data been compared to any standards to prioritise or address N in impacted streams, and what, how, and who, can put those measures in place?
Hi Mark - I attempted to answer this in the live session, but if you needed further info let me know. Basically, we compared against NRW statutory testing and found SWEPT results useful in identifying whether a water input was unpolluted, slightly or very polluted. NRW are using the data collected to help prioritise their efforts. Any immediate pollution concerns were reported to NRW during the course of the project and these were all followed up and addressed.
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Paul Harries:
Hi Sue, thank you for your presentation and your guidance on the proposed Afon Nyfer catchment area project.
Thanks Paul - my pleasure. Its great to see that the SWEPT experience is helping to inform plans elsewhere.
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Anne Bunker:
in addition to Sue's update - SWEPT data used to identify where NRW's efforts to improve water quality need to be focused
Yes its been good to see that our goal to infill local detail to supplement NRW statutory data has proved useful as we'd hoped. Its being used in WFD assessments and also in some follow-on opportunity catchment work. Now all we need is to see some action to reduce levels! I'd love to be able to repeat SWEPT in a year or two and record decreased N+P pollution!
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Sara Holden, Sculpture by the Sea UK Ltd:
Can the issue of dog mess on our beaches be solved - the clean up policy or enforcement in these areas seems to be lacking. When running workshops and events on beaches, we are concerned about dog mess hazards for our participants.
When I first came to post 20 years ago, and the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum then set-up, we used to run coastal surgeries around the coast together. Dog mess on beaches was always one of the top issues! I hoped that by now we wouldn't have such a problem as it is significantly more frowned upon by society generally these days. But on many of our wilder beaches (of which we have a plethora) it is obviously still an issue. And there will always be those who don't see it as a problem as "the sea will wash it away". More and better awareness I guess is the answer? Including how it can affect bathing water status. And enforcement where possible. How disappointing...