2017-2018 Collaborative joint events on integrated catchment delivery: Proposals
for building relationships, embedding best practice to benefit agriculture, floods
and environment to get the best for people, economy and wildlife in the UK
Dear All
Background: I’ve spent a few years hearing things professional institutes, committees and
partnerships want to work together on, opportunities which often come up during
consultations on plans and conversations that we need better collaboration*. Thank you for
your ideas and offers.
This proposal plays back suggestions, asks for improvements or barriers and to encourage
others to take part. As I’m doing this voluntarily I’m also asking for your help making these
worthwhile. There is still space for emerging ideas, improvements and agreeing shared
objectives! And some satisfaction in celebrating success…
In 2015, we organised 10 days with over 250 people called ‘working with nature in river
catchments for people and wildlife’. Events focussed on integrated catchment management
working with UK and Brazil partner organisations. The feedback was great so we’re planning
more. See summary of visits, conferences and practical training days here on the River
Restoration Centre website: http://www.therrc.co.uk/blog/working-nature-people-rivercatchments-uk-brazil-learning-21st-april-1st-may-2015
This email is:
 Updating you on the draft programme in Appendix 2 – please share this, include in
your discussions, programmes and invite others to events. We’ll send an updated
programme in spring as dates are confirmed for advertising etc.

Asking for help and to confirm your offer. Any help is welcome. This could be
sponsoring, helping working groups, leading or delivering activities, outputs and
outcomes. See draft working group in Appendix 3. There is no need to reply if you
have already confirmed your offer of help.

Inviting you to attend working group meetings/telecoms at Environment Agency
Red Kite House Wallingford, OX10 8BD or dial in 08000730694; Conference code
4743 636 291.
Dates/times (will be cancelled if no-one available. Further telecoms tbc): February Wednesday 15th 13:00-14:00, Monday 20th 16:00-17:00; Friday 24th 15:30-16:00;
March – Thursday 9th 12:00-14:00; Friday 24th 12:00-13:30
If you can help, please contact [email protected] 07795 333
157. I’ll add you to our working group and send calendar appointments for meetings.
We will share good practice packs for each event and aim to describe best practice. The
River Restoration Centre has offered to host information on their website. This is so we can
understand, embed and achieve amazing results and save money. As far as possible, the
packs will outline costs, benefits and how each project contributes to cost effective
sustainable catchment, land and water management. The programme is subject to ongoing
input and change.
Kind regards, Dom (*University of Reading - 51st Agricultural Conference 7 Feb 2017)
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7 February 2017
Draft programme for joint events between professional institutes, partnerships and
committees involved in farming, flooding and the environment
Quotes: Alastair Chisholm CIWEM “These look like very valid proposals and would make for
interesting events, the focus of which is certainly highly relevant to CIWEM and our
members.”
Tony King International Farm Management Association “It seems there could be common
interest between what you are doing and IFMA on a wider scale.”
Geoff Adams Institute of Agricultural Management Thames Branch “I do think there is a case
for a larger conference possibly covering the whole of the Thames catchment area and
working with other organisations such as The British Institute of Agricultural Management,
the Association of Independent Crop Consultants and FWAG all of whom have an interest in
effective and sustainable land management. We should include the NFU, Country Land
Owners Association and Tenant Farmers Association. I am copying this to Richard Cooksley
Director of the I Agr M and deals with the administration of BIAC. He may well have other
suggestions and could give the idea wider circulation”
Anne Wheeler Chair Severn and Wye Regional Flood and Coastal committee “I’m happy to
‘sponsor’ a joint event and help in any way I can”
Rob Oates Thames Region Flood and Coastal Committee Conservation Member “Thanks for
sending me your draft programme for joint events between 'flooding, farming and land
management' interests. I am fully supportive of the approach, especially as it has such a
Thames focus!”
Abigail Jackson, Environment Agency, Regional Flood and Coastal Committee Conservation
Leads “I think this could be a great opportunity for the RFCC conservation leads”
Rosie Steadman River Restoration Centre “We are happy to provide the same support as last
time at the 2015 UK Brazil events”
Peter Spillett President Institute of Fisheries Management “this initiative is an excellent idea
for managing catchments and farming activities to benefit food production, our wildlife and
rivers – it is just the way we want to go”
Jim Finnegan Environment Agency Flood and Coastal Risk Management Team Leader
“sounds awesome, some great meetings”
Mari Leeks Environment Agency Customers and Engagement “A very interesting set of
workshops to achieve big environmental outcomes – all the information in the programme
I’ve seen suggests this is where it’s at right now”
Appendix 1. Consultees
Institute of Agriculture
Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management
Institute of Fisheries Management
Regional Flood and Coastal Committee Conservation Leads Group
Environment Agency – Environment Programme Managers, Deputy Directors and ongoing
conversation with a range of staff
Academic partnerships
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7 February 2017
Draft programme for joint events between professional institutes, partnerships and
committees involved in farming, flooding and the environment
Appendix 2. Integrated catchment delivery - joint events 2017 - draft programme
1. Tuesday 21 March 2017 Institute of Agricultural Management Thames branch –
discussing farming benefits from integrated catchment management with Richard
McDonald, Environment Agency Board Member
2. Friday 19 and Saturday 20 May 2017 Thames bypass channels site visits.
Collaborating with World Fish Migration Day and SEPA on cost effective bypasses for
flood management, hydropower and improving the ecology – practical examples:
what works, what doesn’t and future recommendations visiting:
a) Thames Radcot, Rushey
http://www.therrc.co.uk/2013%20Conference/Outputs_Presentations/CliftonDey_Rhymes_
River_Thames_Bypass_Channels.pdf
b) Banbury flood alleviation scheme
http://www.waterprojectsonline.com/case_studies/2012/EA_Banbury_2012.pdf
c) River Kennet Shenfield Mil
d) Loddon Arborfield
https://restorerivers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=Case_study%3AArborfield_nature_like_bypass
_and_weirs_project and
http://www.therrc.co.uk/2012%20Conference/Outputs/Martyn%20M%20Final.pdf
e) Oxford and Abingdon scheme, River Thames Scheme
3. Farm and land management site visits bringing together flood, farming and
environment outcomes:
a) Thames river of life agriculture diffuse pollution and wetland project
http://www.earthtrust.org.uk/Ourwork/waterandwetlands/RiverofLife.aspx
b) Thames Cotswolds soil re-building for better soils and water
management https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-zz63Q65lA
c) Stroud District Council Natural Flood Management
https://www.stroud.gov.uk/rsuds - led by Severn and Wye Regional
Flood and Coastal Committee, Anne Wheeler, Stroud District Council
Chris Uttley, Environment Agency Environment Programme, Brian Smith
d) Loddington Farm Lincolnshire and Northants Water Friendly Farming
project http://www.gwct.org.uk/allerton/farming-at-allerton/waterfriendly-farming/ and http://www.gwct.org.uk/allerton/farming-atallerton/
e) Evenlode Natural Flood Management
http://www.agricology.co.uk/resources/natural-resources-wastepeople-skills/floodplain-restoration-arable-wet-grassland
f)
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Thame Livestock project with the Thame Conservation Trust
7 February 2017
Draft programme for joint events between professional institutes, partnerships and
committees involved in farming, flooding and the environment
4. Weir removals site visits to see:
1) Works on the Teise in progress, Medway catchment led by Kent Countryside and
Coast Management Service and Medway Catchment Partnership and possibly
Hogsmill, South London,
2) River Test at Bossington – weir removal project during construction
5. 2017 2 day CIWEM conference on integrated catchment management for people,
farming, flooding and the environment – draft agenda below in Workshop 1
6. Institute of Fisheries Management – hosting event celebrating joint events. tbc by
professional institutes? And or Workshop 2 below on bypass channels and removing
weirs for flood management, hydropower and the ecology
7. Thames event suggested by Institute of Agricultural Management Thames Branch
8. Lunch time web discussions - with interest from abroad, we may run lunch time
sessions to share stories, top tips/lessons learnt and outputs from these events
above
Appendix 3. Draft working group, roles tbc – Dominic Martyn programme manager for
these events
Academia Martyn Lucas Durham University
Chartered Institution of Water and Environment Management Alastair Chisholm, Kathryn
Dolman
Environment Agency Stuart Manwaring, David McKnight, Becky Hibbert, Jamie Letts, Adrian
Fewings, Laura Millar, Dominic Martyn (also IFM, I Agri Mgt Thames)
Institute of Agricultural Management Geoff Adams
Institute of Fisheries Management Paul Coulson, Ian Taylor, Sarah Hussey, Chiara Bancone,
Rob Pearson, Eleri Pritchard, Rebecca Rogers, Peter Spillett
Regional Flood and Coastal Risk Committees Rob Oates, Anne Wheeler, Amanda Nobbs
River Restoration Centre Rosie Steadman
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7 February 2017
Draft programme for joint events between professional institutes, partnerships and
committees involved in farming, flooding and the environment
Speakers and titles not confirmed marked with tbc. Events to be agreed and
communicated via professional institutes and RFCCs, RBDLPs, Catchment
Partnerships, Customer Scrutiny Groups and Local Enterprise Partnerships among
other networks. 50% talk, 50% discussion to maximise time for dialogue.
Workshop 1 – How catchments flood and integrating
catchment management for people, farming and wildlife
Day 1.
09:00 - 09:30 Introduction and shared objectives, Institute of Agricultural
Management tbc
09:30 – 10:00 what water governance in our changing climate has to do
with today - current status and future collaboration, Damian Crilly
Catchment Manger Environment Agency and Natalie Foster Open
University
10:00 - 10:30 How the Thames and its tributaries floods and a view for a
catchment approach, Amanda Nobbs Chair Thames Regional Flood and
Coastal Committee and Dominic Martyn Environment Agency tbc
10:30 – 11:00 comfort break with tea, coffee and soft drinks and building
relationships
Practical integrated catchment examples in progress:
 11:00 - 11:40 Pontbrent, a farmer led project, Mike Richards Coed
Cymru

11:40 - 12:20 Water Friendly Farming Simon Bonney, Catchment
Delivery Manager Environment Agency

12:20 - 12:50 Rebuilding living soil and how and how this helps
farm and energy production, manage flooding and improve
biodiversity, Jenny Phelps Upper Thames Catchment Partnership
and Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group and Rob Richmond
Farmer and Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust
12:50 – 13:45 Lunch provided tbc

13:45 - 14:30 Evenlode project and opportunities with catchment
partnerships, Vaughan Lewis Windrush Aquatic Environmental
Consultancy, Jo Old Environment Agency and Hillary Phillips Wild
Oxfordshire
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7 February 2017
Draft programme for joint events between professional institutes, partnerships and
committees involved in farming, flooding and the environment

14:30 - 15:15 Local authority successes – Stroud District Council
Chris Uttley and Anne Wheeler Chair Severn and Wye RFCC
16:30 – 18:30 Site visit to see Thames River of Life floodplain restoration
and diffuse pollution project, Graham Scholey
19:00 Evening meal, Shillingford Hotel
TBC: Belford runoff attenuation, Paul Quinn and Peter Kerr; Holinocote
project National Trust, Nigel Hester; Pickering Tom Nisbet, Upper Derwent
Pilot, Lewisham County Council
Day 2.
09:30 - 10:15 CIWEM dredging report and findings, Alasdair Chisholm tbc
10:15 - 11:00 Catchment delivery – natural flood management and
working with natural processes for multiple benefits, Lydia BurgessGamble
11:00 - 11:30 comfort break with tea, coffee and soft drinks and building
relationships
11:30-12:15 Natural capital and payments for ecosystem services, Mark
Everard
12:15 to 13:15 Lunch
13:15 - 15:15 Workshops - working together on our programmes and
projects – discussion around mapped programmes, examples of work and
exploring future opportunities to add value to work on the ground
15:15 – 15:45 discussion and close, Dominic Martyn Environment Agency
/ Amanda Nobbs Chair Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee tbc
15:45 close
Project appraisal and evaluation built in, top tips and costed lessons learnt
shared during presentations. Focus on the outputs and outcomes of
projects like benefits to farmers, wider community, standard of flood risk
protection and environmental outcomes
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7 February 2017
Draft programme for joint events between professional institutes, partnerships and
committees involved in farming, flooding and the environment
Workshop 2 – Bypass channels and removing weirs for flood
management, hydropower and the ecology
Introduction, global scene and shared outcomes - Jim Gregory
1. Fish and ecology passage and structures, current best practice appraisal
and evaluation, Martin Lucas
2. Applying lessons learnt for flood bypasses, Jo Larmour tbc
3. Cost effective hydropower measures and results, Kennet landowner tbc
4. Salmon to Sheffield v the Thames - cultural and heritage value, Martin
Slater Environment Agency
5. Landowner cost effective delivery, Pete King/landowner tbc
6. Severn, Irwell and Medlock, Kennet and Wandle/Hogsmill catchment
approach, Tony Bostock/Mike, Olly Southgate, Bella Davies and Paul St
Pierre tbc
7. Arborfield on Loddon, Dom Martyn
8. Funding opportunities realised, possibly Heritage Lottery Fund tbc
9. Workshops on optimising programmes and projects – facilitated tbc
10. Costing lessons learnt, feedback and actions tbc
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7 February 2017
Draft programme for joint events between professional institutes, partnerships and
committees involved in farming, flooding and the environment
Appendix 4. Target audience (open to all) for advertising and engagement:
Chartered Institution of Water and Environment Management
Institute of Agricultural Management
Institute of Fisheries Management
Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environment Management
International Farm Management Association
Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, RFCC Conservation Leads: Thames and Severn and
Wye Regional Flood and Coastal Committee Chairs – including Secretaries and Area
Manager Leads
National River Basin District Liaison Panel – including EA Lead/secretary and Lead Area
National Catchment Based Approach Support Group and Catchment Partnerships
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group
Society for the Environment
River Restoration Centre
British Institute of Agricultural Management (BIAC)
Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC)
National Farmers Union
Country Land Owners Association
Tenant Farmers Association
British Geological Society
Institute of Civil Engineers
Academic partnership network
The Rivers Trusts
Wildlife Trusts
Members of Parliament
Local Enterprise Partnerships
Local Government Association
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7 February 2017
Draft programme for joint events between professional institutes, partnerships and
committees involved in farming, flooding and the environment