Posts tagged environment
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN – REFERENDUM
THE DATE FOR THE REFERENDUM ON BIGBURY’S NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN HAS BEEN SET FOR THURSDAY 27TH FEBRUARY 2020.
If you value the opportunity to exercise greater control on development within our parish, please go along to the Memorial Hall, StAnn’s Chapel, and vote.
Tidal Road clean up – 12th January 2020
The Aune Conservation Association will be organising its usual New Year clean up along the Tidal Road on Sunday 12th January at 11.30am. Low Water will be around 1300h. Everybody is welcome to join in but please take note of our safety guidelines – ACA-BEACH-CLEANS3.
We usually have one group starting from Timbers car park at AG to work downstream towards the stakes at Milburn Orchard and another starting from the Milburn Orchard car park, working back to AG. Subsequently, a congenial meeting of the two teams in the Fisherman’s Rest would be a good way to start the afternoon.
South Hams Awash with Excellence
Issued: 27 November 2019
A fantastic result for the South Hams as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announces this year’s bathing water quality results. 16 South Hams beaches have been graded as Excellent, the highest possible rating, with one more achieving a commendable Good rating. (Ed. Importantly, Bigbury South, Bigbury North, Challaborough and Bantham all achieved an EXCELLENT status).
South Hams bathing waters consistently achieve high ratings in the annual water quality tests, and all beaches have also met strict bathing water quality standards.
From May to September, the Environment Agency check the water quality regularly at all of the District’s beaches.
The most significant improvement in the past few year’s results has been Wembury; which two years ago received a Sufficient rating. It has improved year on year with Good last year and achieving Excellent for this set of results.
These quality results are great news for residents and visitors alike to keep enjoying the waters in the knowledge that they are clean and healthy to swim and play in.
Ian Luscombe, Head of Practice for Environmental Health at South Hams District Council, said: “These are really fantastic results which reflect the effort South Hams District Council, beach owners and our partners put into looking after our beautiful coastline.
“I’m confident the excellent water quality will encourage residents and visitors to continue to visit the District’s beaches next year, which we’re privileged to have on our doorstep.”
Check the water quality standards for other beaches locally and nationally on the Environment Agency’s Bathing Water Explorer website at: http://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/
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Ash die-back & replacement tree planting: a message from DCC
Ash die-back is one of a series of diseases which pose a huge risk to Devon’s trees. With the disease already widely distributed across the county, we expect over 90% our native ash trees to be lost over the coming years.
DCC is working closely with the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum to promote awareness of the disease and to encourage timely action to address the public safety and environmental implications. If you would like more information, please take a look at the new web site at: www.devonashdieback.org.uk
A digital ‘postcard’ is available here:- Ash Dieback Postcard A6 proof2, in case you would like to forward it on to others.
Promoting Tree Planting
Never before has there been a more urgent need to promote new tree planting, particularly to help compensate for the millions of ash trees that will be lost across Devon, but also in response to the Devon Climate Emergency.
We will be launching a ‘Free Tree Scheme’ over the coming week, working in partnership with The Woodland Trust. Packs of native broadleaves will be supplied to property / land owners who are willing to plant and maintain these. Although only a small-scale ‘trial’ in the first instance, we will be working with the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum to extend this over the coming few years. We also hope to encourage a few Parish / Town Councils to plant a ‘landmark tree’ (i.e. specimen trees, intended to be planted in prominent locations with public visibility and access), by also making these available free of charge. Details of these schemes will be published on the ash dieback web (link above).
Agreed – A Plan for Slapton
Funding to plan the future of the Slapton Line in the event of further damaging storms has been secured by the Slapton Line Partnership (SLP).
The SLP are delighted to announce that funding has been secured from the Environment Agency, South Hams District Council (SHDC) and Devon County Council to allow for the recruitment of an Adaptation Manager.
The purpose of this new post will be to work closely with the community and the Partnership to help to ease traffic issues and to create positive changes to prepare for the future loss of the Slapton Line A379 road.
The post will be hosted by the South Devon Area of National Beauty (AONB).
A study has shown that there is now no room left to move the road following the severe storm of 2018 which devastated 700m of the highway and made it necessary to move it up 20m closer to the edge of Slapton Ley. Though it is impossible to predict when damage will occur, sea level rise and changing weather patterns will lead to the road being increasingly at risk.
As a result the Partnership have had to create a new plan of action for the future and accepts that, if another storm badly damages the road and it can’t be easily repaired, the road is unlikely to be replaced again.
The Partnership knows that this would have a huge impact on local communities and road users, so they have created an Adaptation Plan. This has been informed by suggestions from the community at a series of recent workshops to reduce the impact and make changes to help the communities thrive after the road has gone.
Significant funding has already been used to improve passing places and road surfaces along alternative routes and some improvements will continue to be made.
Cllr Julian Brazil, SHDC Ward Member for Stokenham, said: “If the road goes then we have to have a plan B. It is vital to support the local businesses and local communities. This funding will help us prepare for the future. We hope for the best but we must plan for the worst.”
Cllr Richard Foss, SHDC Ward Member for Allington and Strete, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to help fund the Adaptation Manager. We do need to adapt to changing circumstances and having someone on the ground to support our communities and businesses is a great start to moving forward. I can assure residents that I will do my level best to support them wherever I can.”
The role will develop and share the plan through community engagement, look at improving tourism to the area and support businesses on how they can adapt to the changing area. They will also look at how they can improve road signage and access to the area’s villages and tourist destinations. Car parking and public transport to accommodate residents and visitors will also be investigated.
Martin Davies, Environment Agency’s, Flood and Coastal Risk Management Advisor, said: “We recognise the potential impact of change along this important stretch of coastline and continue to support Slapton Line Partnership and communities to adapt to coastal change.
“The Adaptation Manager is an important role, supported by the South West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, to help manage change locally and to learn lessons for other sites which could be affected by the impacts of coastal and climate change.”
Devon County Council Leader John Hart said: “The re-aligned route of the Slapton Line is much more resilient, however the location will always be vulnerable to the elements. Clearly we hope the road will be in place for many years to come but it makes sense that the Partnership considers how to prepare for the possibility of any damage in the future.”
For more information on the Slapton Line Partnership, please visit: www.slaptonline.org
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The Horror – 1/4 of Grey Bin Waste is Food
7 million tonnes of food waste each year in the UK.
1/4 of the waste in our bin lorries, is food waste that could have been recycled.
End the horror this Hallowe’en and recycle your pumpkin.
As if Hallowe’en wasn’t scary enough. Just think of all that food waste that could have been recycled.
This year you could make a huge difference to the amount of food waste produced in the South Hams, with one simple change: when you’re finished with your pumpkin, either home compost it or put it in your brown bin.
Any kind of food waste can be placed in your brown bin, whether cooked or uncooked, and the material goes to make soil conditioner for use in farms around the UK. You can wrap your food waste in biodegradable food waste bags, or in newspaper if you prefer.
Cllr Keith Baldry, South Ham’s District Council’s Executive Member for Environment, said: “The real horror at Hallowe’en is the tragic waste of so many pumpkins, which could have been recycled into soil conditioner to grow more for next year. Around the South Hams we still see approximately a quarter of food waste placed in the grey bin, so by putting your pumpkin in the brown bin this year, you could make a real difference.”
And if you’re wondering what to do with the inside of your pumpkins? Well, why not make some delicious pumpkin soup, pie or curry? The possibilities are endless – just search pumpkin on www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipes
Don’t let your pumpkin become another Hallowe’en horror – recycle for the South Hams!
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The water conservation challenge
At a recent ‘Water Resilience Summit”, organised by the Westcountry Rivers Trust, there was concern expressed about the impact of climate change on the future availability of water for domestic use. Wildly fluctuating temperatures and rainfall patterns mean that water supply may become much more unpredictable and problematic. Water companies can control supplies through management of supply (quantity & quality) and delivery (improving infrastructure, reducing leaks, better treatment methods) but demand is largely in the hands of consumers. Changing demographics and socio-economic trends have meant that the national UK average for an individual’s daily water consumption is 140 litres/day (l/d). Denmark’s equivalent is only 88l/d. The UK target is 50 l/d!
What can you to to help meet this ambitious target to ensure that supplies do not run short? The answer’s are obvious: don’t use the bath or, alternatively, share the bath water with a friend; don’t flush the lavatory every time you use it – if it’s yellow, let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down; don’t run the tap when brushing your teeth; use a rain water butt to store water for the garden instead of using tap water; generally, be far more water conservation conscious and pass the message on to others.
By the use of relatively small measures, everybody can help to secure a water resilient future for our children and grandchildren.
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