Habitat Creation on the Severn Estuary

Lyn JenkinsFlood and Coastal Risk Management

South west Region Habitat Creation Programme

Making Space for Water

Storms and seal level rise = unsustainable sea defences

Cannot defend everywhere Focus on properties

DEFRA targets for operating authorities:

No net loss of biodiversity

Habitat loss and gain balance sheet

Create 800 ha of new habitat over 2008 - 2011 300 ha of saltmarsh and mudflats

Legal obligations: Habitats Regulations

Apply to all Natura 2000 sites:

SPAs for birds, SACs for habitats

Regulation 61:Appropriate Assessment of plans and projects

Habitat Regulations Assessment Required for SMP, FCRM strategy and individual schemes

• Agreed with NE and CCW

• Signed off by Sec of State

and WAG

• Formal process

• IROPI

• Compensatory habitat

Circular 06/05 on biological and geological conservation

Legal duties - Compensatory habitats Maintain extent and integrity of international sites Mitigate effects where possible Compensate for direct impacts of flood defence work

and for coastal squeeze (sea level rise)

Direct effects 10’s hectares, indirect effects of coastal squeeze - 1000’s hectares

Severn estuary: FCRM strategy 140+ kms of flood defences Coastal squeeze on SPA, SAC and RAMSAR Legally required to safeguard European sites Compensate for coastal

squeeze losses

Identify managed

Realignment sites

through FCRM strategy.

Severn estuary: habitat lossSea level rise – 2600 ha loss over the next 100

years

2026 – 700ha lost 2056 – 1300ha 2106 –2600ha

Severn estuary: habitat loss

¾ mudflat and sandflat (10% of resource)

¼ saltmarsh (40% of resource)

Saltmarsh is priority for habitat creation

Displacing freshwater habitats

Bird interest not just confined to designated site

Dependent on supporting habitats: Freshwater grazing marsh behind sea defences High tide roosts

Maintain ecological

integrity of site

FCRM strategy: possible realignments

Identifies potential sites Unsustainable defences Topography Minimal impact on property and infrastructure Ecological suitability

Approximately 40 potential sites identified so far

but few large sites.

Role of the RHCP Habitat Creation programme in each EA region Work with Wales and Midlands to identify viable

sites Work out how they can be delivered

Current target is to create 650 ha 2010 -2030

Managed realignment or no active intervention?

Unpopular policies – protect at all costs Landowners unwilling to accept land loss Do we walk away or manage the process? Realising opportunities through purchase High Level Stewardship Link to sites to gain multiple benefits – access

recreation, landscape …..

Managed realignment: Incentives Agri environment schemes up to £700 /Ha for 20

years Can buy land/property for compensatory habitats Move freshwater marshes inland to build

resilience

Steart Peninsula Bridgwater Bay, Somerset

Protected by a shingle ridge Less than 1 in 10 year

standard Could create up to 500 ha of

new habitat Adjoins Severn estuary SAC

and SPA Strategically important

New approaches: regulated tidal exchange

Allows controlled tidal inundation through a sluice gate

R. Exe at Goose moor Option at Steart Axe estuary wetlands

at Seaton

Delivering habitat creation

Not just the Environment Agency – all operating authorities

Risk if we cannot find sufficient compensatory habitat then flood defence schemes will be delayed

Strategic approach Partnership with Local authorities Links to Local Development frameworks Land allocations

PPS 25 supplement March 2010

Habitat creation in practice

Working with partners

Local authorities have a key role: Identifying opportunities Developing/promoting projects Land allocations in LDF’s Granting planning permissions Planning your own flood defence works Key messages

Living with a changing coast

A vision for the future: Steart

Making space for Water

Not just birds v people Allowing the coastline to move Building natural sea defences – saltmarshes Increasing resilience Habitat creation and wildlife benefits

Adapting to climate change