| UK. Barton Broad's Clear Water project wins national award |
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| Friday, 24 March 2006 | |
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Waterways news: The Broads Authority's Millennium project to improve the water quality on Barton Broad has won a prestigious national award. The Clear Water project has scooped the Natural Environment category and been commended in the category for Innovation in the 2006 Waterways Renaissance Awards. The Natural Environment category, sponsored by English Nature, soon to be Natural England, aims to recognise and reward a project that demonstrates excellence in improving or restoring the natural environment of inland waterways and which best enhances the natural environment and use of the waterway. The trophy was presented to Andrea Kelly, Broads Authority Conservation Officer by Andy Brown, Chief Executive of English Nature, sponsors of the Natural Environment Category, at a glittering ceremony at Madame Tussauds, in London, on Wednesday (March 22nd) Andrea Kelly, said:" I am absolutely delighted that this innovative and far reaching project has been recognised in this way. It is an excellent example of partnership working at its best and demonstrates what can be achieved for a highly valued water space and its wildlife while embracing a wide range of different interests. This recognition provides a great platform from which to launch our Water Space Management Plan which provides a vision for the broad for the next 20 years." The Awards were established by The Waterways Trust and the British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA) four years ago to recognise and encourage best practice in sustainable waterway development, regeneration and education throughout the UK. Clear Water 2000 was a partnership project involving the Broads Authority, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Anglian Water, the Environment Agency, East of England Development Agency and Norfolk Environmental Waste Services, with involvement by a wide range of stakeholder and community groups. Barton is the second largest of the Broads and the Clear Water project, which has been running since 1995, uses several innovative techniques in waterway conservation and has involved a high level of specialised research. Suction dredging has removed 300,000 cu metres of nutrient rich mud from the bed of the broad to reduce phosphorus release which encourages algal growth. The dredging is encouraging the return of species driven out by the previously high water nutrient levels, as well as improving access for boating by deepening and widening heavily silted navigation channels. Floating fish-proof curtains, submerged cobweb brushes, floating islands and enclosed lagoons have all helped to improve the water quality. Andy Brown, Chief Executive of English Nature, said: "The Barton Broad Clear Water project is a fantastic example of what can be achieved by bringing together different groups - sailors, fishermen, birdwatchers, walkers and ecologists to work out how to improve the Broad. The results speak for themselves - clearer water, more aquatic plants, otters and kingfishers. The Broads Authority are worthy winners of this prestigious Award for their innovative project." A spokes person for the judging panel noted: "Bio-manipulation has been used to create crystal clear waters around the margins of the broad. This has resulted in the return of aquatic plants and bird life. The design of the fish-proof curtain has been carefully considered to avoid a hazard to any boats that stray onto them. They are as unobtrusive as possible to limit their visual impact. This is especially significant because a board walk has been built to improve shore-based visitor access and views of the broad. The Broads Authority has also launched the country's first wheelchair accessible solar powered passenger boat called ' Ra'. "Extensive monitoring and research has shown that biodiversity has been improved and that the fish are thriving. This is also borne out by the experience of local anglers and the reappearance of otters and kingfishers on the broad." John Craven OBE, Vice-President, The Waterways Trust, presenter of BBC's Countryfile, and host of the Awards Ceremony, said: "The 'Waterways Renaissance' owes much of its success to partnership. It is about thousands of people from all walks of life working together to deliver change, whether they are businesses or government agencies, community groups or individuals. Together, these people and organisations have given our waterways a new lease of life - something to be proud of. " The Awards scheme has also received royal support, with HRH The Prince of Wales, Patron of The Waterways Trust, writing the foreword for the Awards brochure. In his foreword The Prince of Wales states: "Through these Awards, The Waterways Trust and BURA have created an excellent way of celebrating and encouraging very best practice in waterway development and regeneration. Our waterways have a magnificent capacity to engage the disengaged. By maximising the engagement, we will help more people derive benefit and enjoyment from our waterways and, in turn, secure the long-term future and sustainability of our canals and rivers. "I congratulate all the finalists and winners of The Waterways Renaissance Awards 2006 and offer my warmest thanks to them for helping to revitalise our treasured inland waterway network." Roger Hanbury, Chief Executive of The Waterways Trust, said: "The modern renaissance of our waterways is transforming the environment, creating education and business opportunities, injecting new life into areas and bringing communities together. As a winner of the Natural Environment category, Barton Broad's 'Clear Water' project is properly recognised as an exemplar and we hope its success will inspire and encourage others to do the same." |
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 24 March 2006 ) |
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