UK: DEFRA Confirms Funding for River Restoration Projects

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has created the Catchment Restoration Fund with the aim of reducing pollution that comes from the way land is used and improving the landscape through which water flows.

The Defra fund of £28m fund, providing up to £10m each year, has been allocated for projects to be delivered in 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15.

The fund will support work that aims to:

– restore more natural features in and around waters;

– reduce the impact of man-made structures on wildlife in waters; or

– reduce the impact of small, spread-out (diffuse) sources of pollution that arise from rural and urban land use.

Funding is available to charitable organisations to carry out projects in England that will restore rivers, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, coastal habitats and their surrounding landscapes to more natural conditions, to tackle pollution, restore wildlife habitats and enable fish to migrate.

Land & Water’s Managing Director, James Maclean said after the announcement “This is great news for communities and the environment. As a responsible contractor working on England’s waterways we see far too often the results of neglect and hope that charities will take up this opportunity to return things back to nature.”

Closing date for bids is 29th February. Funding will be awarded by April 30th following assessment by a national panel led by the Environment Agency and representatives from Defra and Natural England.

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Dredging Today Staff, February 8, 2012; Image: land-water