04/08/2005 - When: 2pm
Thursday 11 August
What: Presentation of the Biodiversity Benchmark
to the Environment Agency
Where: Wood Walton Fen
Who: Paul Woodcock, Environment Agency Anglian
Region Director, John Hughes, Honorary Treasurer
of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, Nick
Hammond, Director of The Wildlife Trust for
Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire
and Peterborough and Alan Bowley, Site Manager
The Wildlife Trusts has awarded the Environment
Agency, Anglian Region with its Biodiversity
Benchmark. The award recognises the Agency's
achievement in meeting ten assessment parameters
set by The Wildlife Trusts, demonstrating
its success in taking biodiversity into consideration
in all its land management activities.
The award is being presented at Woodwalton
Fen, a key component of the Great Fen Project.
Woodwalton Fen was used in the assessment
process as an example of the Agency working
in partnership with other organisations to
implement a project which safeguards threatened
habitats and wildlife.
The Wildlife Trusts launched the pioneering
Biodiversity Benchmark in 2003 for organisations
across the UK, enabling businesses, agencies
and others to assess their impact on the natural
world, improve their contribution to the environment
and demonstrate their commitment to biodiversity.
Biodiversity is the wealth of wildlife in
the world around us, from wildflowers and
insects to mammals and birds. Gaining the
Benchmark recognises the Agency's efforts
to ensure that in its everyday operations,
for example: maintaining flood defences, clearing
navigation channels or improving fish habitats,
the wider biodiversity of an area is considered.
The ten-point system includes a self-assessment
process followed by an independent verification,
adding value to existing environmental management
systems. Assessment points include planning,
action, measurement, partnerships and communication.
Agency work used in the assessment process
included: water vole and otter surveys undertaken
before flood risk management operations; a
site management plan for the Nene Washes,
detailing flood defence and maintenance operations
that minimise the effect on biodiversity at
the site; construction of a bridge at Stanground
Wash so that grazing animals can be brought
from one area of the site to another, allowing
the grassland to be better managed leading
to considerable biodiversity improvements
at the site, as well as the work at Woodwalton
Fen.
Paul Woodcock, Environment Agency Anglian
Regional Director said, "We're very proud
to have achieved the Biodiversity Benchmark
set by The Wildlife Trusts. The Benchmark
is an independent assessment of our work.
The tremendous commitment of our staff has
been recognised as they ensure all the work
we undertake, including engineering work for
flood risk management schemes and navigation
maintenance and improvements, takes account
of and positively manages the biodiversity
of areas and wildlife affected.'
The Wildlife Trusts Honorable Treasurer,
John Hughes said, "We are delighted to
award the Biodiversity Benchmark to the Environment
Agency's Anglian Region. The Biodiversity
Benchmark is the first recognised tool of
its kind, an innovation that provides active
support for organisations throughout the process
of integrating biodiversity into their land
management - we hope that many more organisations
will realise its worth and publicly acknowledge
their commitment to the natural environment."
ENDS
Media enquiries for Environment Agency, please
contact Rita Penman or Catherine Burbage on
01733 464357
(during normal office hours, also for emergency
service only, 24 hours)
All Environment Agency news releases, both
regional and national, can be found on our
web site: www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Media enquiries for The Wildlife Trusts,
please contact Jules Acton, PR & Press
Manager on 07917 574837 or email: julesacton@cix.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
1.Directions
Woodwalton Fen National Nature Reserve is
located just west of Ramsey
Heights village in Huntingdonshire.
From Peterborough:
From Norman's Cross A1 Roundabout, just south
of Peterborough
At the roundabout take the third exit to Stilton.
Take a left turn back over the A1, signposted
for Holme.
Follow directions into Holme village.
Travel straight through the village (no need
to take any turns)
Cross over the railway line and in to the
open fen
Follow the road to Ramsey St Mary's
More/…
At the T junction, turn right. At the southern
end of Ramsey Heights you'll come to a left
hand bend with a small road heading off to
the right, signposted 'Countryside
Classroom'
Take this track and follow it all the way
down. At the end you will
rise up onto the bank of the Great Ravely
Drain. Park here.
From Huntingdon:
On the A141 Huntingdon outer ring-road, take
the turn for Kings
Ripton.
Head over the B1090, into Kings Ripton and
out the other side.
Turn left towards the Ravely villages.
Head through the villages and on to Upwood.
On the other side of Upwood take a sharp left
turn to Ramsey Heights.
As soon as you enter Ramsey Heights, turn
left signposted 'Countryside
Classroom'. Take this track and follow it
all the way down. At the end
you will rise up onto the bank of the Great
Ravely Drain. Park here.
Alan Bowley, the Site Manager, will be at
the parking area to meet you
2.Woodwalton Fen
The Great Fen Project aims to restore the
fenland habitat connecting the two National
Nature Reserves of Woodwalton and Holme Fen
to create an expansive site with conservation
and socio-economic benefits. Woodwalton is
one of Britain’s oldest nature reserves, purchased
in 1910, and is a vital habitat to wildlife
that have been lost elsewhere since the draining
of the East Anglian Fen. Through the project
Woodwalton will be returned to a favourable
conservation status after suffering from the
inundation of winter water and the effects
of intensive arable cultivation adjacent to
it.
3. The Great Fen Project will restore over
3,000 hectares of farmland situated between
Huntingdon and Peterborough to fenland wildlife
habitat. This will be achieved by connecting
and enlarging two existing important National
Nature Reserves. The project will combine
nature conservation, tourism, education and
local access and is a Partnership project
run by English Nature, The Wildlife Trusts,
Huntingdonshire District Council and the Environment
Agency.
4. The Environment Agency is the leading
organisation for protecting and improving
the environment in England and Wales. We are
responsible for making sure that air, land
and water are looked after by today’s society,
so that tomorrow’s generations inherit a cleaner,
healthier world.
5. The Wildlife Trusts is a partnership of
47 local Wildlife Trusts across the UK, plus
the Isle of Man and Alderney. Our vision is
‘an environment richer in wildlife for everyone’
The Wildlife Trusts is a partnership of 47
local Wildlife Trusts across the UK, plus
the Isle of Man and Alderney.
Our vision is ‘an environment richer in wildlife
for everyone’ and we’re the largest UK charity
exclusively dedicated to conserving all our
habitats and species, with a membership of
more than 600,000 people including 100,000
junior members.
We campaign for the protection of wildlife
and invest in the future by helping people
of all ages to gain a greater appreciation
and
understanding of wildlife. Collectively,
we also manage more than 2,500 nature reserves
spanning over 80,000 hectares. For further
information about The Wildlife Trusts, please
phone 0870 036 7711 or visit www.wildlifetrusts.org
6. The Wildlife Trusts Biodiversity Benchmark
was launched in October 2003, following extensive
research and consultation with key partners.
The ten-point system includes a self-assessment
process followed by an independent verification,
adding value to existing management systems
and integrating within systems such as IS0
14000 and EMAS. Whilst all organisations have
an impact on the natural environment, biodiversity
issues are often neglected by environmental
management tools. The Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity
Benchmark provides a unique way of filling
the gap, affording significant business benefits
as well as environmental gains.The Benchmark
has been piloted in seven organisations –
regional, national and international – to
ensure its applicability in all situations.
For further information about the Biodiversity
Benchmark, please visitwww.biodiversitybenchmark.org
