The Diffuse Pollution Focus Area is led by Phil Haygarth ( Lancaster), Tim Burt and Sim Reaney ( Durham University) and Kieran Conlan (Cascade Consulting).

There is growing realisation that whilst the localised restoration of river reaches can be effective in relation to certain ecosystem attributes; there are certain attributes that need a larger scale of analysis. This is enshrined in the  EU Water Framework Directive, which advocates holistic analysis but also applies to any land management activities which are spread across the landscape and are diffuse but which together create particular point problems (e.g. nutrient loading). This element of the CCN project will deliver key learning on new approaches to implementing better land management in order to reduce the point impacts of diffuse activities. It recognizes that the restoration of entire catchments will prove prohibitively expensive unless management activities focus on parts of the catchment where restoration is likely to have most beneficial impact at the catchment scale; and/or use basic process understanding to identify the best form of restoration method.

Workshop III:  Farmers Event at the Crown Inn, Morland near Penrith

A CCN/Eden DTC/pVO   ‘Pie and Pea Supper’ on Thursday  June 23rd  2011  at 7.30pm

Workshop II: Exploring diffuse pollution in the landscape: new initiatives and opportunities

The aim of this event on March 1st 2011 was to facilitate the exchange of knowledge between diffuse pollution researchers at LEC and North East Region England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative (ECSFDI) staff. An afternoon fieldtrip to Crosby Ravensworth allowed participants a tour of the MOPS Project field wetland sites.

A programme and delegate list is available

Workshop I: Exploring Change and Diffuse Pollution

Our first Workshop ‘ Water Quality and Diffuse Pollution’ was held at Lancaster Environmnet Centre in December 2009. The objectives for this event were:

1. Scoping and building new links between the research and practice communities, and forming partnerships where appropriate
2. Defining what we mean by diffuse pollution within CCN and who the key user groups are for different types of guidance
3. Identifying and evaluating existing diffuse pollution guidance
4. Providing a platform where researchers and practitioners can come together to generate knowledge and exchange ideas into the future