The strategy
This section provides an overview of the
strategic approach DPMAG is developing to mitigate rural diffuse
pollution and to achieve our objectives.
The need for a strategic approach
Diffuse pollution was highlighted as a major
impact on the Scottish water environment in characterisation reports in 2005, and significant water management issues reports in
2007. Since then work has continued to develop measures to address
diffuse pollution through a number of routes such as regulation,
economic support and catchment management initiatives. The river basin management plans published in 2009
set clear and ambitious targets for environmental improvement
through the reduction of diffuse pollution in Scotland.
A wide range of factors influence or are
affected by diffuse pollution, including:
- economic forces and incentives;
- cross-compliance requirements;
- regulations;
- a wide range of stakeholder interests (eg fishing, drinking
water, conservation, forestry and agricultural).
These factors, coupled with the nature and
extent of diffuse pollution sources, make it clear that a national,
strategic and co-ordinated approach is required.
This plan must enable us to integrate the
factors that influence diffuse pollution and co-ordinate resources
in Scotland so they are used effectively. Clear and consistent
messages must be delivered to land managers by all
organisations.
The strategy outlines how we will approach the
management of diffuse pollution. The action plan and communications
plan detail who will do what, where and when. DPMAG will
continuously developed the strategic approach described in this
plan.
Summary of the strategy to manage rural diffuse pollution
The strategy will involve national
co-ordination and management of diffuse pollution through DPMAG.
The roles of the key stakeholders in this work are outlined in
Appendix 3. This will mean we:
- continue to improve our understanding of the causes of diffuse
pollution across Scotland and monitor change;
- co-ordinate our resources (science, economic support, provision
of advice, and regulatory support);
- develop and deliver a communications strategy and national and
local communications plans.
The actions set out in this plan will be
delivered through activities at a national and a local level. The
strategy relies on the effective coordination of awareness raising,
economic measures and regulation. Figure 1 summarises how we expect
these elements to result in land managers making changes to the
existing management practices to address diffuse pollution.
Figure 1:
Implementation of the strategy
To ensure we identify and target resources
effectively we have identified three types of water body:
- water bodies
currently at good or high status where no deterioration in status
is allowed;
- water bodies
currently less than good status but where the scale of improvement
in the status is relatively small and can be reached with
compliance with the Diffuse Pollution General Binding
Rules (DP
GBRs);
- water bodies
currently less than good and where the status is not expected to
reach good status without significant change in land management
practices.
We have also used information on the effect of
diffuse pollution on the condition of protected areas. This has
identified areas of Scotland where we have evidence that diffuse
pollution is affecting, or has the potential to affect, water used
for drinking water supplies, bathing waters or habitats and species
important on a European scale.
A two tiered approach has been developed to
target protection and improvements to water bodies in these
categories. The tiers are:
- a national campaign of awareness raising, guidance, training
and inspections in relation to the impacts of diffuse
pollution;
- a targeted
catchment approach (priority catchment approach) with a sequential
process of evidence gathering, awareness raising, and farm visits
to identify hotspots, target measures and provide one to one
advice.
It is expected
that actions as a consequence of the national awareness raising
campaign will prevent water bodies from deteriorating in status and
will result in improvements in status where water bodies are close
to a status boundary.
The focused
catchment approach will be required to ensure sufficient changes
are made to land management practices in order to make the
improvements. Further information on these elements of the plan can
be found in Section 5 and Section 6 of this document. The use of
national and focused work to achieve improvements is summarised in
Figure 2.
Figure 2: Summary of the two tier approach
Through the national campaign, DPMAG will
ensure the coordination of activities to reduce diffuse pollution
on protected areas across Scotland.
Action area 1: DPMAG will
co-ordinate activities to reduce diffuse pollution in protected
areas
Developing and reviewing measures nationally
Nationally DPMAG will work together as a
group, through sub-groups or as member organisations to ensure the
co-ordination of resources focusing on specific areas such as
funding, research, resources for training and advice, effective
communication and regulation enforcement and developing a national
communications plan and process for working in priority
catchments.
The process relies on:
- a sound evidence base to link cause and effect;
- clear information;
- an effective communication strategy that ensures land managers
are aware of the problems and their roles, and the benefits;
- appropriate regulatory measures;
- appropriate guidance and advice;
- economic support processes aligned to priorities and most
effective methods of reducing diffuse pollution;
- sector buy-in and assistance with communication and
co-ordination of the strategy.
Action area 2: DPMAG
will review and aim to influence the range of national measures
available including advice, incentive and regulation to ensure the
management of diffuse pollution is effective.
Economic measures to support changes in land management
The Scotland Rural Development Programme
(SRDP) contains several measures to benefit water quality. For the
purposes of this document, Land Manager’s Options (LMO) will be
considered as part of the national campaign and Rural Priorities
(RP) as part of the targeted priority catchment approach.
LMO provides support for the provision of
economic, social and environmental improvements across Scotland.
Land managers can apply for funding on a range of options under LMO
with a maximum allowance for the business. They are non-competitive
and open to all land managers with land in Scotland. Options
available include several which, if appropriately sited, will
contribute to water quality improvement. These include retention of
winter stubbles, management of grass margins, beetle-banks in
arable fields and management of conservation headlands.
Cross Compliance is made up of a series of
statutory management requirements (existing legislative standards
relating to public health, animal and plant health, environmental
protection and animal welfare) and Good Agricultural and
Environmental Conditions standards (GAEC). GAEC measures are
mandatory and must be followed in order to comply with Cross
Compliance. Several GAEC measures relate to soil quality and as
such are relevant to diffuse pollution control.
The national awareness raising campaign will
also promote and provide guidance on the SRDP measures relevant to
water quality and GAEC.
SEPA has received funding from the Scottish
Government to restore and enhance the condition of Scotland's water
environment. The restoration fund aims to deliver improvements to
rivers, lochs, estuaries and coastal and wetland environments. In
some circumstances this scheme can also be used to fund measures to
prevent diffuse pollution.
A review and assessment of several of the
available measures, particularly the SRDP and GAEC, will be carried
out to assess how they can best be utilised in the proposed
strategy.
Action area 3: DPMAG will
review effectiveness of economic measures influencing diffuse
pollution mitigation eg SRDP, cross compliance, restoration
fund.
Regulation of diffuse pollution
The DP GBRs are central to the strategic
approach we are taking to reduce diffuse pollution in Scotland.
They set a statutory level of good practice which is expected to be
in place nationally. A national compliance assessment of the DP
GBRs is undertaken through the SEARS partnership. The effectiveness
of DP GBRs will be assessed and reviewed through this plan.
Advice on diffuse pollution
Advisory support to land managers can greatly
improve the effectiveness of measures tackling diffuse pollution,
by increasing the likelihood of behavioural change and targeting
measures to the most appropriate locations. Advice is provided to
land managers from several different sources and it is important to
ensure that advisors are appropriately trained and have access to
materials for their clients that deliver a consistent message on
diffuse pollution. The national awareness raising campaign will
need to address these issues.
There may be a need for more targeted advice
to be supplied in priority catchments, where diffuse pollution
pressures are not reduced by compliance with the DP GBRs. There is
a need to review how such advice can be provided.
Action area 4: Review the
advice given to land managers on diffuse pollution and identify
improvements eg in training, materials, funding, targeting,
availability etc.
Research required for further development of the strategy
Continued investment in research, both in
Scotland and internationally, will be required to develop an
accurate and up-to-date evidence base on diffuse pollution. This
should cover the impacts of diffuse pollution and the effectiveness
of measures to tackle it.
Action
area 5.1: DPMAG will work to influence future research in
Scotland and, where possible, in the UK to directly benefit the
management of diffuse pollution.
Action area 5.2: Link
outcomes of research to the strategy and process of managing
diffuse pollution.