PINPOINT

Just leaving Cornwall after a week learning how to identify and tackle diffuse pollution of rivers using the PINPOINT method. Its the end of October and the weather has been impresive, hitting 18 to 20 degrees most days. Three of my fellow students spent their mornings swimming off the North coast. It wasn't for me, as much for the 5am starts as anything.

The course was run by the West Country Rivers Trust and the Association of Rivers Trusts. We were given a great insight into the work the West Country Rivers Trust have carried out down in Cornwall and Devon on finding win-win situations with landowners and farmers to reduce inputs of sediments and nutrients to rivers. This improves in-stream habitats and increases Salmon and Trout numbers. It also creates a deeper understanding between farming and conservation creating less polarised views.

It was good to see a variety of farms from high intensity dairy operations to low input extensive organic smallholdings. The contrast between the two was fascinating. We saw how dairy operations can concentrate nutrients over a small area of land whilst more extensive systems gave us a view into a nearly lost pastoral English landscape that provides a true habitat mosaic. What was even more intriguing was the mix of options between the two systems that helped tackle diffuse pollution. Simple measures such as fencing river banks, putting hard coverings around supplementary feeders, sub-soiling to reduce soil compaction and coppicing multi-stem river bank trees to reduce shading and increase ground cover all enhance riparian habitats and break the links between erosion sources and watercourses.

Its now the turn of myself and my fellow students and rivers trusts colleagues to roll out similar schemes around the country. Its only by working with agricultural communities that we will find ways to reduce diffuse pollution without impacting on farm incomes. Many of the options available will even save time and money.