Cornwall Rivers Project
Targeting 15 key river
catchments across the county, this initiative
(timetable 2002 - 2005) has been designed to bring
significant benefits to both the environment and
the economic viability of local rural communities
in Cornwall.
A specific objective
of the project is to improve the economic potential
of Cornwall's freshwater fisheries resource, the
development of which relies on a pristine riverine
environment.
The Cornwall Rivers Project has been a 4-year (2002 - 2006), £2.6M project, partly funded by Defra and the EU (E.A.G.G.F.) under the Objective 1 Programme. Its primary aim has been rehabilitation of the key rivers and their catchments across the Objective 1 area while bringing improvement in the economic viability of local rural communities. During the project, Trust staff visited over 870 landholdings in Cornwall, each one receiving a confidential individually tailored and free ‘Integrated River Basin Resource Management Plan’ that identified opportunities to improve farming practice, to protect the environment and to make economic savings. These plans cover a total land area in excess of 560 km2 and over 1,380km of surveyed watercourses.An independent economic survey of the project revealed that the majority of respondents have already made significant savings through taking up our advice – the average annual savings per farm are calculated to be in excess of £1369. If all 870 farms make such savings, the entire cost of the project will be repaid in little over 2 years, representing ongoing sustainability and excellent value for money.The project also set up 8 ongoing demonstration sites, 'Angling 2000' an angling marketing scheme, and education officers were available to teach in schools, on the riverbank and also deliver vocational courses. Explore the website to learn more
A copy of the End of Project leaflet is available to download in PDF format, please click here to download your copy.
