by Bea Davis Programme Manager Headwaters of the

by Bea Davis Programme Manager (Headwaters of the Exe) Exmoor National Park Authority

Project Area

How will we achieve this? 6 strands: • Advice to farmers, foresters and game shoot managers • Capital grants fund • Training events, site visits and demonstrations • Rights of way maintenance • Monitoring (particularly in relation to sewerage) • Control of invasive species

Support for farmers • Contract let to FWAG SW • 50 farm visits • Production of water & environment plans • Access to capital grants scheme • 2 events per year • Next event: • Visit to Pynes Water Treatment Works

Support for woodland game shoot owners/ managers • Provision of advice and plans at 10 sites • Access to capital grants scheme • ENPA woodland management • Support for woodland creation • 4 events/workshops

Capital grants fund • £ 150, 000 over 5 years • Aim is to implement recommendations of water & environment plans • Payment rates based on Countryside Stewardship where possible • Maximum grant £ 2, 500 • Possibility to reapply in future years if uptake is low

Rights of way management • Paths within catchment prioritised • 41 selected and assessed on the ground • Top 20 projects put forward for repair through the project • Minimum of 4. 3 km of path repair work over 4 years

Monitoring and sewerage • Working with volunteers through the Riverfly Partnership and River Exe and Tributaries Association (RETA) • Existing network of survey sites across catchment • New sites targeted at areas of particular concern for water quality • Working with the University of Exeter

Ecological status Working with existing partnership projects to control invasive non-native species: • Signal crayfish • Japanese, Himalayan, giant & lesser knotweed • Himalayan balsam • Montbretia

What’s next? • Advice: Farm - Please talk to the FWAG SW team Forestry/game shoots - Please talk to me • Water Treatment Works visit: Wednesday February 24 th (likely 11 am – 1 pm) Please sign-up or talk to me or Katherine • Water quality video: Please talk to me or Mark if interested • Any queries about the project: Please talk to a member of the team

Thank you for listening. Any questions? For further information please contact: Bea Davis Programme Manager (Headwaters of the Exe) Exmoor National Park Authority Exmoor House, Dulverton, Somerset TA 22 9 HL Tel: 01398 323665 Tel Direct: 01398 322278 Mobile: 07970 099136 Visit Our Website at http: //www. exmoor-nationalpark. gov. uk/