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Ecosystem Services Opportunity Assessment for the River Irwell Catchment
Introduction
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is pioneering an integrated approach to water management in a heavily-urbanised environment. The approach is being delivered through the EU LIFE IP funded “Natural Course” programme, which has an early focus on the Irwell Management Catchment (IMC) including the Rivers Roch, Croal, Medlock and Irk. These rivers flow from the Pennines into central Manchester and onto the River Mersey.
Image Courtesy of TEP/Vivid Economics
The need
The IMC presents a range of water management challenges and opportunities with a large number of waterbodies (sections of river) being heavily modified, which prevents them from reaching the environmental quality standards defined by the EU Water Framework Directive i.e. Good Ecological Potential.
Channel re-naturalisation is amongst the most expensive interventions to deliver and the most disruptive in the short term to the watercourse but has huge long-term benefits both environmentally and economically. Recent projects have addressed this issue including an innovative project to re-naturalise part of the River Medlock within the constraints of its urban infrastructure and flood risk management function.
Picture courtesy of the Environment Agency
Natural Capital Approach
A specific action of Natural Course is to identify opportunities to improve heavily modified rivers and associated floodplains, with a view to improving the “ecosystem services” they provide to society. Rivers and floodplains provide valuable services such as recreation, flood management, amenity, biodiversity, fisheries and even provide a “natural health service” offering an opportunity for people to improve health and wellbeing through contact with the natural environment.
Collectively these ecosystem services can be valued using an approach known as Natural Capital Accounting (NCA). NCA quantifies and describes the multiple benefits flowing to society from the environment. In the context of the River Irwell catchment, improvements to rivers and floodplains can increase their natural capital.
Image courtesy of: http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/PublishingImages/EcosystemServices.jpg
Infographic transcript (opens new page)
Urban Pioneer
Greater Manchester has recently been identified as the Urban Pioneer, one of four Pioneer projects designed to support and inform the development of Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan (25YEP). A key objective of the Pioneers is to test new tools and methods as part of applying a natural capital approach in practice. Natural Course will play a key role supporting delivery of the Urban Pioneer through the use of natural capital accounting and development of an investment strategy and innovative funding models to deliver future re-naturalisation projects.
Greater Manchester already has a wealth of evidence on its natural assets and ecosystem services including Ecosystem Services Pinchpoints, Defra Payment for Ecosystem Services, Defra Local Action Project and GMEU Green and Blue Infrastructure Evidence Base.
The Defra Local Action Pilot Project and BOUNTY tool led by the West Country Rivers Trust have recently been developed for Greater Manchester, focusing on ward level data within the M60 boundary to identify opportunities for ecosystem services. The BOUNTY tool is in the process of development and available to use via a demonstration site.
Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital Opportunity Assessment
TEP and VIVID Economics have been appointed to assess the ecosystem services flowing from the rivers in the Irwell Management Catchment and provide the evidence base to promote investment and delivery of opportunities to protect and enhance its natural capital.
Key outcomes identified from this commission include:
- An improved level of understanding of the scale and value of ESS in the IM
- Opportunities to develop or improve ESS for each of the river valley corridors for the IMC including the Irk, Roch, Medlock, Croal, Irwell.
- Capacity has been built within the Irwell Catchment Partnership and more widely to support the development and prioritisation of projects that will enhance ESS benefits.
- Investment opportunities have been identified which will maximise the value of ESS in the IMC.
The study follows a number of key stages (see adjacent diagram) which ultimately will result in the production of a GIS mapping tool to support the development and prioritisation of future projects in and around the IMC for use by the Irwell Catchment Partnership and other key stakeholders.
The work is being carried out in consultation with a steering group consisting of GMCA, Environment Agency, Natural England, the Canal and Rivers Trust and United Utilities. A workshop was held on 26th September to understand user requirements and how the final outputs, including the Mapping GIS Tool, can be used to identify future opportunities.
The study is expected to be completed by the end of January 2018 in time to inform the next stage of Natural Course supporting the identification, development and delivery of future re-naturalisation projects.
Image Courtesy of TEP/Vivid Economics