Blue Health: Water, Health & Well-being – Sustainable Drainage Systems
There is increasing interest in exploring the health and well-being impacts of water in the environment (blue health), including the potential of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) to enhance amenity for residents. Blue health research is relatively new, and the purpose of this project was to review the literature and draw together any research evidence about the health impacts of SUDS.
Blue Health: Water, Health & Well-being – Flood Risk, Mental Health & Well-being
Qualitative studies on health and social impacts of flooding show that flood disasters, and associated experiences, can have severe and long-lasting social and health impacts, with emotional and psychological impacts often being more severe and longer lasting (e.g. 4 years) than physical damage to property, lives and health. The effects can include shock and disbelief, uncertainty, grief and loss, emotional exhaustion, loss of hope and meaning, General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), alarm, resistance and exhaustion.
Blue Health: Water, Health & Well-being
This research reviews the evidence base for both positive and negative relationships between water in the landscape, health and well-being (termed blue health). Water is important for human health, both physiologically and psychologically; however, much of the research on blue health has focused on pathogenic associations between water and health i.e. the effects of environmental toxicology and poor water quality on disease and illness.
Scotland’s rivers, coasts and seas provide a critical resource for a range of human activities. In the past, links between human activities and the environment have been poorly managed, leading to a legacy of degradation. Global changes are giving rise to a range of new challenges such as increased flooding from sea level rise and storminess and proliferation of invasive or non-native species. Catchments are inextricably linked to coasts by the flow of materials, energy, nutrients and species through the medium of water.
In the last decade, catchment management has seen a wealth of new “top-down” legislation and policy initiatives, such as the EU Water Framework Directive, to take forward emerging demands for better integration and delivery of multiple benefits for society and the environment at the catchment scale. In parallel, there has been a growth of “bottom up” initiatives, some of these now representing advanced integrated approaches to Integrated Catchment Management (ICM), for example, Tweed Forum, the West Country Rivers Trust and the Association of Rivers Trusts. The CATCH-II project represents a key opportunity to further learn from existing ICM experience, and contribute to the challenge of making catchment management relevant to practitioners.
CATCH II: stakeholders’ perceptions of connections for integrated catchment management
This 6 page report describes a survey which examines views and insights related to integrated catchment management. Integrated catchment management (ICM) is a popular way of managing our resources, and entails making various connections between sectors, stakeholders, policy and practitioners. Making all these connections is challenging. Part of the CATCH II project aimed to elicit views about connecting insights, processes and planning for the delivery of integrated catchment management (ICM), from a variety of stakeholders connected with planning and implementing of ICM. Views were obtained via a questionnaire survey. This report provides details of the questionnaire, findings and recommendations.
In the last decade, catchment management has seen a wealth of new “top-down” legislation and policy initiatives, such as the EU Water Framework Directive, to take forward emerging demands for better integration and delivery of multiple benefits for society and the environment at the catchment scale. In parallel, there has been a growth of “bottom up”
initiatives, some of these now representing advanced approaches to Integrated Catchment Management (ICM), for example, Tweed Forum, the Westcountry Rivers Trust and Association of Rivers Trusts (now called the Rivers Trust). The CATCH-II project represents a key opportunity to further learn from existing ICM experience, and contribute to the challenge of making catchment management relevant to practitioners.
Coastal Flooding in Scotland: A guidance document for coastal practitioners
The purpose of this guidance is to provide the most up-to-date knowledge and information relating to coastal flooding in Scotland ensuring that the information in this field is based on the best available scientific evidence. In particular, this aims to synthesise existing science and research on issues relevant to climate change, sea level rise, coastal flooding, coastal erosion and flood defences together with strategies of coastal adaptation.
A farmer focus group was held on 22nd February 2012 to share knowledge and understanding of diffuse pollution issues and management opportunities in the Water of Fail catchment, Ayrshire. The aims of this evening workshop were to: (I) update the farming community in the Water of Fail catchment on findings from the recent SEPA one-to-one visits; (II) raise awareness about potential funding opportunities for implementing on-farm measures to reduce diffuse pollution impacts; and (III) share
experiences of land and water management from across academic, farmer, catchment stakeholder and regulator perspectives.
'The Scottish Rivers Handbook’ produced by the James Hutton Institute and the University of Stirling for CREW, is an accessible, fully illustrated 36 page book that gives an overview of the physical character of Scotland’s rivers. The book aims to educate people on working with river processes and natural forms in a sympathetic manner through explaining their natural forms, functions and benefits to society
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