4-Aug-2006
- The Environment Agency has chosen the River
Wye as one of nine priority river catchments in
need of water quality improvements. Ioan Williams
is our Catchment Co-ordinator, who will work with
farmers in order to reduce the impacts of diffuse
pollution in the area. His role is to provide
guidance only, and will not involve compliance
inspections or regulatory work.
The guidance given to farmers
under the project is free of charge and will help
them to comply with current regulations, as well
as possibly save them money by looking at cost
effective changes that could benefit both the
environment and the farmer’s pocket.
Ioan will start by looking at
the specific areas of the Wye catchment in Wales
that are most at risk, starting with the rivers
Ithon and Mithil, near Llandrindod Wells. He will
be working alongside Sarah Olney, Catchment Officer
for the River Lugg, who is employed by the English
Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative
( ECSFDI).
Ioan says: ‘I’ll be aiming to
help farmers comply with the increased number
of regulations in place today. I will be discussing
issues such as run-off from fields and yards.
I’ll be able to give advice on grant aid that
is available for fencing and coppicing near streams
and rivers. In addition, I’m happy to discuss
the Tir Gofal and Tir Cynnal agri-environment
schemes.’
Any farmer who would like to know more about the
project, should contact Ioan on 029 2058 2754.
Martin Watkins
