EAST Lancashire’s naturalists are being asked to vote for their favourite countryside waterways.
Blueprint for Water, a coalition of 16 environmental organisations, has urged communities to respond to a consultation on the future of England’s waters, published yesterday by the Environment Agency.
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Colne, from Castle Road looking down onto Foulridge Reservoir Pictures: Jon Thompson
Walkers, cyclists, anglers, boaters and holidaymakers can nominate their preferred rivers, lakes, ponds, beaches and wetlands through the Save Our Waters website.
The scheme is backed by a host of charities and groups including the National Trust, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.
Janina Gray, chair of the Blueprint for Water, said: “Water is vital to our health and wellbeing. Wildlife, farming and our economy all rely on good quality water environment, and we love our waters as places to relax and enjoy.
“Yet currently only 25 per cent of our waters are in good health.
“This is a chance for everyone to send a clear message to the Environment Agency and the Government that Lancashire’s water is important to you and that you want it managed well in future, for everyone’s benefit.”
The group said it wanted to counter the ill effects that many watery places have suffered in recent years due to extreme flooding, drought and pollution.
Colne countryside just beyond the golf course
Miss Gray added: ”Even if people only have a couple of minutes to make their opinion count, it’s easily done via the Save Our Waters website, saveourwaters.org.uk, which has a quick way to log your view, and we’ll pass everyone’s views on to the Environment Agency.
“The Save Our Waters website also has an option for anyone who has a little longer to contribute their views, as well as pages setting out the detailed vision of the scientists and experts as to what good water management in England should look like in the future.”
Other charities supporting the campaign include The Rivers Trust, the Salmon and Trout Association, Waterwise, WWF-UK, the Woodland Trust and The Wildlife Trusts.
The Environment Agency, which will keep open the consultation until next April, said: “The core of the draft plan put forward in this consultation is the update to the status objectives for every water body.”
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