Projects

The Cycleau Project

Dart Estuary Environmental Management
(DEEM) was a partner in large European project called the Cycleau Project.

The Cycleau Project -
What was it and what did it do?

The Cycleau Project was a partnership of research institutions, community development organisations and statutory agencies, working together to develop and demonstrate common methods to sustainably manage estuaries and their catchments. The project ran for three years from 2003-2006. It involved eleven river catchments and their estuaries in England (Devon and Cornwall), France (SW Brittany) and Ireland (North Mayo).

The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), which came into force at the end of 2000 and is scheduled for full implementation by 2015, guided the project. The Directive affects the way in which all EU countries manage water resources. It is said to be one of the most significant and far reaching pieces of environmental legislation to emerge in recent years.

The WFD recognises that water is a precious common asset and we all contribute to it in one form or another. It also recognises that the ways water is used and recycled has an impact on our coasts and seas. This aspect is investigated further in Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM).

The Cycleau Project assessed the many varied ways in which we use water and developed 'best practice' methods for the management of it. It drew on the knowledge of many different disciplines and the experience of communities and organisations in a number of other countries. The outcomes of the project and further information about the constituent parties can be found on the Cycleau corporate website.

How did the Project work and what did it do for the Dart?

• There were three common themes to all the work.

• Catchment Profiling
• Risk Assessment
• Target Setting

• Other themes, taken up by individual partners, looked at specific actions within:

• Physical Processes
• Diffuse Pollution
• Acute Pollution
• Habitats
• Public Access and Recreation
• Stakeholder and Public Participation

More details of the work undertaken on the Dart, as part of the Cycleau project can be seen in our Tidelines newsletter, Tidelines archive for that period.

Find out more about Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT), our other Cycleau partner in the River Dart.

DEEM also contributed to the (DWT) Dart Catchment Action Plan, a major part of the Stakeholder and Public Participation theme. The Action Plan was launched in September 2004 at the first Dart Water Festival. We introduced this in our newsletter, Tidelines Autumn 2004. Under that same theme, DEEM is looking at different shellfisheries to see what benefits environmental improvements can make to the industry.