North Devon Focus Area Project
Partners - North Devon UNESCO Biosphere, Environment Agency, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and local farmers

Beginning in 2015/16 (year 1) the project is now the North Devon Focus Area Project and in its sixth year (2020/21) with it's focus area in the Rye and Chelfham stream catchments.

This work is helping to reduce diffuse pollution from agriculture, create new wildlife habitats, and reduce flood risk. The project area is shown in the map below.

Typical sources of water that can be treated are:

• Run off from lightly contaminated concrete
• Run off from farm tracks
• Run off from fields
• Machinery washing areas
• Run off from animal handling areas
  
• Roof drainage from pig/poultry housing
  

YouTube video "Creating New Farm Wetlands" showing some of the projects undertaken in year 1 of the Estuary Project

FOCUS AREA MAP (click to enlarge)

Constructed wetland funded by the Estuary Project in 2015/16

Benefits of the scheme are;

• Better water quality leaving your farm for shellfish
• Grants and advice available
• Reduced pollution by nutrients, FIO’s (faecal indicator organisms) and some pesticides
• Reduced costs and reduced risk of prosecution
• Reduced frequency of flooding downstream
• Increases habitats and wildlife on your farm
• Improved water quality in the Estuary for recreational activities

Project workshops to facilitate landowner discussions

Looking at new hedgerows with the Devon Hedge Group discussing their benefits to flood management

The project is supporting various techniques to reduce diffuse pollution and soil erosion including:

Simple interventions:

• Guttering
• Yard drainage
• Settlement tanks
• Pipework
• Watercourse fencing

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Larger interventions:

• Sediment ponds
• Wetlands
• Swales
• Woodland planting
• Bunds/embankments

All these measures can reduce water pollution from agriculture as well as improving the soil structure and offering secondary benefits such as encouraging wildlife and reducing flood risk to downstream communities such as Barnstaple. 

Depending on the nature of individual farms, the wastewater, designs will vary in complexity from those you can easily create yourself, to something which requires more technical support which is available from the project.

Constructed baffle ditch funded by the Estuary Project 2017/18

Project Reports

North Devon Focus Area Project Year 5 Report
File Size:	1970 kb
File Type:	pdf

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North Devon Focus Area Project Year 4 Report
File Size:	3124 kb
File Type:	pdf

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North Devon Estuary Project Year 3 Report
File Size:	27715 kb
File Type:	pdf

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North Devon Estuary Project Year 2 Report
File Size:	8245 kb
File Type:	pdf

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North Devon Estuary Project Year 1 Report
File Size:	3964 kb
File Type:	pdf

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Workshop in year 4 discussing riparian buffer strips and leaky log dam measures

Sophia Craddock: 01271 388495 or 01271 388647  Email: sophia.j.craddock@devon.gov.uk