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Reports, Publications and Links

Main ContentsSearch the report and main site

In this section:

News Services

Water

Air

Land

Wildlife

Nuisance

Pressures

Spotlights

General

Related parts of this report:

Contributors

How to improve the environment

References

 

Click on any link to open a new browser window. This page will remain in the original window.

The categories 'water', 'air', 'land', 'wildlife', 'environmental nuisances', 'pressures' and 'spotlights' and 'general environmental' have been used to organise the information.

If you have difficulty finding the link you want, searching the site by subject should help (button above)

See also:

Environment News Services

You can now register with many web-based news services, who will update you on the latest news. Here's just a few useful sites:

Info4Local

A free one-stop portal for local authorities and others to get quick & easy access to information on the websites of central government departments, agencies and public bodies.

Register for the email alert service and tailor the service to receive alerts about news that interests you.

http://www.info4local.gov.uk

Edie

A free, personalised, interactive news, information and communication service for water, waste and environmental professionals. Including news on UK, European and international issues.

Register for the email alert service and tailor the service to receive alerts about news that interests you.

http://www.edie.net/index2.html

Earth Observatory

The Earth Observatory brings you the latest data, satellite images and news from around the world. Themes include atmosphere, oceans, land, energy and life.

Register to receive email alerts.

http://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov

Epolitix

Politics portal bringing you the latest general news from Government & a press review service.

Register to receive email alerts.

http://www.epolitix.com

 

Water

Websites

Atlantic Living Coastlines

 

http://www.alc.plymouth.ac.uk/

British Waterways

 

http://www.British-Waterways.org/

Centre for Coastal & Marine Sciences

 

http://ccms.ac.uk

Cttee on toxicology of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products & the Environment (COT)

Committee re-examining the Camelford water contamination incident

http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/committees/cot/summary.htm

Dorset Coast Forum

Various marine information, with links

http://www.dorsetcoast.com

Drinking Waters Inspectorate

new drinking waters report

http://www.dwi.gov.uk/pubs/annrep00/index.htm

Earth Observatory/NASA

 

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/sst.avhrr.html

EnCams (Tidy Britain Group)

 

http://www.encams.org/

Environment Agency (homepage)

 

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk

Environment Agency - bathing waters

Quality and location of bathing waters in the SW (updated fornightly throughout summer)

http://216.31.193.171/asp/1_about_bwd.asp?language=English

Environment Agency - river water quality

Quality of rivers in the SW

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/des/inlwater/rq/index.htm

Good Beach Guide

 

http://www.goodbeachguide.co.uk/Index/home.htm

Lowermoor Subgroup

COT sub-group - looking into the Camelford (Lowermoor) drinking water incident

http://www.doh.gov.uk/cotnonfood/lowermoor.htm

Marine Conservation Society

 

http://www.mcsuk.org/

Maritime & Coastguard Agency

 

http://www.mcagency.org.uk

Ofwat

 

http://www.ofwat.gov.uk

Plymouth Marine Laboratory

 

http://www.npm.ac.uk/

Severn Estuary Strategy

 

http://www.severnestuarystrategy.org.uk

South West Water

 

http://www.south-west-water.co.uk

Water Research Centre (WRc)

 

http://www.wrcplc.co.uk

Water Companies in the South West:

Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water

 

http://www.bwhwater.co.uk/

Bristol Water

 

http://www.bristolwater.co.uk/

Cholderton & District Water

 

no website

Severn Trent plc

 

http://www.severn-trent.com/corp.htm

South West Water

 

http://www.south-west-water.co.uk

Thames Water

 

http://www.thames-water.com/

Wessex Water

 

http://www.wessexwater.co.uk

Sub-regional information:

Bristol City

river water quality

http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/qualityoflife

 

 

 

See also:

Related Reports

'Aquatic eutrophication in England and Wales: A management strategy'. Environment Agency's Environmental Issues Series (2000). 32 pp.

'Enhancing the Environment 2000: Environmental Report' Pennon Group plc (South West Water), 2000. 36pp.

'Policy and Practice for the Protection of Groundwater', Environment Agency (1998) Available from the Stationery Office, price £30

'Protection of water sources', World Health Organisation (WHO) (1995)

'Strategy for the Severn Estuary: consultation draft'. Severn Estuary, 2001. 188 pp.

'Water Resources for the Future: a strategy for the South West Region'. Environment Agency 2001. 92 pp.

Air

Websites

Air Quality Expert Group

AQEG will provide independent scientific advice on air quality, in particular the air pollutants contained in the Air Quality Strategy (AQS) for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and those covered by the EU Directive on ambient air quality assessment and management (the Air Quality Framework Directive).

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/airquality/aqeg/index.htm

Atmospheric Research & Information Centre

 

http://www.doc.mmu.ac.uk/aric/arichome.html

Cornwall Air Quality Forum

 

http://www.cornwall-airquality.org.uk

Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) (tranquility)

 

http://www.cpre.org.uk/

DEFRA's Air Quality Archive

 

http://www.environment.detr.gov.uk/airquality/index.htm

Earth Observatory

first global carbon monoxide measurements

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/New/Images.php3?img_id=4894

EuroAirnet

Status report 2000 (Technical report No 90

http://reports.eea.eu.int/technical report 2003 90

Environment Agency

emissions from Agency-regulated processes

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk

Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards

 

http://www.environment.detr.gov.uk/airq/aqinfo.htm

Leagreen

Research and development on greenhouse gases

http://www.leagreen.co.uk

National Society for Clean Air

 

http://www.mistral.co.uk/nsca/start.htm

NETCEN

 

http://www.aeat.co.uk/netcen/airqual 

For a list of sites, use: /data.auto.html

Renewable Energy Office Cornwall 

 

http://www.reoc.co.uk

University of West England's portal to county-based air quality fora

 

http://www.uwe.ac.uk/aqm/centre

UK air emissions database

 

http://www.rsk.co.uk/ukefd/index.htm

 

Sub-regional information:
(NB addresses here are for air quality data and not necessarily the Council's Website. Not all local authorities have websites).

 

http://www.stanger.co.uk/siteinfo/sites/4/default.asp & http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/Environmental_Consumer

/Air_Pollution/index.html

Bristol City Council

 

http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/airquality and http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/qualityoflife

Caradon District Council

 

http://www.caradon.gov.uk

Carrick District Council

 

http://www.carrick.gov.uk

Cheltenham Borough Council

 

http://www.cheltenham.gov.uk

Exeter City Council

 

http://www.exeter.gov.uk/services/departments/environmentalhealth/airqual.html

Former Districts of Avon

real-time air pollution forecasts

http://www.cerc.co.uk/avon

Gloucester City Council

 

http://www.glos-city.gov.uk

Kennet District Council

 

http://www.kennet.gov.uk

North Wiltshire District Council

 

http://www.uwe.ac.uk/aqm/review/examples/index.html

Plymouth City Council

 

http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/

Purbeck District Council

 

http://www.purbeck-dc.gov.uk/index/index.asp

Sedgemoor District Council (Bridgwater AQMA)

 

http://www.sedgemoor.gov.uk

South Gloucestershire District Council

 

http://www.southglos.gov.uk/airqmenu.htm 

Tewkesbury Borough Council

 

http://www.tewkesburybc.gov.uk

West Somerset District Council

 

http://www.west.somerset.gov.uk

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council

 

http://www.weymouth.gov.uk/air_indx.htm

Related Reports

All Local Authority reports are cited on the relevant local pages.

'Lighting in the Countryside: Towards Good Practice' DETR (now DTLR), available on their Website at http://www.planning.dtlr.gov.uk/litc/

'The Role of the Highways Agency in Local Air Quality Management', DETR. Available from their website at http://www.environment.detr.gov.uk/airq/laqm/ha/index.htm.

'South West Sustainable Development Round Table: Air Quality in South West England' - includes sources of pollution (including the main emitters) in the Region, air quality maps from Netcen, monitoring in the Region and legislative background. Particularly useful for its discussion section. Available on: http://www.uwe.ac.uk/aqm/project/sustainabledevmtdoc.html 

Land

Websites

Community Landscapes Project

Exeter University

http://www.ex.ac.uk/projects/devonclp/

Countryside Agency

Government's advisors on countryside issues

http://www.countryside.gov.uk

Countryside Agency

Guide to the Countryside Rights of Way Act

http://www.countryside.gov.uk/newrights/aguideto/index.htm

Countryside Survey 2000

 

http://www.wildlife-countryside.detr.gov.uk/cs2000/

DEFRA

Agricultural land classifiication

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/landuse/restore/results.pdf

DEFRA

contaminated land pages

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/landliability/index.htm

DTLR

 

http://press.dtlr.gov.uk/0107/lucs-16.htm

English Heritage

 

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk

English Partnerships (regeneration)

 

http://www.englishpartnerships.org.uk

Environment Agency

contaminated land pages

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/landquality/113813/?version=1

Forestry Commission

 

http://www.forestry.gov.uk

Jurassic Coast

Dorset Coast World Heritage Site

http://www.jurassiccoast.com

Local Government

 

http://www.info4local.gov.uk/search report

National Land Use database

 

http://www.nlud.org.uk

National Soil Resources Institute

 

http://www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk/nsri/

National Trust

 

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Research Groups (various/geograhically based)

Exeter University

http://www.ex.ac.uk/geography/welcome.html

Soil Survey and Land Research Centre

 

http://www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk/sslrc

Soil Ecology Group

Exeter University

http://www.exeter.ac.uk/biology/research_groups/soil_ecology_group.htm

UNESCO

list & descriptions of all World Heritage Sites

http://www.unesco.org/whc/nwhc/pages/doc/mainf3.htm

Sub-regional information:

Bristol City

contaminated land

http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/qualityoflife

Dartmoor National Park Authority

 

http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk

Exmoor National Park Authority

 

http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk

Related Reports

'Broadleaf Woodlands: the implications for water quantity and quality'. Environment Agency R&D publication no. 5. Published by TSO. 37pp (price £28)

'Countryside Character: Volume 8: South West'. 211 pages. Available from the Countryside Agency (tel: 01604 781848), price £15.

'Draft Soil Strategy for England: a consultation paper' Available on DEFRA's website at http://www.environment.detr.gov.uk/consult/dss/index.htm

'Forestry Briefing' Forestry Commission (national information only)

'Forest Nature Conservation' Forestry Commission, 1990. Published by HMSO. 36pp (price £5.25)

'The UK Forestry Standard: the Government's approach to sustainable forestry' The Forestry Authority, 1998 (price £5)

Wildlife

Websites

Biodiversity Challenge

 

http://www.biodiversity-challenge.org.uk/

British Trust for Ornithology

 

http://www.bto.org/

Butterfly Conservation

 

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org

 

http://www.ceh-nerc.ac.uk

Eden Project

 

http://www.edenproject.com

 

http://www.english-nature.org.uk

Environment Agency
- fisheries pages

 

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/fish/?lang=_e

Environmental and Molecular Fish
Biology Group

Exeter University

http://www.ex.ac.uk/emfb/index.html

Fish Physiology Group

Exeter University

http://www.exeter.ac.uk/biology/brown/index.htm

Joint Nature Conservation Committee

Government's advisers on wildlife

http://www.jncc.gov.uk

 

http://www.nbn.org.uk

Exeter Parasitology Group

Exeter University

http://www.ex.ac.uk/~jrsteve0/JRS.html

Plantlife

 

http://www.plantlife.org.uk

River Exe and Tributaries Association

 

no website

RSPB

Includes State of the UK's Birds (in conservation page)

http://www.rspb.org.uk 

Seaquest South West

Joint project between Devon & Cornwall Wildlife Trusts, recording movements of larger sea animals

http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/cornwall/marine/index.htm

Somerset Environmental Records Centre

SERC is the centre of reference for all information relating to wildlife and biodiversity in Somerset.

http://www.somerc.com/

Westcountry Rivers Trust

an 'ecosystem approach' to managing air, water and living resources

http://www.wrt.org.uk

UK Biodiversity Website

 

http://www.ukbap.org.uk/

Wildnet

Wildlife & nature website for SW England

http://www.wildnet.info

 

http://wwf-uk.org

Sub-regional information:

Avon Wildlife Trust

 

http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/avon/

Bristol City

 

http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/qualityoflife

 

http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/cornwall

Devon Wildlife Trust

 

http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org

 

http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/dorset

 

http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/gloucswt

 

http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/somerset

 

http://www.wiltshire-web.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Related reports

 

'Action for biodiversity in the South West: a series of habitat and species plans to guide delivery' - L Cordrey (ed), 1997. RSPB

 

'The biodiversity of the South West: an audit of the South-West biological resource' - L. Cordrey (ed), 1996 Prepared by RSPB, County Wildlife Trusts and the South West Regional Planning Conference.

 

'Natural Area' reports, by English Nature, are available from them for:

    Bristol, Avon Valley & Ridges

    Mendip Hills

    Somerset Levels & Moors

    Mid Somerset Hills

    Exmoor & the Quantocks

    Vale of Taunton & Quantock Fringes

    Bridgwater Bay

    Severn Estuary

    Dorset Heaths

    Isles of Portland & Purbeck

    Wessex Vales

    South Dorset Coast

    Blackdowns

    Devon Redlands

    Dartmoor South Devon

    The Culm

    Bodmin Moor

    Cornish Killas & Granites

    West Penwith

    The Lizard

    Lyme Bay

    Start Point to Lands End

    Isles of Scilly

    Land's End to Minehead

    Cotswolds

    Severn & Avon Vales

    Berkshire & Marlborough Downs

    South Wessex Downs

    Thames & Avon Vales

    Solent and Poole Bay

'Coarse Fisheries Strategy'. Environment Agency, 1999. 10 pp (national-level information only)

'Otters and river habitat management'. Environment Agency, 1999. 42 pp.

'Somerset Levels and Moors: water level management action plan'. Environment Agency 1999. 25 pp.

Environmental Nuisances

BRE Noise Attitude Survey report

noise

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/noise/nas9900/pdf/nas3_uk.pdf

BRE Noise Incidence Survey report

noise

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/noise/nis0001/pdf/nis_vol1.pdf

Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

noise

http://www.cieh.org/research/stats/index.htm

Council for the Protection of Rural England

tranquility

http://www.cpre.org.uk/

DEFRA Noise Strategy

noise

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consult/noiseambient/index.htm

DEFRA Code of Practice

noise

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consult/noiseambient/index.htm

ENCAMS environmental survey

 

http://www.gemonline.co.uk/encamsmain/survey.html

Sub-regional information

Bristol City

noise

http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/qualityoflife

 

Pressures

Websites

 

organisation

subject

Internet link address

All

 

 

Environment Agency

 

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk

SW Regional Assembly

regional planning guidance

http://www.rpg-sw.gov.uk

Sustainability South West

SW's sustainable development framework

http://www.oursouthwest.com/Reg/Sus/framework/framework.htm

 

 

 

Agriculture

FRCA

 

http://www.maff.gov.uk/aboutmaf/agency/frca/frca.htm

NFU

 

http://www.nfu.org.uk

 

 

 

 

Discharges & Releases

British Antarctic Survey

ozone depletors & greenhouse gases

http://www.antarctica.ac.uk

Environment Agency's Pollution Inventory

emissions to air from Agency-regulated processes

http://216.31.193.171/asp/introduction.asp

DEFRA (Strategy for Radioactive Discharges 2001-2020

 

Draft Strategy for Radioactive Discharges (DEFRA)

DEFRA (Advisory Committee Report)

 

http://www.environment.detr.gov.uk/acre/annrep7/index.htm

Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research

emissions to air from agriculture

http://www.iger.bbsrc.ac.uk/igerweb/

Energy

Bristol City Council

 

http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/qualityoflife

DTI 

 

http://www.dti.gov.uk

Teignbridge District Council

 

http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk

South Somerset District Council

 

http://www.southsomerset.gov.uk

Farming

DEFRA
(for latest info about foot and mouth)

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk
http://www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth

Rural Research

Exeter University

http://www.ex.ac.uk/crr/

See also 'Spotlights: Agriculture'

 

See 'Spotlights: Agriculture'

Fishing

 

DEFRA

DEFRA's fisheries pages

http://www.defra.gov.uk/fish/fishfrm.htm

Environment Agency

Agency's fisheries pages, including information, regulations,& buying licences on line

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/fish/?lang=_e

GMOs

Farm Scale Evaluation sites

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/acre/trials.htm

GMO impacts on farmland wildlife

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/acre/wildlife/02.htm

Index of GMO info

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/acre/index.htm

GMO Public Register index

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/acre/exper.htm

Industry

British Nuclear Fuels plc

 

http://www.bnfl.co.uk

Environment Agency's business pages

 

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/?lang=_e

Natural Forces

British Geological Survey

 

http://www.bgs.ac.uk/

Meteorological Office

 

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk

Population & Development

Culture South West

 

http://www.culturesouthwest.org.uk

It's a culture thing

 

http://www.culturething.com

See also 'Spotlights: Sustainable Construction'

 

See also 'Spotlights: Sustainable Construction'

Quarrying and Mining

Bath and North East Somerset Council

 

http://www.bathnes.gov.uk

Dorset County Council

 

http://www.dorset-cc.gov.uk

Gloucestershire County Council

 

http://www.gloscc.gov.uk

Wiltshire County Council

 

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk

Tourism

South West Tourism

 

http://www.swtourism.co.uk/

Cornwall County Council

 

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/Tourism/tourismh.htm

Culture South West

 

http://www.culturesouthwest.org.uk

Devon County Council

 

http://www.devon.gov.uk/dris/tourism/tour_mnu.html

Somerset County Council

 

http://www.somerset.gov.uk

Star UK (stats)

 

http://www.staruk.org.uk

Transport

 

 

DTLR (formerly DETR) 

 

http://www.dtlr.gov.uk/trans2010/

Cabinet Office

 

http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/seu/index/transport-consultation-letter.htm

Dorset County Council 

 

http://www.dorset-cc.gov.uk/statistics

Gloucestershire County Council

 

http://www.gloscc.gov.uk

Highways Agency

 

http://www.highways.gov.uk

Kennet District Council

 

http://www.kennet.gov.uk

Office of the Rail Regulator

 

http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk

Somerset County Council

 

http://www.somerset.gov.uk/infounit

Strategic Rail Authority

 

http://www.sra.ac.psiweb.com

See also 'Spotlights'

 

See also 'Spotlights'

Waste

See 'Spotlights'

 

see 'Spotlights'

 

Waste
Test Research Centre

Camborne School of Mines

http://www.exeter.ac.uk/CSM/

Water Abstractions

Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water

 

http://www.bwhwater.co.uk/

 

Bristol City Council

Water use in Bristol City

http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/qualityoflife

 

Bristol Water

 

http://www.bristolwater.co.uk/

 

Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI)

 

http://www.dwi.detr.gov.uk

 

Environment Agency

'Water Resources for the Future'

 

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk

http://www.swenvo.org.uk/pdf/SW%20Water%20Resources%20Strategy%202001.pdf

 

Ofwat

 

http://www.ofwat.gov.uk

 

Severn Trent plc

 

http://www.severn-trent.com/corp.htm

 

South West Water

 

http://www.south-west-water.co.uk

 

Thames Water

 

http://www.thames-water.com/

 

Wessex Water

 

http://www.wessexwater.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related Reports

 

Natural Forces

South West Regional Assembly & Sustainability South West

A Sustainable Future for the South West

 

 

 

Erosion

Environment Agency

Understanding river bank erosion - an information leaflet 1998

 

 

 

Farming

Environment Agency (2001)

Best Farming Practises: Profiting from a good environment

 

 

 

Transport

DLTR (as DETR) 

Transport 2020 - The 10 Year Plan

 

 

 

Tourism

Local Sustainability Group for the South West

Promoting Sustainable Tourism in the South West

 

North Somerset Council

A Vision for the Future: Tourism Strategy 1999/2000 (currently being updated)

 

 

 

Discharges & Releases

Environment Agency (R&D publication no. 13)

Diffuse Pollution from Agriculture: A Field Guide

 

Environment Agency (1999)

Microbial Contaninants in Groundwater

 

Environment Agency and Cornwall County Council (2001)

Japanese Knotweed: a guidance for householders and landowners

Waste

Environment Agency (2000) (copies from WRc, £50)

Strategic Waste Management Assessment

 

Spotlights

Websites

Agriculture

DEFRA

Latest information on FMD, including help for affected businesses

http://www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/

 

Eat the