There are many reasons why catchment management is of importance to landscape professionals. All projects undertaken or assessed by landscape professionals will take place within one or more catchments. Many of the problems relating to water quality or water quantity at a particular location are best understood by understanding the whole catchment. This understanding may guide interventions that may need to be made elsewhere. Landscape professionals may need to help minimise potentially adverse environmental effects of landscape initiatives in relation to the Water Framework Directive and the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. They may also need to mediate between competing interests.
Understanding how a project could fit positively within catchment management plans is also important. If the catchment is a priority catchment, there may be an opportunity to get funding for elements that are in the catchment plan. The catchment management plan may be influencing planning policy. By aligning oneself with the catchment plan, planning permission may be easier to obtain.
There are also notable opportunities for landscape professionals to become involved in the work already being proposed by the catchment plans, local authorities and Government Agencies. Some of the initiatives and interventions likely to be needed are typically within the capability of many landscape professionals to either advocate, consult on or to secure.
To help practitioners in this field, the LI has published a Technical Information Note on the Catchment Approach:
Catchment Approach TIN 7-15 Final-rev
There is also some material relating to Catchment management in
