2023-24 Tales from an East Anglian Riverbank - Portfolio - Page 2
FOREWORD
I am delighted to introduce this review of the East Anglia Environment Programme’s achievements for the environment and
people in 2023/24. This report celebrates the unique way teams and partners are commi琀琀ed to partnership working
and collabora}on, building on the catchment-based approach, tackling challenges together and delivering those vital mul}bene昀椀t projects. I hope that you enjoy the following examples of what has been achieved and it inspires you to consider what we
could achieve in the future by working together.
The year started with a similar alloca}on to 2022/23 for the WEIF and Chalk Stream Programmes, to fund a wide range of projects
crea}ng a be琀琀er place for people and wildlife through improving our water environment.
It is great to see that the team were able to capture the addi}onal bene昀椀ts provided by 14 projects on the programme. The total
WEIF and/or Chalk Streams funding for these was projects was £532,797 and they delivered over £13.7m of ecosystem service
bene昀椀ts. This equates to over £25 of bene昀椀t delivered over a 25-year return period for every £1 of funding spent. The largest
bene昀椀ts are associated with increases in amenity value and recrea}onal bene昀椀ts. Bene昀椀ts associated with water quality,
biodiversity and carbon sequestra}on were also signi昀椀cant.
Graham Verrier
Area Director
I feel op}mis}c that the Environment Programme and partners will con}nue to deliver ambi}ous projects to improve
our environment by working together and thinking even more innova}vely about funding. I look forward to suppor}ng
and celebra}ng this work to create a be琀琀er place for wildlife and people in East Anglia.
YEAR AT A GLANCE - outcomes & outputs
24 community groups involved and 349
volunteer days
86 partner organisa}ons and 41
community events
47 ha of priority habitat created or
restored
Ecosystem benefits
28 ha of wetland improved
Water quality / pollu}on - £8m
4 barriers removed or bypassed for 昀椀sh passage
Flows in watercourses - £1.6m
31.7 km of river enhanced and 82.6 km
of river protected
10 sites where 19.7 km of bankside features have
been created or restored
Groundwater recharge - £89k
14 projects contribu}ng to EA ac}ons within CaBA
chalk strategy
Biodiversity and ecology - £12.5k
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