The Environment Agency is using yellow fish to alert people on the Kent coast to what happens when they pour fat, oils or other waste down their yard drains or road gullies.

Teams visited Walpole Bay in Margate and Viking Bay in Broadstairs where they painted yellow fish symbols next to drains carrying surface water into the sea. Their aim is to remind residents and business owners how pollution can travel directly into the ocean.

Working with Thanet District Council and Southern Water, on 13 July they stencilled the fish symbols on and around the covers of road drains along the towns’ promenades.

It is part of a national campaign by the Environment Agency to raise awareness of the importance of keeping the country’s bathing waters clean, supported by the mantra ‘Only rain down the drain!’

Initiatives like these have contributed to the great strides made in improving the quality of bathing water over the last 20 years. It is thanks to the hard work of the Environment Agency, Defra, water companies, councils, local communities, farmers and environmental organisations.

The Environment Agency continues to remind the public that everyone has an important part to play in protecting the seas and improving the quality of the country’s bathing waters.

Alan Cansdale, Environment Manager for the Environment Agency, said:

It has been great having the opportunity to work with local people, who also use and enjoy the local bathing waters. The Yellow Fish campaign is a simple and effective way of showing everyone that by making small changes we can all help to reduce pollution entering our rivers and seas which in turn helps to keep the local bathing water clean.

Councillor Jason Savage, Deputy Leader for Thanet District Council, said:

Our partnership work with the Environment Agency and Southern Water has enabled us to highlight the important role that residents, visitors and businesses play in keeping Thanet’s beaches clean. The Yellow Fish campaign is a fantastic way to help get this message across.

Rob Butson, Bathing Water Manager for Southern Water, said:

It’s vital we all work together to protect our beautiful beaches and bathing waters. Campaigns like Yellow Fish really help engage the community and spread the message that only rain should go down the drain!

We’re proud to work in partnership with the Environment Agency and the Council to help play our part in improving bathing water quality across our region.

Poultry keepers across the United Kingdom have been urged to be vigilant of Newcastle Disease following reported cases in flocks across Europe.

Recent cases in Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg have led to Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) experts to advise that the risk of the disease in UK flocks has risen from ‘low’ to ‘medium’.

Newcastle Disease is caused by a virulent strain of paramyxovirus and can be spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected birds. It can cause severe losses in certain poultry species, including:

• commercial and specialist breeds
• pet chickens
• other captive birds, including racing pigeons.

Public Health England advises the risk of Newcastle Disease affecting people is very low.

Christine Middlemiss, UK Chief Veterinary Officer, said:

The Animal and Plant Health Agency experts have advised that the risk of disease has risen to ‘medium’ following reports of Newcastle Disease in mainland Europe.

I urge all poultry keepers – whether of commercial, smallholder flocks or specialist breeds or pet chickens – to remain vigilant to the clinical signs of this disease, and urge them to put in place strong biosecurity measures to ensure the health and welfare of their birds.

Poultry species that are affected by Newcastle Disease may show the following clinical signs:

• Respiratory distress, such as gaping beak, coughing, sneezing, gurgling and rattling
• Nervous behaviour, such as tremors, paralysis and twisting of the neck
• Unusually watery faeces that are yellowish-green in colour
• Depression and a lack of appetite
• Produce fewer eggs which could be misshapen and soft-shelled

If a bird keeper suspects that their birds may be infected with Newcastle Disease, they should contact their private vet and the APHA immediately.

There are several precautions poultry keepers can follow to further minimise the risk to their birds, including:

• Ensuring, where appropriate, their birds have been vaccinated against the disease.
• Implementing strict biosecurity measures on their premises, including using disinfectant foot baths and reducing visitors to the birds.
• Thoroughly cleaning vehicles, equipment, clothing, boots that have been in contact with birds.
• Feeding and watering should be under cover and kept away from wild birds.
• Washing their hands with soap and water after handling their own birds.

For APHA contact details visit here

The Accord, a statement of a shared ambition between the Forestry Commission and National Parks England, will bring together decision makers to ensure woodland is managed sustainably and in line with a natural capital approach. This will take into account the environmental, social and economic impact of trees and forests and the statutory purposes of our National Parks.

A new Accord that aims to expand and enhance woodland in National Parks to protect wildlife and connect people with nature has been launched today at the New Forest Show.

The Accord, a statement of a shared ambition between the Forestry Commission and National Parks England, will bring together decision makers to ensure woodland is managed sustainably and in line with a natural capital approach. This will take into account the environmental, social and economic impact of trees and forests and the statutory purposes of our National Parks.

National Parks are already home to a third of the Public Forest Estate in England, and the Accord will also consider how woodland creation grants can be used to sensitively expand wooded areas across these landscapes. The partnership ensures all woodland will be managed to the highest standards so they are rich in wildlife and protected for future generations to enjoy.

The Accord was launched at the New Forest National Park today, where National Parks Minister Lord Gardiner joined Margaret Paren, Chair of National Parks England and Ian Gambles, Director of Forestry Commission England to plant a tree and demonstrate the benefits woodland can bring.

Its launch comes during ‘Discover National Parks Week 2018’, which celebrates the UK’s 15 National Parks. With over half of people living within an hour of a National Park, the week encourages people to get outside and discover them for themselves.

Margaret Paren, Chair of National Parks England, said:

Our National Parks are cultural landscapes cherished for their nature and beauty. This Accord provides the basis for strong partnership working between the Forestry Commission and National Parks. By working closely together we can ensure public forests in our National Parks are at the forefront of sustainable forest management.

And through adopting high-quality decision-making on woodland creation, design, management, protection and removal we can also ensure trees and woods contribute to the beauty of our National Parks for years to come.

There is a strong synergy between the aims in the Accord and the goals in the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, which sets ambitious plans for enhancing beauty and landscapes and more and better managed woodland as a key way to improve the environment for the next generation.

Lord Gardiner, Minister for National Parks and Forests, said:

Woods and forests make an immense contribution to our enjoyment of our National Parks, as well as providing important habitats for wildlife.

Our 25 Year Environment Plan sets out ambitious targets for tree planting and connecting people with nature. This Accord will help realise the full potential of woodland in our National Parks.

Sir Harry Studholme, Chair of the Forestry Commission, said:

Forestry is a leading player in the story of the National Parks and of their landscapes. The Forestry Commission may be the largest single holder of land across the network of National Parks. Nowhere is the relationship more apparent than here in the New Forest where the Forestry Commission and National Park Authority’s roles are deeply intertwined.

At this time of change in agriculture and land management, forestry and afforestation are important components of the discussion. The Forestry Commission and National Parks must work together not only to create new resilient and multi-purpose woodlands but also to enable existing ones adapt to a changing environment.

This will benefit National Park landscapes, provide rural employment and support local communities and allow the delivery of Natural Capital benefits like carbon absorption, water management and public access.

The Accord agrees a pragmatic and deliverable national framework for the Forestry Commission and National Parks’ shared ambitions for woods and forests, with local priorities for individual National Parks to be determined according to their specific needs.

It sets out five shared priorities for delivering a range of benefits that protect and enhance natural and cultural heritage:

1. Decision-making that enhances National Park landscapes and their woodlands;
2. Woodland creation and expansion in National Parks;
3. Highest standards of forest management in line with natural capital approach;
4. Woodland grant schemes that contribute to the delivery of the shared ambition;
5. Engage and connect people with woodlands and forests.

The National Waste Programme (NWP) is a cross-UK programme of work to lead the ongoing implementation and delivery of the UK Nuclear Industry Solid LLW Strategy.

The NWP covers all nuclear industry waste producers including those in the NDA estate, the public sector and the private sector. The NWP is led by LLW Repository Ltd on behalf of the NDA (who are responsible for leading strategy implementation for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

The NWP works collaboratively with its stakeholders to produce a Blueprint and Benefit Map to show the direction of travel for strategy implementation. The activities to deliver the strategy are executed by the stakeholders of the NWP, for example by waste producers through their waste management practices.

Find out more about the National Waste Programme; established to implement the UK LLW Strategy. An industry-wide collaboration led by LLWR on behalf of the NDA.