Organised by the Source, there is a public presentation on water and land management in the Upper Calder Valley on Tuesday 23rd September 2014, Waterside Room, Hebden Bridge Town Hall – 7pm – 9pm.

The speakers are Robin Gray (Pennine Prospects), Andrew Coen (Environment Agency) and Viki Hirst (University of Leeds).

The event includes includes reports of research into moorland burning.  The programme is:-

7.10 – Flood Risk overview of the catchment. Issues and management schemes. (Andrew Coen, Environment Agency.)

7.30 p.m. Key Features of the Upper Calder Valley area. (Robin Gray, South Pennines Local Nature Partnership)

8.00 – Research and its application in the Calder valley. (Vikki Hirst, water@leeds)

•     Modelling surface water run off
•     EMBER project on moorland burning
•     Stakeholder involvement in flood management
•     Rural and urban water management

The SOURCE is a working partnership with a long term vision of ecological restoration in the headwaters of the River Calder.

It aims to:-

• Minimize flash flooding through appropriately-sited tree planting and moorland restoration
• Treat damaged land and control erosion
• Improve the quality of the River Calder
• Undertake educational activities and encourage volunteering so that people of all ages
and from all walks of life become aware of the value of our rivers and uplands.

On a related land and water management issue, the Upper Calder Valley Neighbourhood Team report that there has been a Reduction in Moorland Fires

This is from the Neighbourhood Team’s September 2014 Newsletter:

“As part of the group of organisations that are seeking to protect the huge investment going into our upland moors the Neighbourhood Team have been active on the Tackling Moorland Fires group.  As a result of the groups action that includes, Natural England, the police and fire service and the Council’s Countryside Service moorland fires have been drastically reduced this year.
The investment in the moors is to protect the nesting habitats of rare birds and to encourage the growth of traditional moorland plants that increase the moors ability to retain water in itself and prevent run off.  The burning of the moors to encourage new growth grass for sheep to graze on does huge damage to this investment and is a short term gain for long term loss to key moorland plants and habitats.
If you see any sort of fire on the moor at any time of year please call 999 and report it immediately.”