Kennet, Og, Winterbourne and Downs

Join your local CSFO for an introduction to Catchment Sensitive Farming, an overview of water quality targets for the River Kennet and what it means for farms within the catchment. Diffuse pollution from agriculture is difficult to pinpoint and could originate from a fair distance from the river itself. We will look at sources of pollutants, potential pathways and measures through CSF that can help prevent pollutants reaching the river. We will cover Countryside Stewardship and other grants currently available and also where agriculture sits in the bigger picture in reducing pollution in the catchment.

We will also be joined by Angus Middleton from Viridian Logic (www.viridianlogic.com). Viridian plans the sustainable use of land to maximise the benefits to communities, business and the environment. The company uses high-tech, data modelling to calculate how landscapes are functioning, then designs the best ways to manage the whole landscape system to solve local problems. Viridian focuses on improving natural habitats and land-use management to reduce flooding, improve water quality and reduce erosion/siltation; as well as provide a whole basket of benefits such as boosting biodiversity, capturing carbon and heightening health and wellbeing. They do this by creating simple maps of what to do where to deliver best bang for buck, prioritising options from field to regional scale.

A light lunch will be provided.