Pollution proposals to protect river systems

Land management contracts to provide incentives to farmers and others

News, 14 December 2005

A strategy to prevent the pollution of watercourses and safeguard biodiversity has been issued for consultation by the Scottish Executive.

The proposed strategy concentrates on agriculture but would apply to all land users. It proposes the introduction of a set of general binding rules, based on good practice recommendations, and calls for the development of incentives through land management contracts.

The Executive will examine the scope in the land management contract system to provide the right incentives for farmers to minimise water pollution.

In a statement the Executive said it recognised that a great deal of work had been done by farmers, individually or through groups, in recent years. Farmers in the Rural Stewardship Scheme have taken steps to adopt environmentally friendly practices such as fencing cattle away from watercourses to protect river water quality.

Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie said: "The protection of watercourses is an essential part of our overall commitment to conserving biodiversity and safeguarding Scotland's natural resources.

"Tackling diffuse pollution from rural land use will not be easy and will require the Executive, SEPA, NFU Scotland and individual farmers in particular to work together in developing the guidelines needed to conserve and enhance the environment.

"Collaboration with stakeholders has proved successful in the past in developing other agri-environment measures.''

A network of monitor farms has been established to assess strategies and ideas as a benchmark to best practice.