Integrated Coastal Zone Management: Towards an Atlantic Vision

The Severn Estuary Partnership has recently completed an Interreg IIIb bid in partnership with other organisations from the Atlantic Arc area. The bid was submitted to the Interreg secretariat on Friday January 10th 2003.

The project will be undertaken by a range of partners from Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal. Together they will test the implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management, particularly in the context of spatial planning and achieving sustainable development, and in promoting its environmental, social and economic well being. The results from the project will contribute towards the development of National Strategies for ICZM, and implementing specific aspects of ICZM, in accordance with the EU Recommendation of 30 May 2002. The outputs of the project will also contribute towards the development of an Atlantic Vision for the sustainable development and management of the coastal zone.

This project is designed to address common challenges and implement actions relating to key themes of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in a range of contexts along the Atlantic Arc, particularly in the context of spatial planning and new development. It will:

• Harness the benefits of transnational working and shared learning between project
partners, and through liaison with other proposed Interreg projects with common areas of interest, such as the proposed Cycleau and Severn Valley Corridor projects, both proposed for the NW European programme

• Facilitate the wide and socially inclusive engagement of local communities and other stakeholders in spatial planning and achieving implementation of sustainable development, and to resolve conflicts,


• Result in tangible and sustainable local benefits on the ground,


• Increase awareness of the relationship of individual localities to the Atlantic Arc,


• Contribute to developing a Sustainable Vision for the Atlantic and National ICZM strategies


• And provide recommendations for the improvement of governance

Asturias is to provide overall project leadership, with each of the thematic actions being co-ordinated by a region from each Member State along the Atlantic Arc e.g.Alentejo on Urban Rural Interdependencies and the Severn on Stakeholder Involvement.

The project is designed to implement individual thematic ICZM actions but linked to other themes: For example promoting sustainable access would provide the opportunity to also promote protection and awareness-raising of both internationally designated habitats and archaeological heritage. Promoting local produce could promote the rural economy, while realising the economic potential of valued landscapes through conserving their fabric.

The crosscutting actions will be addressed across all thematic areas. In this way lessons can be learnt from implementing stakeholder involvement in the context of all the partner countries, the integration of GIS will be looked at locally and strategically, recommendations developed for the simplification and improvement of governance, with a particular emphasis on the spatial planning dimension.


Actions Proposed in the Severn Estuary Partnership Area

The following actions are proposed by the Severn Estuary Partnership (SEP), as a part of the Atlantic ICZM project. SEP straddles England and Wales: it is an independent partnership of Local Authorities, Environment Agency, Cardiff University, industry and the countryside agencies. Established in 1995, a Strategy for the Severn Estuary was published in 2001, and the SEP is now embarking on the implementation of the Strategy.

Action I: Stakeholder involvement in the implementation of ICZM along the Atlantic Arc
- Proposed Lead by Severn:

• To further develop socially inclusive stakeholder involvement in ICZM, particularly regarding spatial planning and sustainable development, and implementing innovative & concrete actions on the ground
,
• draw together and learn from similar actions in variety of local contexts along the Atlantic Arc, and
• make recommendations to improve governance, inform the development of National ICZM Strategies and a Vision for the Atlantic Arc.


Action II: Sustainable Coastal Access around the Severn Estuary within the Context of the Atlantic Arc:
• To make recommendations regarding spatial planning of coastal access in the context of trans-regional coastal access routes and networks,


• pilot concrete actions (infrastructure and other measures), in a variety of local contexts


• learn from transnational working and apply agreed transnational principles, and
• Contribute to recommendations on a Vision for the Atlantic Arc.

Action III: Achieving the conservation and enhancement of valued landscapes and habitats through the realisation of their economic potential:

• To learn from transnational working and local stakeholders to determine the potential of valued landscapes and habitats to realise economic benefits,
  formulate strategic recommendations and an action plan to enhance the economic base of the area through the conservation and enhancement of valued habitats in the coastal zone,


• pilot concrete actions (infrastructure and other measures), in a variety of local contexts, and


• Contribute to recommendations on a Vision for the Atlantic Arc.

Action IV: Improving spatial planning and sustainable development decisions in the coastal zone, focussing on the Nature Conservation Dimension:


• To work together with transnational partners and local stakeholders to identify common development threats to the nature conservation resource, and best practice in managing these to minimise impact,


• Produce user friendly guidance and proformas, to assist in the spatial planning process an empower those seeking to make sustainable development decisions in the coastal zone,


• Undertake a pilot trans-regional, estuary wide Biodiversity Action Plan to support and empower those seeking to make sustainable development decisions in the coastal zone, and


• Contribute to recommendations on improvement of governance, and a Vision for the Atlantic Arc.

Action V: Improving spatial planning and sustainable development decisions in the coastal zone, focussing on the Cultural Heritage Dimension


• To set up, build on and extend transnational and local stakeholder networks, and undertake research to better understand the local and wider archaeological context locally and along the Atlantic Arc,


• Work transnationally to improve the understanding and awareness of the archaeological heritage, and develop a cohesive approach to its role in spatial planning and sustainable development,


• Develop proposals for the conservation of the archaeological heritage of the coastal zone to underpin sustainable development decisions,


• Produce accessible and user friendly guidance to assist in the spatial planning process and empower those seeking to make sustainable development decisions in the coastal zone, and


• Use a variety of media to promote awareness of our archaeological heritage.