The River Dee Catchment Management Plan, overseen by Dr. Susan Cooksley, aims to address various environmental pressures through a collaborative approach involving local communities and stakeholders. Key objectives include improving water quality, restoring habitats, and managing recreation, with specific projects focused on pollution reduction and sustainable flood management. The initiative emphasizes awareness, coordination, and the development of strategic partnerships to enhance the catchment's ecological health.

1. River Dee HELP Basin (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) Dr Susan Cooksley Dee Catchment Officer

2. Dee catchment Pressures on the Dee Catchment Management Plan Implementation Linked plans and processes

3. Where is the Dee catchment? RIVER DEE Rises at 1220m 126 km long 2100 km 2 17 major tributaries

6. HABITATS Wetlands, bankside grasslands, riparian woodlands WATERS Rivers, burns, lochs, floodplains WILDLIFE Wych elm, freshwater pearl mussel, palmate newt, northern blue damsel fly, river lamprey, pipistrelle bat, water rail and many others The Dee catchment’s waters

7. Recreation Forestry Fishing Housing Waste water disposal Farming Harbour Wildlife Drinking water

8. Marr Area Partnership NESFLAG Who is involved? Communities Individuals

9.  Provide a strategic framework for action  Promote widespread awareness and discussion of the main issues  Facilitate agreed solutions – minimise conflicts Coordinate activities and maximise benefits – land, water use Protect special qualities  Develop projects to tackle key issues  Provide a source of information What is the role of the Dee Catchment Partnership?

10. 2003 Steering Group formed 1999 Consultation on Issues document 2007 - 2012 Implementation phase 1 (2008-2013) Nov 2007 Publication of Dee CMP 2007 Revision 2005-2006 Working Groups develop draft Dee CMP 2013 Review Oct-Dec 2006 Public consultation on draft CMP W.F.D. S.A.C. Timeline

11. The Dee CMP has a wide range of objectives Water resources : abstraction, effects of floods and droughts Development : channel and bankside works, industrial and housing development, construction works Species : salmon, pearl mussel, otter, water vole, invasive species Access and recreation Habitats : wetlands, flood plains, wet woodland, bankside grasslands Sub catchments Water quality: pollution, drainage, landfill sites

12. Partnership projects 2008-2013 1. Restoring urban watercourses 2. Reducing pollution from septic tanks 3. Reducing diffuse source pollution 4. Managing flows – runoff & storage

13. 1. Restoring urban watercourses(chair: Aberdeen Harbour Board) Watercourse restoration Deculverting Coastal and harbour issues

14. 2. Reducing pollution from septic tanks (chair: SEPA) Desk study to identify hotspots Targeted awareness raising Catchment-wide awareness

15. 3. Reducing diffuse source pollution (chair: SNH) Agriculture Forestry Infrastructure

16. 4. Managing flows – runoff and water storage (chair: Aberdeenshire Council) Upper Dee Riparian Woodland Restoration Upper Dee Floodplain Restoration Dee Sustainable Wetlands Aquarius - Sustainable flood management Micro-hydro strategy

17. Riparian woodland restoration Sustainable flood alleviation Floodplain restoration Wetland restoration Aberdeen City watercourse restoration Septic tanks improvements Aberdeen harbour – reduced litter and improved water quality Buffer strips

18. Coordination with other plans RBMP Local & structure plans Dee fishery plan NE & Cairngorms LBAPs CNPA Park Plan Dee CMP Access plans

19. Working with other catchment plans Eleven completed or ongoing CMPs in Scotland: Almond, Annan/Nith, Dee, Dee-Ken, Devon, Endrick, Loch Leven, Loch Lomond, Spey, South Esk, Tweed & Ythan Eight RBMPs Five Coastal Partnership Plans Local Biodiversity Action Plans

20. Dee Catchment Management Plan Priorities for implementation Implementation groups Stakeholder relationships Information exchange networks Regional, national and international recognition and involvement What have we achieved?

21. Dr Susan Cooksley Dee Catchment Officer c/o The Macaulay Institute, Craigiebucker, Aberdeen AB15 8QH 01224 395000 info@theriverdee.org theriverdee.org