Port of London to work with RSPB on the Thames

Dunlin flock over the Thames Estuary. Credit RSPB

July 2009. A unique record of wildlife living along the River Thames has been, heralding a major advance in the relationship between conservation and commerce.

Port authority & RSPB collaboration
The project is the result of an innovative collaboration between the Port of London Authority (PLA) and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). It's the first time an agreement of this kind has been signed between a port authority and an environmental charity.

The comprehensive review, the Conservation Management Framework (CMF), pulls together key information on the Thames's wildlife into an interactive website. It covers the diverse range of species found in the Thames and all its habitats. The wildlife includes dolphins, seals, fish, marine invertebrates and populations of internationally important waterbirds.

Managing commercial shipping and conserving the Thames' biodiversity
The CMF allows the PLA to balance its dual roles of managing commercial shipping with conserving the River's biodiversity. It will help the Authority better understand how their operations impact on the environment and inform their response to possible emergencies, such as vessel collisions.

It also outlines how the statutory body can best manage the diverse range of habitats that fall under its jurisdiction, which runs 95 miles from Teddington in West London, downstream to the outer limits of the Thames Estuary.

RSPB Chief Executive Graham Wynne said: "The framework is the culmination of years of debate between conservationists and commercial shipping. Ten years ago there would have been a very definite line between the two but we now have the tool we need to bring these sometimes disparate interests closer together. It's a major step forward and has been driven by the PLA's desire to marry these two crucial sides of life on the Thames.

"What's more, the project brings together all the different knowledge about the tidal Thames for everyone to see. By doing this, it shows how important the Thames Estuary is for wildlife."

Black tailed godwits. Photo credit Gordon Landbury/RSPBimages.com.

The PLA celebrates its centenary this year and Chief Executive Richard Everitt sees the agreement with the RSPB as part of the continuous improvement in its work to manage the tidal Thames. He said:

10,000 sea-going vessels every year
"The coast, estuaries and rivers are some of our most sensitive environments and are also attractive to many different users. That is certainly the case for the Thames, where we have over 10,000 sea-going vessels a year passing inter-tidal areas important to wildlife, a growing commuter trade and extensive sporting pursuits. Over the last few months, we have worked through the challenges of managing these differing interests with the RSPB. Their input, combined with the guidance contained in the Conservation Management Framework, will inform our thinking on how we tackle issues in the future.

"Some fifteen or twenty years ago you would have struggled to find a port authority working with an environmental group. Today there is recognition that working together, developing mutual understanding and seeking compromise is more effective than conflict. This is the start of a journey together with the RSPB. It may not always run smoothly, but we have established the foundations for debating and resolving conflicts of interest in the future."

To view the CMF visit www.pla.co.uk .