This report summarises a review of terrestrial and freshwater environmental monitoring undertaken in the UK during 2005-06. The proceedings of a workshop, in which members of the environmental community discussed the recommendations are also presented.
The review, carried out by ADAS Ltd on behalf of ERFF, identified, obtained and categorised information (metadata) describing environmental monitoring by UK organisations. For the purpose of the review, environmental monitoring was defined as encompassing long-term activities with ongoing repeat data collection in the UK, for this reason, many datasets were not included and the review therefore provides a partial assessment of monitoring activities.
The information gathered was used to populate a metadata database and analysis performed on the following areas:
- The type of monitoring activity;
- The purpose of data collection;
- Whether there was collaboration;
- Who funds the activity;
- Where the data is being stored and whether it is available to others.
The study found that:
- The UK monitoring community is large and fragmented.
- The reasons for undertaking monitoring vary (including long-term research and informing policy development).
- Estimates for the total cost of monitoring by the UK ranges from a conservative £88 million per annum up to £500 million per annum. This may be an under-estimate as it does not include data collection by volunteers.
- Unsecured funding is a major risk to long-term datasets.
- Major gaps in UK environmental monitoring arise due to a lack of baseline data and data on long-term trends in specific topic areas.
- There is insufficient capacity to perform integrated monitoring and assessments.
The principal recommendation from both the workshop and review was that an overarching strategy and vision are needed for UK environmental monitoring.
Along with the continuation of the monitoring database, the ERFF Main Board agreed to develop a strategy for environmental monitoring in the UK. Both are included as objectives in the 2007-2010 ERFF delivery plan.