Naturalist and broadcaster Chris Packham at the launch of H2O03, the UK's initiative to celebrate the UN International Year of Freshwater, pond dipping with pupils from Featherstone High School, Southall at the London Wetland Centre.
|
Budding photographers have been called on by the Environment Agency to take pictures of local freshwater sites that are important to them - such as ponds, canals, streams and rivers - to support a UN-backed competition.
The images are needed for an online 'living' archive of UK freshwater locations to be launched in September. Great prizes are also on offer for the best photographs, including holidays at Center Parcs, trips to Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust centres and hundreds of pounds-worth of photographic equipment.
"This online National Collection of freshwater sites will demonstrate the importance of these locations to people and wildlife - and the need to protect them - so we want to make sure all areas of the country are well represented," says Andrew Skinner, the Environment Agency's Head of Environmental Quality.
"It is being organised as part of H2O03, the UK initiative to celebrate the UN International Year of Freshwater," he explains. "We're interested in any site - from ponds to streams, canals, lakes or rivers - as long as it is local to the entrant. It could be a place where people walk, work, fish, or even use as an educational resource - there are so many examples in this country.
"As well as being a 'living' archive for the country to enjoy, the National Collection should also help people working on legislation that protects and improves our freshwater resources."
Photographs can be submitted by post or via the H2O03 website. All entry details can be found on www.H2O03.org.uk.
Rob Flavin from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology is convinced that people should value water, and not just see it as something that comes out of a tap.
"Freshwater is such a fundamental resource, it is important that people connect with the subject and H2O03 will help to do that," he says. "There are a myriad ways in which freshwater has an impact on our lives. For example, we use it for leisure pursuits, as a workplace and it is a home for wildlife. Floods and droughts can affect us too and climate change will have a major impact on quality and resources."
H2O03 activities have been designed to put both children and adults in touch with a range of freshwater issues, according to Rob Flavin, who acknowledged that the UK also played an important role in helping to provide access to safe water overseas.
"The international dimension to the UN Year must also be stressed," he says. "Over 1 billion people in the world lack access to safe water and 2.4 billion lack access to adequate sanitation. A child dies every 15 seconds from diseases associated with lack of access to these basic resources.
"H2O03 is running a national writing competition on the theme 'Water for all - who cares?' to encourage people to become engaged on this issue. People can also take part in an art competition on the theme of freshwater."
Organisers of H2O03 include the Department for International Development, Environment Agency, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, DEFRA, WaterAid, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and the British Hydrological Society.
Information on how to get involved can be found on the H2O03 website: www.H2O03.org.uk.
Closing date for the competitions is August 22, 2003.
