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Home > Angus Listings > News > River South Esk Public Meetings Hailed A Success
On Wednesday, November 19 and Thursday November 20, members of the public were given the opportunity to air their views about the South Esk Issues Document. This important document will form the basis of the South Esk Catchment Management Plan, which will ensure the protection and enhancement of the River South Esk and its catchment area, which takes in Glen Clova and Glen Prosen, before flowing out to the sea through Montrose Basin.
The public meetings, which took place in Memus Village Hall and The Northern Hotel in Brechin, were well-attended, with about thirty people at Memus and around forty people at Brechin.
The meetings were facilitated by independent consultants from the Macaulay Institute in Aberdeen, the UK's top land use research centre. Following a short presentation by Project Officer Karen Phillip about the River South Esk Catchment Development Plan, everyone was given the chance to ask questions or raise issues regarding the Issues Document.
Although the meetings were held in different parts of Angus, with one rural setting and one urban setting, similar issues were raised. These issues included:
1 Flooding in the catchment area
2 Poor water quality, including effluent from septic tanks
3 Declining salmon and sea trout stocks
4 The large amounts of gravel being swept down the River South Esk
5 The presence of invasive weeds.
At both Memus and Brechin, the issues raised led to interesting discussions between members of the public and representatives from the Project and from organisations involved in the Project, including Scottish Natural Heritage and SEPA.
"I was delighted by the turnout on both nights, and by the input provided by members of the public," said Karen Phillip. "The concerns and issues raised are highly relevant and will be taken into account during the development of the draft South Esk Catchment Management Plan, which is due for completion by the end of December, 2009."
Copies of the Issues Document are available from the Project Officer, Karen Phillip, on 01307 47 3198 or email PhillipK@angus.gov.uk or visit http://www.angusahead.com/southesk . Comments must be received by Friday 19th December, 2008.
South Esk Catchment Partneship - leafet/questionnaire
