Aire Action Leeds

What is Aire Action Leeds?

Aire Action Leeds, is a river management partnership in Leeds working to create better waterways for people and wildlife; now and in the future.

Aire Action Leeds focuses on the River Aire, the Leeds & Liverpool canal and the Aire & Calder Navigation that all run through Leeds.

The partnership involves a number of organisations working together to protect and improve the appearance, wildlife richness and encourage more people to actively use the waterfront whether they live, work or visit the waterways and their waterfront. A network of cleaner, greener and safer waterway will support and encourage more vibrant activity for all users. This will also benefit and enhance the wildlife of the waterways and waterfront; generating a sustainable green linear park. Working together will make the waterfront a more vibrant place for people to enjoy and a better place for wildlife such as ducks, swans, herons, salmon, trout, otters and watervoles.

The Partners Aire Action Leeds is part of the Leeds Initiative. The core partners who support and guide the work of Aire Action Leeds are: British Waterways, Environment Agency, Leeds City Council, Yorkshire Water. The environment forum is represented at Aire Action Leeds by Kevin Sunderland of the Aire and Calder Rivers Group and Ian Moore of the Inland Waterways Association. Kevin is focussed on imporvemnts to benefit wildlife and Ian on imporvemnts to benefit people (although both have a general interest in imporving the Aire for both people and wildife).

The partnership of Aire Action Leeds was previously SORM (State Of the River Management).

Three working groups are being set up to help deliver on Aire Action Leeds' objectives.

1. Communication & Publicity
Market and promote as a recreational and educational resource, promote events, accessibility, heritage, art, wildlife, signage and interpretation. Will work with businesses, users, volunteers along the waterways.

2. Planning & Policy
Influence planning and policy processes to improve the accessibility, character and environmental quality. Driving force for implementing the Leeds Waterfront Strategy. Will work with a number of different stakeholders along the waterways.

3. Stewardship
Operational delivery of improvement projects to improve the Environmental Quality and Appearance. Will work with businesses, users, volunteers along the waterways.

Currently our reps; Kevin sunderland of the Aire and Calder Rivers Group and Ian Moore of the Inland Waterways Association both sit on the planning and policy working group. This works well as Ian is particularly knowledgable about waterways users and their needs and Kevin has specialist knowledgeable about wildlife and it's needs. I am trying to bring voluntary sector people from the other working groups into the environment forum. If you would like to represent the forum on Aire Action Leeds please contact me jon.holland@leedsvoice.org.uk 0113 277 2227.