Michelle Walker, The Rivers Trust
Rivers trusts in the UK have been using SCIMAP to inform and support integrated catchment management for many years now, as it is an accessible tool for the non-profit sector to use and produces engaging maps and outputs to help communicate with stakeholders. The model has helped prioritise field work to identify ecological impacts of sediment in river channels, and been used in combination with other models and evidence to target measures for preventing soil erosion, reducing diffuse water pollution and lowering flood risk. Examples from across the rivers trust movement in the UK are presented by the umbrella body, The Rivers Trust, to illustrate how the tool has underpinned the recent growth in community-based catchment management planning, and how new developments will further extend the applications of this important tool.