Workshop for the Project: Biological Quality Element Validation for Tidal Freshwater Transitional Waters in Ireland

Start Date 15/09/2016 End Date 15/09/2016

Event Description: Workshop for the project: Biological Quality Element Validation for Tidal Freshwater Transitional Waters in Ireland Date and Time: 15 September 2016 – 10am - 2pm Location: Trinity College Dublin – Auk Room in the Zoology Department, Dublin 2, Ireland Places are free but limited - If you are interested in attending, please contact Cordula Scherer directly: cscherer@tcd.ie Objectives and description of workshop: The workshop is intended to promote knowledge exchange on monitoring programmes of Tidal Freshwater Transitional Waters (TFTW) zones across Europe. It aims to raise awareness of these zones and highlights the (lack of) management of pressures on the TFTW ecosystems. We invite experts to share their experience in developing appropriate methods for the assessment of TFTWs in line with the WFD whilst presenting our own results for nine Irish TFTWs. The workshop further aims to encourage discussion on the development and validation of Biological Quality Elements (BQEs) for the TFTW habitat, specifically. In detail the objectives of this workshop are: • to share the project’s key results with governmental stakeholders and NGOs via oral presentation • to encourage general discussion on this topic and BQEs in particular • to discuss our key recommendations of indicators • to seek feedback from experts across Ireland and the UK by presenting their own approaches in assessing TFTW zones and in developing metrics/indices • to identify further necessary steps for implementation of a monitoring programme for the TFTW zones Preliminary Agenda: 10:00 – 10:05 Registration* 10:05 – 10:10 Welcome, housekeeping 10:10 – 10:20 Introduction of project partners and invited speakers 10:15 – 11:00 Presentation of our EPA-funded project and key recommendations 11:00 – 12:00 Presentations of invited experts 12:00 – 13:30 Start of discussion and wrap up of workshop 13:30 – 14:30 Lunch and (informal) discussion continued *Tea and coffee will be provided throughout the workshop Expected Outcomes: The expected outputs and benefits will be: • Awareness of TFTWs and their unique sensitivity to pressures • Public participation • Identification of challenges assessing the ecological status in TFTWs and in managing pressures on these systems • Knowledge exchange • Analysis/ investigation of alternative approaches • Recommendation of BQEs for monitoring of TFTWs under legislation Target Audience: Management audience who implement monitoring programmes for the assessment of the aquatic environment under legislation (government and public bodies), NGO bodies, academics, members of the public, practitioners and anyone who is interested in the aquatic environment Relevance to policymakers: New assessment method for monitoring TFTWs under WFD regulations

• Event Location: Trinity College Dublin – Auk Room in the Zoology Department, Dublin 2, Ireland
• Event Host(s): Cordula Scherer
• Registration Required?: Yes
• Free Registration?: Yes
• Event Keywords: Tidal Freshwater Transitional Waters, Biological Quality Elements, Monitoring Programme
• Event Web Links:
  
  
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