The South West has plenty of opportunities for water sports. We are encouraging our partners to help people take to the water in the South West with the launch of a new water recreation strategy, Enjoying Water.
Environment first
Enjoying Water comes as a result of a ground breaking study in the South West aimed at putting the environment at the heart of future plans to develop water based sport and recreation across England and Wales.
Enjoying Water gives advice to local authorities, enabling them to identify under used areas when planning new recreation facilities. We are confident the new strategy will provide low cost, local opportunities so that everyone can experience a wide variety of water activities, leading to a healthier lifestyle and a healthier environment.
Working with partners
We will run similar studies across England to gain a clearer picture of the future of water based sport and recreation. We hope to roll the new strategies out to other regions across the country by 2011.
Working with others we want to make it easier for people to enjoy water through new access arrangements, better information and new investment in slipways, footpaths and cycle ways.
Enjoying Water, a strategy for water based recreation in the South West, was developed by the University of Brighton, Countryside and Community Research Institute and Exegesis SDM Ltd for the Environment Agency in association with a steering group from British Waterways, Natural England, South West of England Regional Development Agency, Sport England and in consultation with the Government Office for the South West.
