Running the River Thames: London, Stakeholders and the Environmental Governance of the Thames, 1960-2010
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Greenwich
Department Name: Greenwich Maritime Institute
Abstract
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Organisations
Publications
Taylor V
(2014)
'Local History and the Environmental History of the River Thames, 1960-2010'
in Transactions of the London & Middlesex Archaeological Society 2013
Palmer S
(2015)
Archives and Resources in the Thames Region for Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century Environmental History
in The London Journal
Taylor V
(2015)
Whose River? London and the Thames Estuary, 1960-2014
in The London Journal
Taylor V
(2015)
London's River? The Thames as Contested Environmental Space
in The London Journal
| Description | The project examined environmental governance of the Thames between 1960 and 2010. It aimed to provide a historical account of changing modes of public participation and political legitimacy, identifying connections between forms of governance and opportunities for environmental citizenship. Using documentary evidence and discussions with Thames stakeholders, research focused on two issues. Firstly, what were the democratic and environmental consequences of the shift since the 1960s away from formal representation of interests on public boards for water and port services towards professionalised management with obligations to consult stakeholders? Secondly, what was the significance of governance changes for London's relationship with other communities in the Thames region? The researchers found no inherent link between formal representation and effective guardianship of the river environment. Within an expanded regulatory framework, stakeholder engagement allows for broader effective participation in environmental governance than earlier representative 'closed shops'. Civil society organisations have been crucial to changing expectations for both river environments and active consultation. Nevertheless, a hierarchy of interests remains. The dominant economic functions of the river and riverside continue to shape outcomes; there are still significant gaps between local concerns and planning priorities. A decline in London's political status and direct control over river functions has been accompanied by the city's increased access to resources. Despite the Greater London Council's resistance to water reorganisation in 1973, for example, river-basin management allowed key decisions about resource allocation to be made at regional level, in place of long-standing conflicts between local authorities over London's growing water needs. |
| Exploitation Route | The project brought together disparate fields of academic enquiry - from maritime, urban and environmental history, and from social and environmental sciences. Providing platforms for discussion between stakeholders, governance organisations, and academics, its findings can raise awareness amongst stakeholders of the long pre-history to current debates over policy on the Thames and their implications for public participation today. Those with an interest in researching the environmental history of the Thames can consult the open-access web-based research guide: Researching the River Thames which is an outcome of the project. Archives and libraries can use this guide to respond to public interest in London and its river. |
| Sectors | Environment,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Description | 1. Face-to face and online interaction by the researchers with stakeholder and governance organisations was a central feature of the project, as both an evidence source and a means of communicating findings. Involvement with the project encouraged Thames organisations to reflect on their experience of environmental concerns and to set these within a historical context. The project provided fora for the development of contacts within the campaigning community and raised awareness of common interests. 2. The project also addressed a wider audience. It met public demand for information on Thames management and responded to the interest in London and river history among local groups. Here, as with stakeholders and governance organisations, it demonstrated how academic research can benefit a broad community of interests. 3. Archives and libraries with relevant environmental collections benefited from the project's publicity for their documentary holdings in the web-based guide, Researching the River Thames. |
| Sector | Environment,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
| Title | Researching the River Thames - Online Guide to the Environmental History of the Thames |
| Description | This website provides a guide to the environmental history and governance of the River Thames and its river basin. The guide has been created by the 'Running the River Thames' project at the Greenwich Maritime Institute (2011 to 2013). One of the main aims of the Thames project was to provide a public research resource for anyone interested in finding out more about the environment of the river and its history. Some sections of this website reflect the project's focus on the past fifty years, but several sections also consider the period since the mid nineteenth century. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2014 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Between its launch 27/03/14 and 28/07/14 the website had 725 recorded visits, a fifth from outside the UK. Several stakeholder groups and archivists, as well as researchers, have commented very favourably on its usefulness. |
| URL | http://www.gre.ac.uk/riverthamesguide |
| Description | 'A History of the River Thames in 10½ Documents', Tall Ships Festival 2014, Univ of Greenwich |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The talk reached people visiting the Tall Ships Festival at Greenwich and sparked questions afterwards. No notable impacts were apparent. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | 'Consultation and the Environmental Governance of the Thames: A Conversation about Stakeholder Engagement' - Stakeholders Workshop 2 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The contribution of representatives of governance organisations enhanced the research team's understanding of Thames governance. Governance representatives who participated in this workshop continued to be engaged with and supportive of the project throughout its duration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www2.gre.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/824572/Workshop-2-Report.pdf |
| Description | 'Local History and the Environmental History of the River Thames, 1960-2010', LAMAS Local History Conference 2013 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The lecture at the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2013 Local History Conference on 'River and Port of London' generated questions and discussion. After the lecture several people commented on how informative it was. Taylor asked to write summary for Society publication (V. Taylor, 'Local History and the Environmental History of the River Thames, 1960-2010', Transactions of the London and Middle Archaeological Society (Dec 2014). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://www.lamas.org.uk/conferences/local-history |
| Description | 'Local Involvement in the Long-term Management of the River Thames' in 'Localism: Widening Horizons for Policy and Practice' Workshop, Univ of Greenwich |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | This paper at University of Greenwich School of Architecture and Construction 'Localism: Widening Horizons for Policy and Practice' Workshop stimulated interest in the role of stakeholders in Thames management. Academic colleagues in the School of Architecture and Construction asked to be kept informed of the progress of the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | 'Researching the River Thames Environment, 1960 to today', Greenwich Industrial History Society |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The talk generated lively discussion and questions. After the talk, several people said how much they had gained from the information presented. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | 'Running the River Thames: Why does history matter?', Environment Agency Academic Partnership Workshop, Reading |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The workshop aimed to increase collaboration between the Environment Agency (EA Thames region) and academic institutions, and to initiate a scheme matching student academic projects and internships to EA priorities under the EU Water Framework Directive. Dr Taylor was a member of the workshop steering group and presented at the event on historical sources for students and practitioners in the Thames region. Taylor's involvement in the steering group was a result and impact of her regular attendance at the EA's River Thames Liaison Panel Meetings in recent years as an academic observer. The work on the EA academic partnerships is ongoing and Dr Taylor plans to continue her involvement in the scheme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140328084622/http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/resear... |
| Description | 'The Running the River Thames Project' - poster presentation in public event by local campaign group, Greenwich 'Hothouse' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This poster presentation at the invitation of a local campaign group 'Made in Greenwich' informed local people about the project. Local people participating in 'Made in Greenwich' showed interest in locally relevant research being undertaken by the University of Greenwich. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Campaigning Groups and Consultation on the River Thames - Stakeholders Workshop 1 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
| Results and Impact | The contribution of stakeholders at this workshop enhanced the research team's understanding of the stakeholder role. Stakeholders who participated in this workshop continued to be engaged with and supportive of the project throughout its duration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | http://www2.gre.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/687016/GMI-Stakeholder-Workshop-Report-v6.pdf |
| Description | Channel Four Programme Contribution |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Dr Vanessa Taylor appeared on Channel Four's 'The Restoration Man', with George Clarke. Airing on 5 January 2017, the episode followed the restoration of a water pumping station at Cold Ash, near Newbury, Berkshire. Dr Taylor talked about the 1921 drought and successful efforts to find groundwater at nearby Downe House School. Her work on the 'Running the River Thames' project informed her discussion of this Thames region drought. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Cohesion and Fragmentation: Governance and the River Thames, 1860-1973 - Bangor University conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | This paper at Bangor University conference on 'Community, Cohesion and Social Stability: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives' stimulated discussion. Members of the audience expressed interest in the project research findings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Launch of Researching the River Thames Website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This event launched the Researching the River Thames website to an audience which included researchers, archivists and stakeholder groups. The main features of the website were demonstrated. After the launch, there were immediately numerous visits recorded to the website. The research team also subsequently received several messages testifying to its value as a research tool. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://www.gre.ac.uk/riverthamesguide |
| Description | Running the River - Archives and Artefacts Study Network Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This paper at the Archives and Artefacts Study Network conference 'The Beating Heart of London's Business' focused on business archive resources for Thames environmental history and generated wide-ranging discussion. The links with the Archives and Artefacts Study Network widened the research team's range of contacts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://www.businessarchivescouncil.org.uk/materials/beatingheartprog2.pdf |
| Description | Running the River Thames Project Newsletter 2, Autumn 2012 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Second newsletter about progress with the project, disseminated by email to stakeholders and others known to have an interest in research into river governance. Also available on the Greenwich Maritime Institute website. Recipients welcomed being kept up-to-date with project progress. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www2.gre.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/747144/Running-the-River-Thames,-Autumn-2012-Proje... |
| Description | Running the River Thames Project Newsletter 1 Spring 2012 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | First newsletter about progress with the project, disseminated by email to stakeholders and others known to have an interest in research into river governance. Also available on the Greenwich Maritime Institute website. Stakeholders and others welcomed being kept up-to-date with the project progress. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www2.gre.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/636592/ESRC-Project-Newsletter-Feb-2012.pdf |
| Description | Running the River Thames: Interests and Conflicts in the Later Twentieth Century - BCMH Maritime History Public Seminar, Kings College London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This paper in the British Commission for Maritime History Seminar Series, open to the general public, was followed by a lively discussion. Several of those attending said afterwards that prior to the paper they had been totally unaware of Thames governance issues. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Running the River Thames: Oral History and the Environmental Governance of the Thames, 1960-2010 - Institute of Historical Research Seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | This paper to the Institute of Historical Research Metropolitan History Seminar led to discussion about the role of oral history for gaining insight into Thames governance history. Some of those present began to follow the progress of the Running the River Thames project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.history.ac.uk/events/seminars/134 |
| Description | Running the River: Researching the Recent Environmental History of the Thames - Research Seminar, Greenwich Maritime Institute |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Those attending this seminar n the Greenwich Maritime Institute, University of Greenwich, Research Seminar Series, open to the public, showed interest in the methodological aspects of the project. Some of those attending said afterwards that the seminar paper had raised their awareness of potential ethical aspects of researching contemporary history. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | The 'Running the River Thames Research Project' - Contribution to Public History Lecture Series, Univ of Greenwich |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This paper in the University of Greenwich School of Humanities - Social Sciences Public History Lecture Series sparked questions and discussion from a mixed audience of academics and members of the public. Those attending the lecture expressed interest in accessing the on-line River Thames Research Guide when this went live as a final project output. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | The Old and New Life of the London Thames - Lecture Royal Museums Greenwich |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This lecture, in a two-hour session, in the Royal Museums Greenwich Royal River Lecture Series, attended by the public sparked considerable interest from the audience. A number of members of the audience told the speaker afterwards how much knowledge they had gained from the presentation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | The Running the River Thames Project - Docklands History Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This lecture about the progress of the project to the Docklands History Group, a local history association, sparked many questions and expressions of interest. Members of this well-informed audience told the speakers how much they welcomed the investigation into Thames governance. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | The Running the River Thames Project - Presentation at Final Project conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This paper at the project final conference 'Running the River: How the Past Informs the Present' attended by academics and stakeholders presented the results of the research project. Members of the audience expressed considerable interest in the findings. This paper and others presented at this conference led to an invitation to the team to guest edit a Thames Special Issue of the London Journal (2015). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://www2.gre.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/885107/RTR-Conference-Report-as-of-160114.pdf |
| Description | Watershed Democracy or Ecological Hinterland? London and the Thames River Basin,1960-89 - Rachel Carson Center Munich |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | This paper at the Rachel Carson Center conference, Munich, on 'Rivers, Cities, Historical Interactions' sparked questions and discussion. Dr Vanessa Taylor was subsequently invited to contribute a chapter based on the paper to Dieter Schott, Martin Knoll and Uwe Lubken (eds), Rivers Lost, Rivers Regained (forthcoming 2016). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://www.carsoncenter.uni-muenchen.de/events_conf_seminars/event_history/2013/2013_conf_ws_sem/ws_... |
| Description | Whose River? London and the Governance of the Thames, 1960-1992 - Urban History Group conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | This paper at the Urban History Group Conference on 'The Living and Liveable City: Health, Lifestyle and Sustainability' sparked discussion. Urban historians expressed interest in the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |