-----Original Message-----
From: A news service for British archaeology
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Seren Langley
Sent: 24 April 2007 09:27
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: COWRIE Archaeological guidance for the renewable energy sector
report published

COWRIE ("Collaborative Offshore Wind Research Into the Environment") 
Publication of report for the Research Project "Archaeological guidance for
the renewable energy sector"

NEWS RELEASE
17th April 2007

COWRIE publishes marine archaeological and heritage guidance for the
renewable energy sector

Wessex Archaeology Ltd, commissioned by COWRIE Ltd, has produced a guidance
to promote the development of best practice in relation to the marine
historic environment for the offshore renewable energy sector.

With the emergence of offshore renewables as a growing industry sector, and
an increased awareness of the need to manage and protect our marine historic
environment, COWRIE thought it timely to produce this document.

The report provides generic guidance in relation to the survey, appraisal
and monitoring of the historic environment during the development of
offshore renewable energy projects in the United Kingdom. It covers both the
marine and coastal environments and those areas further inland likely to be
affected by such developments. It also offers a comprehensive list of expert
contacts for further advice.

It is also intended to promote an understanding of the conservation issues
arising from the impacts of offshore renewable energy projects on the
historic environment, and in this way develop capacity amongst developers,
consultants and contractors.

COWRIE works to raise awareness and understanding of the potential
environmental impacts of the UK offshore windfarm programme. 

Dr Chris Pater, marine planner for English Heritage, said: "English Heritage
welcomes the publication of this guidance to serve the offshore renewable
energy development sector.  We very much appreciate the support from COWRIE
to commission this guidance document as it provides comprehensive detail on
the assessment of the historic environment (inclusive of prehistoric
landscapes and wrecks of ships and aircraft) and how mitigation can be
delivered to help ensure archaeological 
material is not lost as these projects are developed."

Dr Carolyn Heeps, a Director of COWRIE Ltd and  Head of Offshore &
Environment at The Crown Estate added: "This new report emphasises COWRIE's
ongoing commitment to work with a wide range of sea-user interests to
address the potential impacts of the renewable energy sector through good
management practices."

An Adobe Acrobat version of the guidance is available by following the link
below:
http://www.offshorewind.co.uk/KnowledgeBase/HistoricEnvironmentGuidanceNote.
aspx 


Notes to Editors
COWRIE is a registered Charity set up to raise awareness and understanding
of the potential environmental impacts of the UK offshore windfarm
programme. It was created following the completion of the second licensing
round for UK offshore windfarms, and is funded by developers' non-refundable
option fees. The Charity carries out three inter-related strands of work:
Data Management, Education & Communication, and Generic Environmental
Research.

For more information on COWRIE see our website www.offshorewind.co.uk  

Wessex Archaeology is one of the largest archaeological practices in the
country, working across the UK and overseas to further our knowledge of the
past. It offers a wide range of services: from excavations, building
surveys, underwater archaeology and coastal studies to human remains
analysis, academic publication and specialist illustration and computer
modelling. The Trust for Wessex Archaeology was set up in 1979 as a small
unit in Salisbury. It now employs over 150 archaeologists, but retains its
charitable status and its remit to encourage interest in archaeology and
extend knowledge about it to a wider public.

For more information on Wessex Archaeology see the website
www.wessexarch.co.uk 

For more information, contact the COWRIE Secretariat:
COWRIE Ltd
c/o 36 Kingfisher Court
Hambridge Road
Newbury, RG14 5SJ, UK
Email: mailto:[log in to unmask] 
Registered Company No. 5483531 
Registered Charity No. 1112518