Latest news with #chalkstreams
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Warming chalk streams a 'perfect environmental storm'
Rising temperatures in chalk streams are damaging them and suffocating wildlife, conservations have streams are very rare and ecologically important habitats, mainly found in southern England, and home to species including the endangered white clawed if the water is too warm, the oxygen level is lowered and the wildlife die, according to the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxford Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) .A spokesperson for the Environment Agency (EA) said it had increased environmental monitoring in response to the weather conditions. It also asked the public to report concerning sightings such as fish in distress. There are only 200 known chalk streams in the world, 85% of which are in are generally a constant temperature, staying between about 10 and 12C, according to the Angling Trust's Peter when he took the temperature of the River Pang in Berkshire he found it to be over 18C."That's when the damage starts to occur," he said."It lowers that whole oxygen level... and when it dries up it completely kills the life in it."Julian Cooper from BBOWT said high temperatures had knock-on ecological impacts."Warming water, less oxygen, less rainfall, more extraction, it's sort of the perfect environmental storm," he said people had a "massive responsibility" to conserve water, and also called for better agricultural policy to support conservation along the rivers. The EA spokesperson said the Thames area had received only 50% of the rainfall it expected over the last three months, which was putting the environment under "increasing stress"."We're increasing our environmental monitoring and preparing for potential impacts like pollution incidents and wildlife distress as water levels fall," they Monday, Thames Water announced a hosepipe ban for parts of its patch as a result of low Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the government had secured £2b of water company investment to "restore our iconic chalk streams". You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Threats to Cambridge chalk streams addressed by experts
Threats posed to a city's natural chalk streams are to be addressed by is estimated that 85% of the world's chalk streams are found in the UK, with the majority located in the south of England and East Anglia and, fed by springs in chalk bedrock, provide clean and clear water that supports a huge variety of in Cambridge, including Hobson's Brook and Cherry Hinton Brook are being degraded by a range of factors including water extraction, pollution, the erosion of riverbanks and invasive are gathering later this month at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) to discuss these issues. Chalk streams are rare habitats, often referred to as England's equivalent of water we drink in the East of England comes from rainwater stored deep beneath our feet in natural chalk aquifers, which feed our chalk streams, the Environment Agency said. Chalk streams also need good water quality for different species of fish, plants and insects to flourish. However, they face significant challenges in the 21st Century due to complex problems worsened by climate change and population Greater Cambridge Chalk Stream Project - a collaboration between Cambridge City Council and ARU - is bringing together experts to study the threats faced by local chalk streams and highlight practical ways to protect them at a free public conference later this Dominic, a research assistant at ARU for the Greater Cambridge Chalk Stream Project, said: "Chalk streams are globally rare freshwater habitats and we're fortunate to have them in and around the city. "However, many of these precious ecosystems are now significantly degraded and at risk."She said the project aimed to further understand habitat loss, biodiversity reduction and water quality issues."By bringing everyone together, including involving local community volunteers, we hope to obtain detailed information about each stream to help inform Cambridge City Council's restoration strategies and safeguard our chalk streams for future generations." Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust calls to protect rivers
Children and politicians have been urged by a charity to appreciate the importance of rivers and "globally rare" chalk streams during a county's first ever Rivers and Middlesex Wildlife Trust hosted events to showcase the local watercourses and children were encouraged to spot wildlife at Stanborough Park, Panshanger Park and Waterford Marsh in charity joined other wildlife trusts, including Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, to lobby MPs for greater protection for chalk rivers."It was fantastic to see so many people exploring our rivers and learning how they can play a part in protecting them," said Kate Sheard, the trust's community officer. Hertfordshire and Middlesex have 10% of the world's 260 chalk streams. The trust said chalk streams support some of the most "vulnerable species", including the water vole, kingfisher and wild brown group of trusts behind the campaign met with Chris Hinchliff, the MP for North East Hertfordshire, in Buntingford to "discuss the urgent challenges" facing Labour MP has led a cross-party group that is working to safeguard the future of chalk streams.A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "Chalk streams are vital ecosystems and part of our national heritage and this government is committed to cleaning up our waterways. "Water companies must now spend £22bn on restoring the environment, including chalk streams, over the next five years." Rivers Week, which included the trust running online talks about managing invasive species, was funded by the government's Species Survival Fund and supported by Affinity Water and the Environment Perry, the trust's river catchment coordinator, said: "The platform of Herts Rivers Week saw us engage with local dignitaries, decision makers and policy influencers to talk about the value of our chalk rivers and the urgent challenges these unique habitats face."As a result of this focus, we've strengthened our position on calling for better protections for our chalk rivers and it's gratifying to know that some of those in a position of power are listening and trying to take action." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Times
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Paul Whitehouse and Joanna Lumley lead calls to save chalk streams
Joanna Lumley and Paul Whitehouse are leading calls for the government to resurrect an abandoned plan to save England's rare chalk streams. England is home to about 85 per cent of the globally important rivers, including the Avon, Frome and Stour which Sir David Attenborough highlighted in his Wild Isles series. However, they are threatened by too much water abstraction and sewage spills, which led the previous government to commission a 'chalk stream recovery pack' to rescue the waterways, which trout and other species rely on. Despite the author of the rescue plan saying it is 'agreed and written', Labour quietly shelved it after coming to power. Now a group of celebrities have joined forces with conservationists fighting to save the plan, using a
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anger after extra protection for rare chalk streams dismissed by ministers
River campaigners have criticised Labour MPs after attempts to enshrine better protections for chalk streams in new planning reforms were rejected. A cross-party group pushed for stringent rules to be put into place to ensure the rare waterways are strictly protected from harm from new developments. But at a parliamentary committee to examine the government's draft planning bill, an amendment supporting new provisions for the at-risk habitats was rejected by Labour MPs. Mark Dye, of Gaywood River Revival (Image: Mark Dye) Mark Dye, spokesman for the Gaywood River Revival - a chalk stream campaign group based in west Norfolk - said: "This news is shocking, but not unexpected from a Labour government that made promises on the campaign trail that it has completely failed to keep. "You would think that protection of the chalk stream ecosystem would be central to a balanced planning and infrastructure bill. "It's as if they have ignored all common sense, the scientific evidence presented to them and stuck their fingers in their ears whilst shouting, 'Build, build, build'." READ MORE: Officials close probe into chalk stream pollution A section of the River Bure, which is one of Norfolk's chalk streams (Image: National Trust/PA Wire) Dubbed "England's rainforests," there are only about 200 chalk streams left in the world with 85pc of them found in the UK, 25 of which flow through Norfolk. Chalk streams such as Gaywood River are at a "tipping point" and face a "perfect storm" of harm caused by over-abstraction, pollution and climate change, Mr Dye said. Recent low levels of rainfall are exacerbating problems due to diminishing flows. Recent pictures of the Gaywood River show algae growth smothering the chalk bed, preventing the growth of vegetation (L) and on the right is a healthy section of the chalk stream at Derby Fen (Image: Gaywood River Revival) The amendment called for protections for all chalk streams as part of the new planning and infrastructure bill, which has been criticised as a "licence to kill nature". Labour's reform is seen as an attempt to rip up environmental red tape in favour of its push for housing and infrastructure by critics. The amendment would have required officials to identify measures to better protect chalk streams from pollution, encroachment, abstraction and other damage. The River Nar, one of Norfolk's chalk streams (Image: Newsquest) However, Labour MPs rejected it, with Matthew Pennycook, the housing minister, saying it was "not necessary to include the provision in the legislation". He added that the government had undertaken a comprehensive set of actions outside the bill to protect chalk streams. Another amendment to ensure irreplaceable habitats such as ancient woodlands, blanket bogs and lowland fens also get more protection was also blocked. Eliot Lyne, chief executive of Norfolk Wildlife Trust (Image: Danielle Booden) Eliot Lyne, CEO for Norfolk Wildlife Trust, called the outcome "deeply concerning". "The Planning and Infrastructure Bill as drafted poses a huge threat to nature," he said. "It is not, as the government claims, a win-win for nature and growth, it will allow developers to damage irreplaceable wildlife habitats that already face a multitude of other threats. "Without urgent protection for chalk streams, we are set to lose the crystal-clear waters of rivers such as the Wensum, Glaven and Bure; lose wildlife such as water voles, dragonflies and kingfishers from our landscape; and lose any chance of restoring them in the future." The region's MPs have joined campaigners in criticising the decision. South West Norfolk MP, Terry Jermy (Image: Roger Harris) Terry Jermy, Labour MP for South West Norfolk, has broken ranks and said he is "disappointed" that the opportunity was not taken to "create better protections for chalk streams as they are vital to our cultural and environmental heritage." Steff Aquarone, MP for North Norfolk (Image: Submitted) Steffan Aquarone, Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, added: "For Labour to backtrack now is staggering - they've turned down a crucial opportunity to protect our chalk streams and this decision will come at the cost of our precious natural environment."
