SIGHTINGS & SPECIAL TREES

Action River Kennet is a charity and the rivers trust for the River Kennet and the River Pang.  Formed 30 years ago by people concerned about abstraction from the River Kennet, it still campaigns and educates on the effects of abstraction and the use of water. ARK works throughout the catchment area of the Kennet and the Pang - both internationally rare chalk streams. It has 5 members of staff and 450 volunteers and organise and run many different projects including litter picking, rewilding, planting, creating healthy habitats and removal of invasive plants such as Himalayan Balsam. It conducts environmental surveys such as water vole and citizen science projects contributing data to national projects. ARK has worked with 2046 children including with Chilton Foliat Primary School last year though visits, and ‘river school’.  ARK gathers data and conducts water quality testing and continues to campaign against the discharge of sewage into the waterways by Thames Water and provides advice for ‘green solutions’ to projects.

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Some examples of local projects to Chilton Foliat include creating habitats better for wildlife by improving ground cover and access to suitable banks. Planting sedge and iris and extending the river banks helps small fish, insects and invertebrates, and creates a stronger wildlife corridor along the riverside. It also prevents erosion of the river banks and allows the spread of plants such as water crowfoot which is a vital plant for wildlife.

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Zoe talked about some of the volunteer projects she undertakes with ARK including the citizen science projects. Water voles surveying is undertaken by volunteers who are trained by ARK (sign up on the website https://riverkennet.org/get-involved/practical-volunteering ).   Volunteers survey the river looking for signs of feeding areas, water vole ’latrines’ and the distinctive footprints to judge how many water voles are present.  The data gathered is logged with the Wiltshire Mammal Group and contributes to national data. A distinctive feature water voles is that they cut the leaves at 45 degrees when eating.

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ARK has run river fly monitoring on 4 sites on the Kennet and the Pang over the last 12 years. Volunteers are trained and supplied with kit to monitor their section on a monthly basis and log the results. Monitoring takes 1 – 2 hours per visit and the data provides solid evidence to measure  pollution issues. Redd spotting (a redd is the nest of wild brown trout) is another activity undertaken locally by ARK volunteers. ARK hold redd spotting training days on local estates. Zoe recommends volunteering  which can be regular, occasional, sociable and volunteers get to spend time in areas of the Kennet and Pang not usually accessible.  It is a sociable and fulfilling activity which she recommends.

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We were shown photos and examples of what Chalk Streams should look like and what they look like when polluted.  ARK encourages anyone who spots pollution to report it (to Thames Water and the environment agency and stress that you must get a reference number). The Thames Water Storm discharge map https://www.thameswater.co.uk/edm-map is available to view online detailing where sewage is being discharged.  ARK always checks this prior to confirming any event. 

Chilton Foliat has been recognised as a healthy stretch of the river with many water voles, otters and brown trout (both wild and stocked, the stocked fish tend to congregate together in groups). Otters are now eating the american crayfish rather than native fish which is good!.

Finally Zoe and Anna recommend the Action River Kennet website https://www.riverkennet.org/ and Facebook page to learn about all the projects and campaigns. If you would like to join ARK as a member there are many benefits including special ‘member only' events such as river walks and estate visits.

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26th September 2024

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