Positive News
The New Zealand river that became a legal person
In 2017, New Zealand granted legal personhood to the Whanganui River. Since then, other nations have followed suit in an effort to protect the environment. click link: The New Zealand river that became a legal person - BBC Travel
Give legal rights to animals, trees and rivers, say experts
Report for Law Society says framework is essential for future interactions with the environment and biotechnology.Granting legal rights and protections to non-human entities such as animals, trees and rivers is essential if countries are to tackle climate breakdown and biodiversity loss, experts have said
click link:Give legal rights to animals, trees and rivers, say experts | Environment | The Guardian
Sceptic viewpoint:Why I’m sceptical about giving legal rights to animals, trees and rivers | Letters | The Guardian
River Ouse may become first in England to gain legal rights
The River Ouse is on course to be the first river in England to be granted legal rights, as part of a growing movement to bolster protection for nature through the law. Guardian Mar 1 2023
Click link: River Ouse may become first in England to gain legal rights | Rivers | The Guardian
Why it's time to talk about Poo
The nutrients in human waste are drifting down our rivers anto into our oceans instead of back into soils. But there are much better uses for human poo than flushing it down the drain. click link: Why it's time to talk about poo - BBC Future
‘This is what a river should look like’:
Dutch rewilding project turns back the clock 500 years
Europe’s largest river restoration is making changes across the entire landscape, bringing benefits to wildlife and people
click link:
Economic argument for the importance and benefits of Nature in UK
Nature is not an impediment to UK economic growth: it’s vital to it
click link: Nature is not an impediment to UK economic growth: it’s vital to it | Tony Juniper | The Guardian
River Wear in Durham to be cleared of litter
A litter-strewn section of the River Wear is set to be cleared of debris after a local campaign.
click link: River Wear in Durham to be cleared of litter after Natural England approval | The Northern Echo
Reconnecting the Salmon rivers of Wales / Ailgysylltu Afonydd Eog Cymru
This project aims to remove 17 disused barriers to reconnect 141 km of fragmented river habitats across Wales in five iconic Atlantic salmon rivers: the Western and Eastern Cleddau, the Usk, the Tywi, and the Teifi. Reconnecting quality habitats will make these fish populations less isolated and make our rivers more resilient to future change.
click link: Reconnecting the Salmon rivers of Wales / Ailgysylltu Afonydd Eog Cymru | West Wales Rivers Trust
Exmoor river to be liberated in pioneering project
The idea of this “Stage 0” restoration project is to create the conditions for a landscape that is better for flora and fauna, with the slower water flow making flooding less likely.
click link: ‘Like a computer reset’: Exmoor river to be liberated in pioneering project | Rivers | The Guardian
Cumbria is ahead of the river curve: The second programme in Simon Reeves’ BBC TV series The Lakes features similar projects in Cumbria that are well under way, making a huge positive impact.
NRW Project to help the Teifi: Restoring LIFE back into four rivers in Wales
The largest conservation project to help restore wildlife on four important rivers in South Wales was launched on Friday 28 October 2022.
The Four Rivers for LIFE Project is led by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and will protect, enhance and help restore the Rivers Teifi, Tywi, Cleddau and Usk. An estimated 776km of river will be improved.
click link: Natural Resources Wales / Restoring LIFE back into four rivers in Wales
This project is based on a similar project that has proven very successfull on the River Dee
click link: Natural Resources Wales / NRW launches £6.8 million LIFE Dee River project
Here are a some YouTube videos about the Dee River project:
River Teifi to benefit from multi-million-pound project
The projects are supported through the EU’s LIFE Programme and match funded by the Welsh Government.
They will ensure that the £13.8 million cash injection will breathe new life into urgent conservation challenges over the next five years.
More than nine million pounds will be invested into bringing four Welsh rivers into good condition – the Teifi, Cleddau, Tywi and Usk. An estimated 500km of river will be improved.
Click link: River Teifi to benefit from multi-million-pound project | Tivyside Advertiser
Study finds small isolated wetlands are pollution-catching powerhouses
Small isolated wetlands that are full for only part of the year are often the first to be removed for development or agriculture, but a new study shows that they can be twice as effective in protecting downstream lake or river ecosystems than if they were connected to them.
click link: Study finds small isolated wetlands are pollution-catching powerhouses (phys.org)
An Integrated Constructed Wetland (ICW) has been created on 15ha of land in the Stiffkey catchment to provide a sustainable, low-carbon, natural wastewater treatment system that will also boost biodiversity.
click link: Norfolk Rivers Trust | Stiffkey Integrated Constructed Wetland
See also: Norfolk wetland project to prevent river pollution approved - BBC News
Note however that half the wetlands in Europe have been lost in past 300 years
click link: Half the wetlands in Europe lost in past 300 years, researchers calculate | Biodiversity | The Guardian
River Dove: Thousands of trees planted to protect salmon
More than 2,000 trees have been planted in Staffordshire in a bid to protect the local salmon population. The saplings were planted along the River Dove, near Uttoxeter, as part of a project by the Trent Rivers Trust to help "climate-proof" the river habitat. It is hoped the trees will reduce erosion and slow the flow of water.
click link: River Dove: Thousands of trees planted to protect salmon - BBC News
Strange Plan to Full Rewild a River
Salmon migration returns to Cumbrian river after disappearance
Research shows that Salmon numbers have been falling for several years, but staff and volunteers from a partnership in Cumbria have been working to help them overcome the threats they now face. New figures released from Haweswater, where the RSPB works in partnership with landowner United Utilities show that Salmon are once again thriving in Swindale Beck at the site.
click link: Salmon migration returns to Cumbrian river after disappearance | News and Star
‘Historic moment’ for nature as Europe’s first wild river national park announced in Albania
A project with outdoor gear company Patagonia and NGOs will protect the Vjosa, one of the continent’s last free-flowing waterways.
One of the last wild rivers in Europe, home to more than 1,000 animal and plant species, has been declared a national park by the Albanian government, making the Vjosa the first of its kind on the continent.
Pearl mussels to be released into Welsh rivers to curb extinction
Conservationists are preparing to release pearl mussels into Welsh rivers in an attempt to save them from extinction.
Freshwater pearl mussels have become critically endangered because of poaching and changes to their habitat.
Over the past 100 years their numbers have dropped so much that only a handful can be found around Wales.
But now Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is set to release the first batch of young into five rivers this summer.
click link: Pearl mussels to be released into Welsh rivers to curb extinction - BBC News
Regional sewage treatment works set for site in Manx plantation
A new sewage treatment works to serve parts of the east of the Isle of Man will be situated in a plantation, Manx Utilities (MU) has said.
MU chairman Tim Crookall said the development meant the organisation could now "get on with delivering a modern sewage treatment process for Garff", which would "ultimately cease the pumping of raw sewage to sea on the coasts of our island".
click link: Regional sewage treatment works set for site in Manx plantation - BBC News
Projects to remove chemicals from rivers underway
Click link: Projects to protect Somerset Rivers from chemicals underway - BBC News
Dam fine work: record number of barrier removals helps restore rivers
In its annual report, Dam Removal Europe said Spain led the way for the second year with 133 removals, followed by Sweden and France. The UK completed 29 removals, including Bowston Weir, which was built on the River Kent nearly 150 years ago for a paper mill. Its removal will help restore the health of the river, which is home to white-clawed crayfish, freshwater pearl mussels, and water crowfoot (an oxygenating aquatic plant).
£11m Welsh Water investment to improve Cleddau water quality
Welsh Water is investing more than £11m to improve water quality in the River Cleddau, members of Pembrokeshire County Council have heard.
click link: £11m Welsh Water investment to improve Cleddau water quality | Western Telegraph
Rare footage of spawning lamprey captured on River Dee
Incredible video footage of spawning brook lamprey has been captured by the LIFE Dee River project, a multi-million pound river restoration programme led by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
click link: Rare footage of spawning lamprey captured on River Dee | Wales Farmer
Guardian Country diary: A new angle on river management
Test valley, Hampshire:Fishing is part of the River Test’s heritage, but since embracing other uses, nature has flourished
click link: Country diary: A new angle on river management | Rivers | The Guardian
Fish survival rates on River Dee boosted by new project
Work to improve survival rates for fish migrating on the River Dee has had an immediate impact, with juvenile fish seen passing through a notch at Chester weir only days after the project led by National Resources Wales (NRW) was completed. The project, carried out in partnership with the UK Government’s Environment Agency, aims to improve downstream passage for young salmon and sea trout as part of the multi-million-pound LIFE Dee River project.
click link: Fish survival rates on River Dee boosted by new project (nation.cymru)
Lytchett Matravers wetland aims to filter sewage from overflow
A water company is creating a wetland habitat to help filter sewage overflows from one if its pumping stations. Wessex Water plans to transform agricultural land south of its Bulbury Lane pumping station at Lytchett Matravers in Dorset. Company data shows sewage flowed from the facility for 376 hours in 2022. In a planning application, approved by Dorset Council, the firm said the plan "offered a more sustainable solution than additional pump storage".
click link: Lytchett Matravers wetland aims to filter sewage from overflow - BBC News
City centre reed beds could ease sewage in sea
Plymouth City Council plans to install a new water system that will collect and filter rainwater along Armada Way. It says the reed beds system will reduce pollution in the Plymouth Sound.
Click link: Plymouth city centre reed beds could ease sewage in sea - BBC News
Don’t wait for the water firms – 3 things we can do to clean up Britain’s rivers
Britain’s rivers and coasts are polluted – there’s no escaping that fact – and water companies are coming under more and more pressure to fix things. Most recently, a law firm has announced its plans to takecollective legal actionagainst the UK’s six biggest water companies over alleged pollution and overcharging. Private water companies have admitted theyneed to do moreand pressure must be kept on them to do so – they cannot be let off the hook. But anyone who wants to see cleaner rivers and coasts can’t simply sit back and wait for the promised investment and improved practises, because the problems facing Britain’s waterways are far greater than those caused solely by the water industry – and the solutions will need many other sectors of society and industry to get involved. Read here three things that would improve Britain’s rivers and coasts – which don’t require the water companies.
New scheme aims to improve waters of the River Teifi
A CARDIGAN councillor has said he is ‘encouraged’ by the impact of a new scheme aimed at improving the waters of the River Teifi through cutting phosphate inputs, improving water quality and reversing a decline in nature.
click link: New scheme aims to improve waters of the River Teifi | Tivyside Advertiser
see also this FB post: SaveTheTeifi | Facebook
Sewers are overflowing everywhere. One solution is right in your backyard
Washington DC just finished a major component of a multibillion dollar tunnel system to intercept storm water, but it’s also turning to a far simpler and cheaper solution: rain gardens. These features, which are built below street level and host a variety of plantings, have been popping up across the country as cities seek to manage more extreme storms. In San Francisco, officials built a twelve-block span of 30 rain gardens capable of managing over 5 million gallons of storm water every year, or the equivalent of five Olympic pools. Milwaukee has been installing rain gardens in parking lots, streets, and schoolyards, and so has Philadelphia, which has launched a years-long project to reduce combined sewer overflows.
click link: Sewers are overflowing everywhere. One solution is right in your backyard. (msn.com)
