Chilterns Chalk Streams Project. Chilterns Chalk Streams Project. Annual Report An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

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1 Chilterns Chalk Streams Project Chilterns Chalk Streams Project Annual Report An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

2 Chairman's Remarks Concern about the proposed route of rail line High Speed Two rightly emphasises Cthe potential damage to the Chiltern landscape. As an AONB, the Chilterns are part of our national heritage. Little mention, however, has been made of the threat to the long suffering River Misbourne, under which the proposed route passes at perhaps the river's most vulnerable section. The potential impact of such a railway on groundwater and river flow, both during and after construction is likely to significantly impact on a chalk stream already suffering from over abstraction and modification by man. On a more cheerful note, the creation of the River Chess Association is to be welcomed. Its nucleus is a group of fishermen, landowners and local residents and it incorporates the highly successful Chesham-based initiative Impress the Chess. Its members are to be trained by the Riverfly Partnership so that they will be able to monitor the quality of the river and protect it from pollution. The Association welcomes interest and help from the public and offers the opportunity to get involved in the conservation of one of the flagship Chilterns chalk streams. Peter Hinde, Chairman The Chilterns Chalk Streams Project A n initiative of the Chilterns Conservation Board, the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project (CCSP) is a partnership which aims to conserve and enhance all major chalk streams in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and to encourage enjoyment and understanding of them. The Project provides advice to landowners on riverside management, carries out practical projects to enhance the streams for wildlife, improves access where appropriate, undertakes surveys and provides educational materials for schools. The Chiltern Hills were designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in This is recognition that the Chilterns countryside is amongst the finest in England and Wales. The Chilterns River River Thames WALLINGFORD GORING Conservation Board works to ensure that the special qualities of the area are conserved. BENSON M40 WATLINGTON Ewelme Brook CHINNOR AYLESBURY PRINCES RISBOROUGH STOKENCHURCH Hambleden Brook MARLOW HENLEY-ON-THAMES READING PRESTWOOD HIGH WYCOMBE WENDOVER TRING Misbourne Bulbourne Hughenden Stream Wye River Thames River Thames DUNSTABLE Aldbury CHESHAM AMERSHAM M40 Whipsnade Gade BERKHAMSTED M1 Gaddesden BEACONSFIELD Chess M25 BARTON-LE-CLAY Markyate Ver Ver HEMEL HEMPSTEAD CHORLEYWOOD CONSERVATION BOARD Lilley M1 Hexton LUTON HITCHIN HARPENDEN Colne Chilterns Chalk Streams Project 1

3 Project Officer s Report Looking back over the last year, it is hard to believe Lthat at one point the water companies and the Environment Agency were beginning to eye their drought management plans nervously, with fingers crossed hoping for rain. It will be a surprise to most reading this that summer rainfall was about 20% below average and that by October groundwater levels had declined sharply leaving our already stressed rivers with rapidly reducing flows. I have to say that seeing upper sections of rivers like the Hughenden Stream and R. Chess drying out once again certainly had me worried. Fortunately, however, worries of a drought in 2010 were quite literally washed away when the winter rains returned in November, with a vengeance. A focus for the project this year has been the Misbourne's continuing low flow problems. The Project has worked with the Environment Agency in their preparations for a second phase of work to improve flows, assisting in an audit of the restoration opportunities along the river and also providing input on the list of options to improve flow that Veolia Water Central are to appraise by Alongside this work, the Project has also provided advice to The Chiltern Society on their plans to selectively line two reaches of the river to improve flows and has produced an advisory leaflet for riparian owners to help them improve management of the river and surrounding land. Revive the Wye, a partnership project which is aiming to raise the profile and enhance the quality of the R. Wye, has continued to develop in the past year. It has built links with many of the parish councils and local interest groups to facilitate action over a greater length of the river and has continued to carry out conservation work on the ground and provide advice to planners and developers seeking to develop riverside land. The CCSP has played a key role in the project, providing technical advice, carrying out advisory visits and assisting with enhancement projects. The completed Meades Water Gardens Regeneration project is one year old this year and has proved very popular with the local community, visitors and wildlife too. As a key urban green space for Chesham it is satisfying to see that the gardens are being used by more people and that anti-social behaviour has greatly reduced as a result of the work. Also pleasing is the fact that the success of the project received recognition by the Wild Trout Trust at their Conservation awards in October. The award included 500 for additional work on the Chess in Chesham. Not half an hour ago, I saw my first mayfly of the year. A little later than usual it must be said, but a welcome sight none-the-less. The mayfly is a true sign of the approaching summer, especially here in the Chilterns, where hatches of this iconic insect of our chalk streams can continue well into June. However, to all but those with an interest in the piscatorial art or who possess an unhealthy interest in creepy crawlies, it goes almost completely unnoticed. For those who do witness these events, the sight of hundreds of mayflies fluttering skywards in the afternoon sun, running the gauntlet of hordes of predators such as trout, swallows, swifts and bats is truly one of nature's marvels. Observing such a spectacle also brings home just how important our rivers are to wildlife as a whole. Rivers are more than just habitats in their own right; they are the arteries, the lifeblood, of our countryside. April, 2009 October, 2009 The effects of a dry summer: the Chess in Old Chesham Allen Beechey, Chilterns Chalk Streams Project Officer 2

4 Highlights from 2009/2010 Local Partnerships The Revive The Wye partnership set up in 2008 to improve the R. Wye in High Wycombe developed further this year, working on projects throughout the length of the river and developing valuable links with parish councils, local businesses and volunteer groups. In the past year Revive The Wye has organised volunteer work parties, walks along the river, supported enhancement projects and provided advice on planning applications. The partnership has been particularly successful in engaging the support of local businesses to assist with work parties to clear the river at Rye Mead and Kings Mead. Volunteers clearing the R. Wye at Kings Mead, High Wycombe (Photo: Wycombe DC) The CCSP working with a number of riparian owners and local residents has helped to set up a new group, the River Chess Association, which aims to bring together all those who have an interest in the river to help protect and enhance the environment of the R. Chess. The Association is looking to build upon the success of Impress the Chess and the ongoing water vole recovery scheme to improve understanding of the Chess, highlight the pressures that it is facing and to lobby for greater protection. It also aims to set up a riverfly monitoring programme to assess the quality of the river and to detect pollution incidents. Enhancement Work The CCSP was pleased to be able to support the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust in their work to enhance habitat for the benefit of water voles and improve public access to Frogmore Meadows SSSI at Chenies on the R. Chess. Work has included the creation of riverside ponds, a new viewing platform for visitors and tree work. The Chalk Streams Project provided a grant to assist with pollarding of riverside willows and helped in the production of a new interpretation board for the site. In September an enhancement scheme was carried out by the Environment Agency at Wooburn Park on the R. Wye. The work involved the installation of flow deflectors along a straightened reach of the Wye to invigorate flows and provide habitat for fish. It is hoped that the Installing flow deflectors at Wooburn Park (Photo: Environment Agency) work will also enable fish to find refuge during high flows and that spawning habitat will be created. 3

5 Access, Interpretation and Education This year the Project produced two interpretation panels to raise awareness of the recently completed restoration project on the R. Bulbourne at St. John's Well, Berkhamsted. These boards highlight both the long history of St. John's Well and the work that was carried out to restore valuable chalk stream habitat in this urban location. The CCSP supported the production of two interpretation panels by the Environment Agency, for installation at two separate locations along the R. Wye at Wooburn Park, Wooburn Green and Boundary Park in Loudwater. These boards were produced to raise awareness of the river, the Revive The Wye initiative and the recent work carried out to enhance habitat. New interpretation board at Wooburn Park. The Project carried out 13 visits to sites along five of the Chilterns rivers this year to give advice on river and riparian management and to assist with the development of enhancement schemes. The Ver Valley Access and Interpretation Project, led by the Ver Valley Society and Hertfordshire Countryside Management Service was launched this year following confirmation of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the project's partners, which include the CCSP. The 100,000 project will create eight circular walks and one linear trail along with signage, interpretation, new footbridges, and an accompanying web site. The highly successful Trout in the Classroom project continued this year at two schools in the Chess valley. Pupils from Waterside Combined School decided to keep their first batch of trout until June to allow them to grow larger and were filmed by BBC's Countryfile programme releasing them into the R. Chess at Meades Water Gardens. The second year of the project began with delivery of the eggs in January and pupils at Rickmansworth Park and Waterside Schools released their fish at the end of March, just before the Easter holidays. The Misbourne Walk leaflet was revised and re-printed. Survey Work The latest in a biennial series of water vole surveys was carried out along the R. Chess over the summer period. The survey, carried out by BBOWT and supported by the Chalk Streams Project, was part of the highly successful water vole recovery scheme that has been running on the Chess since The results of this year's survey showed that the water vole population has now recovered to 87% of its size recorded in 2001, when the river was first surveyed. The population had declined dramatically between 2001 and 2003 following the establishment of a colony of American mink in the valley. Following on from the confirmation of the presence of water voles on the Misbourne in 2008, a more thorough survey of the lower river was carried out in the summer, to determine the extent of the population. The results revealed that there are significant colonies in the High Denham and Chalfont St. Peter areas and that further small populations exist down to the confluence with the R. Colne. Surveys of sites along the Ewelme Brook confirmed that the watercress beds continue to support a healthy population of water voles. 4

6 Raising Awareness The CCSP held its 12th Annual Forum at the Boxmoor Theatre in Boxmoor, Herts in June. The focus of the event was the R. Gade. Over 50 delegates attended hearing talks on a variety of subjects including the Thames River Basin Management Plan and the Wild Trout Trust's recently launched Chalk Streams Habitat Manual. After lunch the delegates were led on a guided walk of the Gade through Gadebridge Park and the town centre to look at potential sites identified for enhancement through Veolia Water Central's Gade Sustainability Study. The Project's annual programme of walks and talks continued this year, with talks to a number of local community groups and walks along several rivers. The chalk streams pages on the Chilterns Conservation Board website have been revised and updated. In addition, new case study pages were added illustrating some of the Project's recent achievements. Filming for BBC's Countryfile in the R. Chess at Latimer! The CCSP produced an advisory leaflet for riparian owners along the R. Misbourne. This leaflet aims to raise awareness of the reasons behind the river's low flows and provides advice on how to manage the river and riverside land for the benefit of wildlife and to minimise loss of flow along the perched sections of the river. 5

7 Financial Statement 2009/2010 Income Source Amount Expenditure Details Amount Chilterns Conservation Board 19,752 Environment Agency 8,500 Veolia Water Central 2,700 Chiltern Society 2,600 Bucks CC 2,000 Chilterns DC 1,000 Dacorum BC 1,000 CCSP project reserve 1,717 Fees/Donations 235 WWT Award 500 Impress the Chess donations 485 Total 40,489 After adjustments, 985 will be carried forward to support project work in 2010/11 Officer costs 26,890 Travel 327 Office costs 1,854 Annual Forum 965 Annual Report 658 Publications 1,773 Management advice 1,803 Water Vole Recovery Project support 1,000 Web site development 793 Project Work Ver Valley Access and Interpretation Project 2,000 Tree work, Frogmoor SSSI 900 R. Wye Interpretation boards 500 Trout in the Classroom 41 Total 39, /2011 Work in progress... River enhancement project on the R. Wye at Boundary Park. Development of a River Restoration Strategy for the R. Wye. Completion of the Ver Valley Access and Interpretation Project. Expansion of Trout in the Classroom to more schools. Advisory leaflets for the rivers Wye and Gade Development of a water vole recovery strategy for the R. Misbourne. Wild Trout Trust 'masterclass' on river enhancement techniques R. Chess. Pale watery spinner 6

8 Winterbourne habitat, R. Gade near Great Gaddesden Chilterns Chalk Streams Project Chilterns Conservation Board The Lodge 90 Station Road Chinnor Oxon OX39 4HA Tel: Fax: Led by the Chilterns Conservation Board, the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project is a partnership of the following organisations: Front cover top right photo: John Morris. All other photos, unless otherwise stated, by Allen Beechey (copyright Chilterns Conservation Board). The considerable achievements of the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project would not have been possible without the committed support of the partner organisations, many of whom provide significant staff time to help deliver the Project's work programme. Many thanks are due to all involved in the Project. CONSERVATION BOARD A Working Partnership Chilterns Chalk Streams Project This report is printed on 75% recycled paper (napm approved)