Aquatic plants visible through the 'gin-clear' water of the River Itchen © Guy Edwardes/2020VISION
Habitat Restoration
Our local chalk streams, as we know them today, are the product of human action over centuries. As early as Roman times, people have been moulding these waters to suit their purposes: straightening them, deepening them, redirecting them, and even filling them in. The legacy of these alterations, combined with modern problems, put the streams under immense pressure.
There are numerous factors that affect the health of a stream's habitats, and these are highly interconnected. We see sedimentation, eutrophication, and loss of wildlife; sometimes with local causes, but often exacerbated by wider issues like pollution, mismanagement, and climate change. These factors aggravate each other, sending the streams into a downward spiral.
If we want to save our chalk streams from this fate, we urgently need to increase their resilience. The healthier their condition, the more able they are to cope with future threats - this is where the Habitat Restoration project comes in. As part of the Watercress and Winterbournes Landscape Partnership Scheme, this project is giving key stream habitats a helping hand.
