Herts Rivers Week is flowing towards us!
There's exciting news from the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust!
They are having their first River Week from 30th May to the 8th June 2025! The aim is to celebrate the chalk rivers there – these are rare and very special indeed. They are among the rarest freshwater habitats worldwide (just 260 of them) and 85% of them are in England, mostly in the south. 10% of them are in Hertfordshire. Unfortunately, they are very much threatened by pollution and the over-abstraction of water.
Chalk rivers matter because they provide mineral-rich and crystal clear water – and that helps to keep a stable temperature for animals such as brown trout, the stunning kingfisher and water vole.
During the week, they are events, walks, talks and activities for the family – so it’s a great opportunity to explore the chalk rivers, discover all about the wildlife they support and also the challenges they face. And it’s also a chance to find out how we can all protect them.
Some of the events are online. There’s a Learn to Draw Kingfishers online tutorial aimed at adults, an online talk on Invasive Species – what are they and what can they do? And there’s a talk online on the Living Rivers of Hertfordshire! And online, they’ve got a number of Five Minute sketching videos e.g. how to draw a toad.
Needless to say, there are also plenty of activities such as a River Wildlife Walk, a volunteer session and stream dipping.
This really is a wonderful chance to find out about chalk streams so even if you don’t take part in the events, please swim or paddle away to the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust to find out more!
Chalk rivers matter because they provide mineral-rich and crystal clear water – and that helps to keep a stable temperature for animals such as brown trout, the stunning kingfisher and water vole.
In the Big Give’s Green Match Fund in April 2025, the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust ran a repost of volunteer Melanie Woods’ post about chalk streams – do take time to read it, as it gives an excellent idea of the wildlife chalk streams support – and the challenges they face.
Ways to help chalk streams and rivers
1. Save water!
Save water at home and reduce the pressure on our rivers! Using less water helps to keep more in the ecosystems animals depend on, so that otters, water voles, herons and fish will have plenty of water. The warnings are already out this year – we need to help wildlife all we can. And it could save you money, too! Find out more here.
2. Sign the petition! Give your voice!
Sign a petition to protect chalk streams – support the Chalk Stream Recovery Pack. It needs to hit 100,000 to be debated in Parliament by 25th August 2025. It says:
"We think the chalk stream recovery pack would increase investment, regulation and transparency; improving the state of all rivers. We feel Chalk streams’ rarity, cultural and ecological importance should make them a priority for conservation, sustainable water management and restoration initiatives."
3. Pledge a pond for wildlife!
Build a pond and create your own wetland – you can see how a pond can change a space into a habitat in which wildlife can thrive. And it doesn’t need to be the size of an Olympic swimming pool – the size of a washing up bowl will do fine! Pledge a pond for wildlife here.
4. Be informed!
You can also find out how the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust is working with others to restore and protect rivers for the future. Their Living Rivers Project aims to protect and improve the chalk streams in Hertfordshire and bring htem back to good health. Not only that, the Trust wants to connect them to a natural floodplain of wet meadows, ponds, ditches and wetlands – then our freshwater wildlife will do well.
5. Spread the word!
And of course you can spread the word about all these actions and encourage other people to get involved! You could spread the word about how chalk streams work, too. Chilterns National Landscape have a great video here.
The fantastic photo at the top of the page is by Jonathan Ridley - great pic, Jonathan!
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