Keeping the Welland Cool: Community tree planting in Lubenham

On February 24^th, the Welland Rivers Trust held a community tree planting event in collaboration with the Woodland Trust and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. By planting trees along the river, this project aims to create important wildlife habitat and shade for the river, while also benefiting the local community through reduced flooding. Trees help to slow down flood water, and also soak up water from the soil to drain water-logged fields. 100+ volunteers joined us in Lubenham village, where we planted around 1,500 saplings over two hours . It was a fantastic day, and it was great to see a strong turn out from Lubenham village, as well as volunteers from Market Harborough and further.

We would like to thank all the volunteers who helped us on the day. Please follow us on Facebook or Twitter to find out about up-coming events.

The state of the environment: water quality

By Environment Agency

Key findings:

• In 2016, 86% of river water bodies had not reached good ecological status. The main reasons for this are agriculture and rural land management, the water industry, and urban and transport pressures.

• Water quality issues were the cause of 38% of all fish test failures, and 61% of invertebrate test failures in rivers in 2015.

• Pollutant loads to rivers from water industry discharges have declined in recent years, with reductions of up to 70% since 1995.

• Over the last decade the number of serious water pollution incidents from water companies has remained broadly the same, with about 60 incidents each year. That is more than one a week.

• For assessed river water bodies in England, 55% were at less than good status for phosphorus in 2016.

• Nearly half of groundwater bodies will not reach good chemical status by 2021. For groundwaters protected for drinking water, nitrate levels were responsible for 65% of failures to achieve good chemical status.

• Bathing water quality has improved over the last 30 years with 98% passing minimum standards and 65% at excellent status in 2017.

• Population growth, climate change, emerging chemicals, plastic pollution, nano-particles and fracking all present potential future threats to water quality.

For the full report follow this link: State_of_the_environment_water_quality_report_2016

The Great British Spring Clean

Fancy a day outdoors making a difference in the neighbourhood? Why not join the Welland Rivers Trust to clean up the area around the River Welland in Deeping St. James. The GB Spring Clean is a National event, and this year we will be concentrating on picking up plastic to bring to the public’s attention the effects of plastic on all aspects of the environment. We see this as a fantastic opportunity to get more people involved in nature conservation. Email ggifillan@gwct.org.uk for more information. We hope to see you there!!!!

Gloves, bin-bags and hi-visibility vests will be provided. All you need to bring is yourselves, and please wear appropriate clothing for the weather, as well as sturdy boots/wellies. Afterwards, we have the option of enjoying a well-earned drink at the Waterton Arms pub.

Location: Meeting at the Waterton Arms’ car park – 68 Church St, Peterborough PE6 8HD

Date: Sunday 4^th March

Time: Meeting at 1pm (roughly 1-3pm)

Tree Planting

On February 10th, the WRT held a community tree planting event for the Keeping the Welland Cool project. Despite more wet and windy conditions, 7 volunteers helped us plant 35 saplings along the river in Duddington (Northamptonshire). The aim of this work was to create important riverine habitat for wildlife, but also to help reduce flooding in the area, as trees are effective in slowing down flood water, and in soaking up water in the soil. We planted a range of different native species appropriate for wet soils, including English oak, Aspen, Alder, Hazel and Crab apple.

If you would like to get involved, please follow us on Twitter and Facebook to learn about our future volunteering activities. Thank you.

Tree Planting Event- Lubenham February 24th

Three wildlife charities are inviting local people to help create a new woodland in the village of Lubenham by attending a community planting event on Saturday 24^th February from 10am to 1pm.

Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust, the Woodland Trust and the Welland Rivers Trust are working in partnership to create the new woodland in an area of south Leicestershire that has very little existing woodland cover.

Simon Bentley, Director of the Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust said, “The Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust was delighted to receive the generous gift of a field in Lubenham during 2016. It extends over three acres and lies alongside the River Welland and adjacent to Lubenham All Saints Primary School. The field has been grazed in the past but is ideal for creating a community woodland, which will deliver real benefits for both wildlife and local people.

“Local people are invited to come along between 10am and 1pm on the morning of Saturday 24^th February to assist with the woodland planting. No previous experience is required as experts will be on hand to provide guidance and tools will be provided. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear and, if you are coming by car, please park sensitively in the village. The entrance to the field is at the eastern end of Old Hall Lane.”

Stuart Holm, Woodland Creation Adviser for the Woodland Trust said, “The Woodland Trust is delighted to be providing 1,500 native UK broadleaf trees and shrubs to create a natural looking woodland that will develop well on the loamy clay soil and offer benefits to wildlife in different ways. Species will include alder, aspen and oak plus hazel and spindle and will be young bare root saplings. Areas of open space will also be incorporated in the new woodland.”

Geoff Gilfillan, Project Officer for the Welland Rivers Trust said, “The Welland Rivers Trust is pleased to support this project to enhance habitat, wildlife and water along the River Welland – a small, but in parts beautiful, river forming much of the county boundaries between Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire. The new woodland will be a valuable natural asset.”

The Rotary Club of Market Harborough has also provided generous funding to support the project.

Improving Spalding’s Riverside

Our project has been selected to go for public voting between March and April at the Tesco store in Holbeach.

Working in collaboration with the Spalding RiverSide Forum Community Group, the Welland Rivers Trust have applied for £4,000 from the Tesco Bags of Help grant to fund the design and distribution of ‘Litter Picking Stations’ and educational sign boards along the river, where we are aiming to improve the River Welland in Spalding for both people and wildlife to enjoy.

The Litter Picking Stations will function to make it easier for the public to pick up litter every time they visit the river. The Stations will be A-Frame boards with integrated litter pickers and recyclable bags. Users will take a litter picker and a bag, fill it up with litter and dispose of the litter in nearby bins or recycling points. Litter pickers will be placed back into the holder ready for the next user.

The educational sign boards will aim to inform the public about the history of Spalding’s river, and how people can conserve this valuable resource into the future. The signed information will be specific to relevant sections of the river (e.g. local history near a historic site or duck feeding information near duck feeding sites).

River Wardens

Our River Warden Project has been selected to go for public voting between March and April at Tesco stores across Peterborough and Stamford (Dogs Thorpe Express, Market Deeping, Peterborough Chadbrn Exp, Stamford Express, Werrington).

We have applied for £4,000 from the Tesco Bags of Help fund to create a River Warden volunteering network across the River Welland catchment, to protect the river for both people and wildlife.

The River Warden Scheme will give people who care about the River Welland and their local environment a chance to:

– Work with the Welland Rivers Trust to provide river monitoring

– Carry out river management

– Document and report pollution and other incidents

– Involve their local community and neighbourhood in river restoration and conservation projects

– Act as a point of liaison between the Welland Rivers Trust and their local community

At the Welland Rivers Trust, we want the river to be at the heart of local communities. We believe that community involvement is key for the conservation and restoration of the River Welland and its entire catchment area.

As a River Warden, volunteers will be the local champion for the River Welland, acting as our eyes and ears on the ground to protect the Welland and its tributaries. Initially, we want to pilot this scheme with 3 or 4 parishes, with a view to rolling out the initiative to other parishes, based on the lessons learnt.