Chilterns Chalk Chilterns Chalk Streams Project 2011/2012 Work in progress ... Streams Project River habitat enhancement project at Kings Mead, Annual Report 2010-2011 R. Wye

Water meadow restoration project at Sarratt, n initiative of the Chilterns Conservation Board, the Chilterns BARTON-LE-CLAY R. Chess Chalk Streams Project is a partnership which aims to conserve Hexton M1 River restoration scheme at Little Missenden, Aand enhance all major chalk streams in the Chilterns Area of Lilley HITCHIN DUNSTABLE R. Misbourne Outstanding Natural Beauty, and to encourage enjoyment and LUTON understanding of them. The Project provides advice to Wild Trout Trust 'masterclass' on river enhancement landowners on riverside management, carries out Whipsnade techniques – R. Chess. practical projects to enhance the streams for Markyate HARPENDEN Ver Aldbury Advisory leaflets for the rivers Wye and Gade wildlife, improves access where appropriate, TRING Gade Gaddesden M1 AYLESBURY undertakes surveys and provides Bulbourne Trout in the Classroom WENDOVER School field trip to the Chess. (Photo: Paul Jennings) educational materials for schools. BERKHAMSTED PRINCES RISBOROUGH Misbourne Colne The Chiltern Hills were M40 CHINNOR PRESTWOOD Chess Chilterns Chalk Streams Project HIGH designated as an Area STOKENCHURCH WYCOMBE AMERSHAM Chilterns Conservation Board River Thames WATLINGTON Hughenden of Outstanding Natural Stream CHORLEYWOOD BENSON The Lodge, 90 Station Road Wye BEACONSFIELD Beauty (AONB) in Hambleden Ewelme Brook Chinnor Oxon OX39 4HA WALLINGFORD Brook 1965. This is MARLOW recognition that the M40 Tel: 01844 355502 River Thames Chilterns countryside HENLEY-ON-THAMES M25 Fax: 01844 355501 GORING is amongst the finest e-mail: [email protected] in and Wales. Chilterns www.chilternsaonb.org Chalk The Chilterns Conservation READING Streams Board works to ensure that the Project special qualities of the area are conserved. CONSERVATION BOARD Chairman's Remarks

he government will publish its much means immune. Indeed the R. Chess has been delayed water white paper later this affected recently and the Wye, Gade, Bulbourne Tyear. The objective of the paper will be to and Ver are also at risk. Times have moved on reform the water industry in terms of water since the current laws were made and greater The River Chess at Latimer supply, use and management of wastewater. We demand for water has caused river flows to Impress the Chess volunteer work party hope that it will propose measures to bring an end diminish, increasing the potential for damage by to the unsavoury practise of combined sewage toxic material. Climate change and development of river catchments, along with an ever ageing Led by the Chilterns Conservation Board, the Chilterns Chalk Streams overflows (CSOs). At present, in times of high Project is a partnership of the following organisations: A Working Partnership rainfall, raw sewage can be discharged directly sewerage network, have also, increased the The considerable achievements of the Chilterns Chalk Streams into rivers under licence. Discharges under these incidence of these events occurring. It is Project would not have been possible without the committed circumstances can have a devastating important therefore that the white support of the partner organisations, many of whom provide paper gives greater consideration to the significant staff time to help deliver the Project's work programme. effect on wildlife and be a hazard to plight of our rivers in shaping the future Many thanks are due to all involved in the Project. people who use river. Indeed, the CONSERVATION BOARD Environment Agency estimates that of water resource management for the each year, between fifty and sixty such country. events cause significant environmental damage such as fish kills. This is an issue that impacts many rivers in the UK and our chalk streams are by no Peter Hinde, Chairman

All photographs, unless stated, by Allen Beechey (copyright Chilterns Conservation Board) An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Project Officer’s Report Highlights from 2010/2011

he Chalk Streams Project had a Following on from the announcement of the government's Local Partnerships Survey work very eventful year in 2010/11. proposal to route a new High Speed Railway through the In August the Revive the Wye initiative held a The Project was commissioned by the Boxmoor Trust TWith the effects of the Misbourne Valley, the Project worked with its partners to masterclass in river habitat enhancement techniques on the to carry out a survey of aquatic invertebrates and to assess government's cuts being felt all around identify the potential impacts of the route on the R. River Wye at Kings Mead. Organised and hosted by the Wild the opportunities for restoring the lower R. Bulbourne the country, the Chalk Streams Project Misbourne and the wider Misbourne valley and to raise Trout Trust, the workshop was attended by volunteers from through Boxmoor. like other organisations that receive awareness of them locally and nationally. Revive the Wye and three other river groups. The Project carried out surveys of five local wildlife funding from the public sector, has It seems that if you want to have great weather when you go The CCSP led a group of volunteers from Impress the sites along chalk streams on behalf of had to tighten its belt and develop on holiday, you should go away in spring. Certainly that Chess on a work party to enhance river habitat along a two County Council. new income streams to survive. One seems to be the case this year. For as I write, heavy June hundred metre stretch of the Little Chess in Chesham in way which the project has managed BBOWT carried out further water vole surveys at a rain is once again pounding against the window pane. Not September. A large amount of accumulated rubbish was to do this was by developing new partnerships and number of sites on the lower Misbourne this year including that I am complaining mind you, we certainly need it as this removed and tree work was carried out to increase the Old Rectory Meadows SSSI, and have installed mink rafts at providing consultancy and project management services year has been remarkably dry by any standards. It seems amount of light reaching the river. two locations in the Higher Denham area. These surveys to landowners and project partners. Throughout this that the spectre of drought is never far away in the Chilterns. The Dacorum Chalk Rivers Restoration Strategy, have further confirmed the presence of a widespread change in direction the project continued to deliver Last year, the first six months were the driest since the developed in partnership by the Environment Agency, population of water voles extending from Chalfont St. Peter much during the year. severe drought year of 1976, and river flows declined to Countryside Management and the Chalk to the confluence with the R. Colne. particularly low levels in a number of streams by the autumn. Streams Project was published in autumn. The strategy One new initiative that the Project pursued this year Although the situation initially eased in early autumn the covers the rivers Ver, Gade and Bulbourne and is available Access, Interpretation and Education was to develop riverfly monitoring on Chiltern rivers. harsh winter provided less than three quarters of average online at the Dacorum Environment Forum Water Group The Riverfly Partnership, established in 2004, developed recharge to the aquifer and the pattern of dry, warm springs website: www.defwatergroup.org.uk The Heritage a method of surveying rivers for key groups of aquatic has continued into 2011, meaning that river flows are again Lottery funded invertebrates, which enables anglers and local river under pressure. Although a drought hasn't yet been officially Discover The Ver organisations to monitor the health of their rivers and to announced for the Chilterns area, looking at the rivers, they project was launched detect pollution events. The project assisted in the set are already feeling the effects. Enhancement work in March. The project, up of riverfly monitoring groups on the Chess and the led by the Ver Valley Misbourne this year, with more hopefully to follow. The CCSP worked in partnership with Chepping Society and Hertfordshire Countryside Management with Allen Beechey, Chilterns Chalk Wycombe Parish Council and the Environment Agency to support from the CCSP, has created nine new walks in the Streams Project Officer carry out an habitat enhancement scheme on the River Wye Ver Valley along with delivering a series of access at Boundary Park in Loudwater. The Project funded a improvements and interpretation along the river. programme of tree work along the river to improve light www.riverver.co.uk levels reaching the river, whilst the Environment Agency installed a number of flow deflectors to provide habitat for The highly successful Trout in the Classroom project fish and soft pre-planted coir rolls to help reduce bank continued again this year at Waterside Combined and Financial Statement 2010/2011 erosion and create marginal habitat. The scheme is the Rickmansworth Park Schools in the Chess Valley. Both second in a series of three such projects that are planned for schools successfully released their trout in April and pupils Income Source Amount £ Expenditure Details Amount £ the River Wye. from both schools attended visits to the R. Chess in July, supported by members of the River Chess Association. Chilterns Conservation Board 20,718 Officer costs 28,033 The CCSP, working in partnership with Veolia Water Environment Agency 12,499 Travel 491 Central and the Chiltern Society, carried out tree work along Veolia Water Central 4,785 Office costs 392 the River Misbourne at Chalfont Mill on the outskirts of Raising Awareness Chalfont St. Giles. The Chiltern Society 2,600 Annual Forum 797 Over 40 delegates attended the 13th Annual Forum of work was carried out to Bucks CC 1,000 Annual Report 560 the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project, which was held at improve habitat along Chilterns DC 1,000 Riverfly group set up support 912 Hambleden Village Hall in the Hamble Valley in May. this neglected stretch of Dacorum BC 1,000 Water Vole Recovery Project support 1,000 river by allowing light to The Project carried out 9 visits to sites along five of Boxmoor Trust (consultancy fees) 1,250 reach the river and to the Chiltern's rivers last year to give advice on river and Fees/donations 410 Project Work open up the heavy scrub riparian management and to assist with the development of Income carried forward from 2009-10 985 Tree work, Chalfont Mill, R. Misbourne 4,710 that is present along this enhancement schemes. R. Wye enhancement scheme - 2,214 reach. A number of large Total 46,247 Boundary Park crack willows were The Project Officer led walks along the rivers Wye and Trout in the classroom 32 coppiced and pollarded. Chess and gave talks to a number of groups, including South Bucks BBOWT Group and Three Rivers District Council After adjustments, £7,106 will be carried forward to Total 39,432 Environmental Forum. The Project also supported the support project work in 2011/12 Completed enhancement National Trust's family fun day at Hughenden Manor in work at Boundary Park August.