River conservation Don and dusted
Putting Sheffield's waterways in the spotlight
MANY of Britain's cleanest rivers flow through cities, and Sheffield's waterways are about to be put firmly in the spotlight.
The Steel City will host volunteers and technical specialists from around the UK next month during a specialist conference and the Don stars as the prime case study.
All eight Trout in the Town groups will be offered specialist training and given the chance to swap tips at the event.
Overall the aims are to improve river habitat to increase urban biodiversity, promote education and awareness of the value of healthy urban rivers, and get the community involved.
The conference, which takes place on August 1 and 2, has been organised as part of the Trout in the Town programme.
There will be experts from the Wild Trout Trust, The Environment Agency, sociological research organisation SUBSTANCE and invasive plant control specialists, Japanese Knotweed Solutions.
Their pledge is to find practical ways to improve rivers for everyone and everything.
Programme manager Paul Gaskell said city rivers are often cleaner than in rural areas because the pollution hotspots are better known and regulated.
"Even today, many people are incredulous when they see a living example of that totem of pure flowing water - a wild urban trout," he said.
"Protecting wild trout benefits the wildlife and vegetation on the river banks as well as within the water, and is an excellent tool for conserving some of our most valuable native ecosystems.
"Through Trout in the Town, the Wild Trout Trust aims to shift the perception of city streams as dead open sewers towards the proper expectation of healthy rivers supporting thriving, sustainable wildlife communities.
"Just as importantly, by helping local groups get stuck into restoring habitat on their city streams, they'll be helping to recruit and educate future generations of guardians for these once-forgotten havens."
If you want to know more about Trout in the Town visit www.urbantrout.blogspot.com, email Paul Gaskell at pgaskell@wildtrout.org, or call 07919 157 267.
The Sheffield Star
Published Date: 21 July 2009
By Nancy Fielder
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