Feeling the strain…
May 31, 2011
It’s been nearly 5 weeks since I have posted, for this I apologise – my excuse is work load. So much has happened over that period I am sure I will forget plenty, but will try to bring things up to date. Our project list is ever growing, and as and when I see opportunities for more I struggle to say no, but I challenge anyone to when they can see what good can be done.
Our Calder projects are moving ever forward. We have applied for planning permission, land drainage consent, and National Fish pass panel approval. Each process is sufficiently different to require lots of work but similar enough to drive someone made through repetition. But these processes are in place for good reason, especially in high risk sites such as the confluence of the Calder and Brun. We hope to go out to tender in the next week or two, and so I will be busy finalising contracts and documents for the next few days.
On Boyces brook we have finalised the design for the works and submitted them for land drainage consent. We have had a quote which is a little over budget, but I hope that with some work we can bring this down to a suitable level.
We have also begun finalising our designs and feasibility study for the other work on the Brun, but are awaiting news from our Heritage Lottery Grant application before the final stages are completed. Catherine has been busy liaising with the grant application officer, answering queries and keeping the application on track (fingers crossed everyone!)
Last week we made a start on our latest habitat scheme on Easington, we managed to get most of the fencing in using volunteers. Thursday was a god awful day and we were soaked to the bone, I felt guilty as I took the Friday off and thought I was abandoning the those involved, however it turns out they had a beautiful day and got on well. Thank you to all involved, this was out first scheme using volunteers for this type of work, and the farmer was duly impressed by the quality of work. This is one of several EA funded projects, but the partnership went beyond finance, as Mark Rudd from the EA came to help out on Thursday, which was much appreciated, as his long arms came in useful for picking stones out of the bottom of holes!!
Land drainage consents, were what was taking up so much time over the last few weeks as I had to get them submitted before the end of May to allow the 2 month decision process to be completed in time for us to actually get in and do the work. Stock beck gravel and large woody debris addition has been submitted, however before we can do any work on that we are awaiting the results of a grant application. Barrow brook weir removal has been submitted and we hope that this will be approved and work can commence ASAP.
Gayle and Cam beck is progressing, with modelling work on grip blocking priority areas complete, and now it is a stakeholder consultation period, and working with farmers to finalise consent to get in and do the works. This project really excites me and I can’t wait to get started.
We have another fencing scheme on a tributary of the Hodder and the Hodder itself at Burholme bridge that we hope to get started this month. The success of easington has proved how well on the smaller fencing scheme this technique can work, and we hope to role it out more. It’s a fantastic scheme that gets people involved, giving a sense of ownership, and also provides great value for money and opportunities for learning what our work is about. If anyone is interested in getting involved, please get in touch with Catherine in the office on 01200 444452 or admin@ribbletrust.com . The scheme also gives people the opportunity to learn new skills, and those interested in practical conservation work should take every opportunity to get involved.
Mark Rudd and myself are due to go out this week and start finalising our plans for the fish easement work on Chipping brook. The scheme is very similar to the work we have done previously, but needs Land Drainage consent, and stakeholder involvement, which is likely to take a bit of time.
We have also developed another project on the Hodder at Newton that involves large woody debris. We hope this will encourage otters, king fishers and invertebrates to thrive in an area where impounded gravel as led to a very uniform habitat. We have secured some funding through the fishing club, but are waiting on a grant bid before we go any further.
Speaking of grant bids, last week we were encourage to put ideas forward for funding through the EA’s WFD pilot basin scheme fund. We submitted 5 and 2 have gone through to the final assessment phase, these cover more large woody debris projects, but also investigative and feasibility study work on the river Darwen – so fingers crossed again.
The other big news is that we have appointed our new Fisheries Scientist, Garth Jones, who is due to start on the 6th of June. Since my promotion last year I have found it near impossible to move the trust forward and increase of projects, whilst keeping on top of the task relating to the fisheries scientist role. With the Summer survey season fast approaching it was decided that the fish survey data was essential to our work so a new fisheries scientist was needed. It’s important not to forget that in addition to fish data that we gather information on invasives, otters, habitat, and barriers to migration during these surveys that really build a picture of where and what work is needed on our catchment. I hope that all who have been involved in the trust will give Gareth a warm welcome and help him as much as I was helped when I started.
As well as Gareth, we have appointed Richard Atton on a casual work basis, as our Volunteer Coordinator. Richard knowledge of conservation and practical conservation techniques is incredible, and we are pleased that he has joined our team, even if it is on a casual basis. Richard led the work on Easington and will lead other similar activities for the trust as and when we get the projects.
And that’s not all! We have Katie Gunning and Adam Walmsley joining us for the summer. Katie is in a post funded by United utilities to assess the outcomes of the Brennand and Whitendale abstraction alleviation scheme. The research project is a joint venture between the EA and the trust, and we will be working very closely to find out just how much better the fish populations will be following the installation of the minimum hands off flow on these abstracted reaches. The position will involve fish surveys on the Brennand and Whitendale, although I’m sure she will do a few around the catchment. Adam’s position is purely voluntary and is looking at the possible implications of changing flows associated to climate change on salmon, and where they spawn.
On Saturday the 21st we ran an otter survey training day that 10 of our invertebrate samplers attended. The aim of the scheme is whenever the samplers go out to do a kick sample they spend 10 to 15 minutes looking the vacinity of their kick sample site for otter spraints and tracks. This information will be shared with the EA, but also allow us to look at the current range of otters in our catchments. I’m particularly keen to see what comes back on the Calder, as we know there are some there, but how many is anyones guess. We hope to run another couple of these days. The training will be limited for the time being to our kick samplers only, but this may change over the summer, so keep an eye on the website.
We also hope to hold an invertebrate kick sampling training day with the Riverfly Partnership in September. If you are interested, please get in touch with Catherine in the office.
Finally our passport scheme is up and running again, and we have secured two new beats (with a third in the pipe line). One beat is a new stretch on stock beck, and the other is Bottoms beck. This is a beck that flows into Stock reservoir. Our fishing starts at some impassable water falls and runs 2km upstream. The fishing is challenging, but the rewards fantastic, the stretch is not stocked, and has because of the water falls no fish from the reservoir, but there are wild brown trout up to 10 inches having been caught during electro fishing surveys – and not forgetting some of the most incredible surroundings our catchment has to offer. However don’t turn up with anything longer than an 8ft rod, and I would recommend in the 7ft category is you have it!
I think you’ll agree that we’ve been fairly busy! I’ve no doubt missed a few bits out but I need to leave something for the Newsletter!
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