New Projects
The Foundation’s priorities remain the same, but what gives the best value return on future spending? Herewith our wish list for 2008:
For salmonids, restoring access to nursery and spawning areas is undoubtedly the best option but we are getting close to solving this issue. The streams that still have barriers include:
On the Wye:
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Monnow (Weirs at Osbaston and Kentchurch).
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Arrow still has some partial obstructions.
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Garren and Trothy (salmonid status to be determined).
On the Usk:
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Gavenny
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Ethrim
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Hydfer
The Monnow fish pass: Construction at Osbaston has started in an Agency managed project with an innovative scheme to create fish passage and some electricity generation. Arrow passes continue in existing projects.
Habitat restoration is still required on the majority of our streams and this has benefits for many species. While upper Wye acidification has been resolved and salmon are now present, pH problems on the Irfon remain. Two projects to resolve these problems are in the process of construction. A bid has been made to Life +, an EU fund to manage Natura sites such as Wye and Usk, to repair ecological damage to the Irfon. It’s called 'ISAC'. The second is in conjunction with the Agency and the Association of Rivers Trusts (Wales) for EU Fisheries Funding (EFF) which allows fish pass construction, habitat restoration and acid waters amelioration.
There are other issues where the best chance of success is for the Foundation to press for change. Over abstraction is one example where we are doing just that. We are also keen, however, for a much greater uptake of Catchment Sensitive Framing measures and the cessation of commercial fishing in the estuary: there is still one putcher operating. Invasive species – weeds and signal crayfish - are included too. Just started (late 2007) is the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation project to attack Japanese Knotweed, Hogweed and Balsam.
Invasive weeds.
Left: Japanese Knotweed.
Right: Himilayan Balsam.
A start has been on an eradication programme to limit the spread of Signal crayfish on the Wye with a much more extensive
project across the two rivers envisaged for 2008.
Then there's the day job: keeping the fences up, clearing the fish passes and managing the Passport. Somewhere out there is a problem to top them all: it's called the Severn Barrage.
