Page 9 - Natural World Summer 2018

MATT GAW River wildlife OTTER: LUKE MASSEY/2020VISION ✛ HERON: NEIL ALDRIDGE ✛ PIKE: BERTIE GREGORY/2020VISION ✛ CROWFOOT: LINDA PITKIN/2020VISION ✛ KINGFISHER: JON HAWKINS

O er Beautiful demoiselle

This aptly-named damselfly
frequents fast-flowing rivers in
the south west between May and
August. This is a male; the female

has iridescent brown wings

Sunset stillness on the river Lark, in Increasingly common in river Grey heron
Su olk, in January 2017 valleys following the 1984 ban
on organochlorine pesticides The nearest thing on a
o erings and holy meanings have river to a pterodactyl
been slowly forgotten, neglected.
Pike
Part of The Wildlife Trusts’ e orts
aim to increase awareness and Stealthy ambush predator, best
understanding of rivers and wetlands seen from a bridge or canoe. JK
amongst the public and landowners. Rowling borrowed its species name
But we also need a political solution. Lucius to name Draco Malfoy’s
father in the Harry Potter books
“We can really benefit our rivers if
we can reshape land management Water crowfoot
policy and agri-environment
schemes after we leave the EU,” says Beautiful plant of chalk streams,
Ali Morse, Water and Catchment often forming huge clusters of
O cer for The Wildlife Trusts. “It’s a waving feathery fronds. The fried
vital opportunity to create a really egg-coloured, buttercup-shaped
important role for rivers and flowers emerge into the sunshine
wetlands in future.”
Kingfisher If you liked
Restoring this article...
rivers will Commoner than you might
deliver multiple think. Once you hear its You might
benefits in squeaky-hinge call and enjoy Matt’s
the future book, which
glimpse the darting flash of chronicles his
This means ensuring there is public blue you’ll get your eye in canoeing
money for public good – that travels along
Government will fund projects that many of
bring benefits for all. And this is Britain’s rivers
something rivers are well placed to
do. Not only are these waterways
valuable for biodiversity, a network
of wild corridors across the land;
they are also vital for naturally
managing flood risk. Wetland
habitats, such as peatland, are also
crucial for carbon storage. That
means restoring them will deliver
multiple benefits in the future.

It’s a lot to think about. I turn my
canoe around, and paddle slowly
back upstream, towards where the
river – with its restored ri es and
shingle bars – gurgles and sings
again. A place where the Lark, once
more, lives up to its name.

SUMMER 2018 NATURAL WORLD 9