Let’s Meet England’s River Wildlife!
England’s rivers are home to many birds and wildlife including mammals and marine creatures (including of course fish friends).
Species such as kingfishers, herons, and ducks are commonly spotted. They play vital roles, like controlling insect populations or spreading seeds.
Otters are also expert fishers. And beavers, known as nature’s engineers, modify their environments with dams, creating wetlands beneficial to other species. Which helps to prevent flooding for humans.
- Respect their space by observing from a distance.
- Make minimal noise and leave no trace, ensuring habitats remain undisturbed.
- Stay on marked paths and never feed wild animals.
- Join local conservation groups to make a difference.
- Participate in clean-up drives or volunteer for restoration projects.
How to Help Keep Rivers Clean
It only takes a few simple swaps/solutions to keep our rivers clean for both us, and all the wonderful creatures that live in them.
Choose Reusable Over Disposable.
Much of the plastic that ends up in our seas comes from rivers, which flow into the sea. See our zero waste posts, to find out where to find simple swaps.
Choose Biodegradable Everything
Most major brands don’t make biodegradable products. So when they rinse down sinks and drains, this causes algae bloom, which chokes oxygen out of the water, and kills living things. Such goods should be illegal, but they aren’t.
Choose biodegradable products (ideally unscented). Even essential oils (when poured neat down drains) can harm aquatic life.
So if you do use essential oils, only use a tiny amount (in reputable brands) and avoid scented products for pregnancy/nursing and if cleaning/laundering near babies or pets.
See our posts on biodegradable:
Volunteer to Clean Up Rivers
You can become a volunteer with The Rivers Trust to help keep our rivers free from litter and pollution. Not just removing plastic and litter, but also removing ‘fish barriers’ to let them swim freely in rivers, and water quality testing.
Support Local Organic Food Movements
A huge amount of river pollution comes from pesticides used in the farming industry. So seek out local organic farm shops, to buy food.
If this is beyond your budget, then at least look for organic choices in supermarkets. Or better yet, grow your own organic food!
Read our posts on pet-friendly gardens and wildlife-friendly gardens.
Improve Septic Tanks
Around half a million homes in the UK don’t connect to water company sewage networks. So it’s their responsibility to treat their own sewage.
Septic tanks are not on the public register, so it’s vital they don’t pollute rural areas.
Boycott Forever Chemicals
These are found in everything from rainwear to pizza boxes to firefighting foams. You can’t boycott all the items containing them, but you can for some. Read our post on reasons to boycott forever chemicals.
Take Your Fishing Waste With You
Whether you agree with it or not, millions of people in England go fishing. If you’re an angler, use a mono-master (buy online here) which is a nifty little device to safely keep fishing tackle on your person, until you deposit it in a fishing line recycling bin.
Also respect the voluntary ban on lead shot (not yet compulsory), which harms hundreds of thousands of wildfowl each year.
Fix Drain Misconnections
Modern homes have two sewers (one for surface water, and one for wastewater). But an estimated 150,000 to 500,000 households have (illegal) drain misconnections, which leads to untreated wastewater going into our rivers.
It’s the property owner’s responsibility to fix drain misconnections. This is not covered by insurance, so you’ll have to find a good affordable plumber. And campaign for better sewage treatment.
