The River Sid is perhaps the key to the future health of the Sid Valley, both for its people and for its wider natural environment. In fact, as the civil parish of Sidmouth covers the whole of the Sid catchment area, it could be said that looking after the river is actually about looking after ourselves.
So, how can we ‘future-proof’ the River Sid?
There is the issue of flooding in the Sid Valley and how we manage that as climate change takes hold, which will be largely left to public bodies and private households to cope. On the other hand, the job of policing pollution seems to be falling to local groups, just as restoring the River Sid to ‘good ecological status’ is being driven by the likes of the River Sid Catchment Group.
So, then, it seems that future-proofing Sidmouth needs to be a collaboration between local authorities and local organisations, between citizens and neighbourhoods, and between landowners and other stakeholders.
An excellent example of a forward-looking collaborative project is Sidbury Manor Estate’s River Sid catchment scheme. Another is creating working wetlands and delivering ‘Upstream Thinking’ in Devon, with South West Water working with the Devon Wildlife Trust across the county. Meanwhile back in these parts, the Westcountry Rivers Trust is working along the Sid on several practical projects, including the River Sid Catchment Plan, endorsed by Town Council a year ago.
Ultimately, though, it’s about getting people engaged in what’s happening to our river, if we are to improve its present and future health – and scientific and creative projects can really increase our understanding and attachment, whether it’s the annual Big River Watch or the current ‘Confluence – the River Sid and Its Tributaries’ – a new free public art display at the Riverside Art Space.
So, then, if we are to look ahead not only to the coming year but also to the coming decade and we want to try to ‘future-proof’ life in the Sid Valley, we surely need to be trying to secure a future for the River Sid – one that gives life to all of us who live by its banks…