There are several organisations and projects in the West Country pushing for better care to be taken of our river systens.
The South West Rivers Association is about “enabling individual rivers to work together to speak with one voice”:
The SWRA is a representative body for our member river associations, which comprise riparian, fishery owners & managers, anglers and environmentalists, who often work alongside conservation experts and many organisations to achieve the shared goal of improving the wellbeing of our rivers and river life.
A main aim of ours is to see salmon and sea trout stocks within our rivers return to their former glory. Our rivers are subject to many pressures, from abstraction, pollution, predation to name a few. By enabling individual rivers to work together to speak with one voice SWRA continues to influence the environmental agenda in key areas.
HOME – South West Rivers Association
A member of the SWRA is the Axe Valley Rivers Assn:
We, the Friends of the Axe Catchment, bring together the combined interests of the local community, landowners, anglers and everyone who has an interest in protecting this precious natural resource. We are an integral and supporting member of the network of regional associations that collectively form the South West Rivers Association.
Our aim is to restore the Axe and it’s catchment to its former status as one of the very best fish and wildlife habitats in the United Kingdom. We will do this through a concerted programme of engaging with local schools, collaborating with farmers and landowners, coordinating with regional and national agencies and strategic fund-raising.
A local commentator suggests something similar for the Sid Valley::
“All our mighty neighbours have exciting projects and I think we should be joining them and listed as a member of the SW Rivers Trust.”
This might indeed be a model for the River Sid’s catchment area…