The Wandle in The Angler
Thanks to Paul Sharman there’s an excellent feature about the Wandle river restoration story in the latest issue of The Angler, the Angling Trust’s new-look membership magazine, which has started dropping through letter boxes over the weekend.
To conclude the feature, Paul asked me for a testimonial about the Angling Trust’s role in the Wandle’s restoration, which naturally I was more than happy to provide:
Without great help from the Angling Trust and Fish Legal at a very critical point in the Wandle’s history (after the catastrophic pollution in 2007), the river would now be in a much more precarious state.
And the Wandle Trust itself would not be in a sustainable position to look after the river in the long term – and even be able to think about sharing what we’ve learned and helping local people to look after other rivers across the south east of England.
There’s plenty more detail in the article itself, but I think that sums it up…
Good evening Theo
I have enjoyed dipping into your book in Waterstones and recently came across an article written by the Independent on 23 March 2012… They quoted you as saying the Thames was an exception to the general improvement of urban watercourses in the UK… Please visit my blog ‘metiefly’ at http://itieflies.com and read ‘enter the sea trout’ which I posted on 6th May… I also sighted rainbow trout and sea trout several different occasions this summer which is hugely encouraging to me in terms of affirming water quality and the river’s ability to sustain relatively good numbers of healthy fish. Whilst I absolutely comprehend the fragility of the Thames biome, and in particular the fate of rare species, I believe there is a need to convey hope and build awareness of what is actually right amongst us! I believe that the more people are conscious of the river’s inhabitants, the more opportunity there will be to help restore it back to full health, or as close as it can be within the urban sprawl.
I am delighted to have discovered your blog and will read through your articles in due course. Please keep up the excellent work you do!
With respect
metiefly
Good evening Theo
I have enjoyed dipping into your book in Waterstones and recently I discovered an article written by the Independent on 23 March 2012 where you were quoted as saying that the Thames is the exception to the general rule regarding the improvement of urban watercourses in the UK.
Please visit my blog ‘metiefly’ at itieflies(dot)com and read my blogpost ‘enter the sea trout’ which I submitted on 6 May 2013. I have been privileged to have seen rainbow trout and several sightings of sea trout at different times throughout the summer, thereby affirming the water quality and proving the ability of the Thames to sustain relatively good populations of these precious fish. There is an abundance of food and habitat amongst the myriad of threats imposed by the urban sprawl as well as industrial and agricultural practices.
Whilst I absolutely appreciate the fragility of the Thames biome, and especially the fate of the rarer species, I believe there is a need to build awareness and appreciation of what is actually right amongst us and thriving. The more people realise the presence of the Thames’ inhabitants and their vulnerability, the more opportunity we will have to protect and restore the river back to sustainable, long term health.
Please keep up the excellent work that you do!
With much respect – metiefly
Thanks Mark – I do believe it’s a revelation for many (most?) people who live in our post-industrial cities that life can come back to these waterways which have been polluted and abused for generations, even entering the language as a byword for environmental blight.
The Thames is no exception… almost everything in the Tideway is a direct result of events and activities elsewhere in the Thames catchment. So any improvement on the tribs, including the Wandle, will eventually affect the big river.
It’s superb to hear that you’ve already spotted sea trout and rainbows happily living there, and we’ll undoubtedly see another step change when (if?) the Thames super-sewer is built, and Mogden STW stops dumping sewage effluent into the river every time rain falls on west London!
Theo