Habitat Restoration Workshop 18 June

ARK recently hosted a Kennet Catchment Partnership Habitat Restoration Workshop. This was held at the Nature Discovery Centre, Thatcham and was attended by invited delegates including landowners, fishing clubs, river managers and environmental professionals. 

The purpose of the workshop was to identify areas of the River Kennet and its tributaries downstream from Hungerford, which need work to help them to reach 'good ecological status'.

Charlotte Hitchmough, who co-ordinated the meeting said: "The event was incredibly successful, I was hoping to come away with ideas for two or three projects and the group came up with 27 ideas, " many of which I think we will be able to turn into positive action on the river". 

Speakers included expert in river restoration Vaughan Lewis, and Environment Agency technical specialist Paul St Pierre, as well as speakers from Natural England and ARK. The meeting and the projects which emerge from it are part of ARK's work as Catchment Hosts for the River Kennet Catchment Management Plan. The plan is designed to show how the River Kennet and its tributaries can be improved so that the catchment meets 'Good Ecological Status' as defined by the European Water Framework Directive.

Field visit to see habitat restoration in action