Over the centuries many of our winding streams have been deepened and straightened into drainage ditches. The reeds, the meadowsweet and the purple loosestrife that grew on their shallow edges and provided a home for warblers, dragonflies and water voles were scraped away. Willows and alders were grubbed up, and the increased silt washed off the fields smothered stretches of gravel where the brown trout used to lay its eggs. Now local authorities, the Wildlife Trust and local river groups are working, with the help of volunteers, to restore some small rivers and streams to a more natural state, making them friendlier for wildlife and more attractive for people.
The otter has been returning to the Cam and its tributaries, but much work remains to be done
On 9 May potential volunteers gathered at a workshop in Barrington Village Hall to learn about the various ways in which they might help in this work. They also visited a stretch of the River Shep near Barrington, to look at what the Friends of the River Shep have done in previous years
If you would like to become a volunteer, we would love to hear from you. Email info@camvalleyforum.uk indicating any particular interest or expertise, and also where you live.
Jean Perraton