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Month: September 2023

River Action joins campaigners in protest to demand more action to protect nature

Posted on by lewis

On Thursday 28th September, more than 40 of the UK’s conservation organisations came together to protest at the Government’s failure to address the deepening crisis in nature, laid bare in the devastating State of Nature Report.

Organised by wildlife TV presenter and conservationist Chris Packham, the demonstrations saw the UK’s leading conservation and wildlife charities, scientists, ecologists and wildlife experts unite in protest outside DEFRA offices to demand the UK Government to take more action for nature.

The newly-formed ‘Restore Nature Now’ movement states: “We are birdwatchers, ramblers, ecologists, pond dippers, river-swimmers, ramblers, no-mow-mayers, anglers, scientists, butterfly counters, spring-watchers, gardeners, rewilders, conservationists. We are ordinary people taking action in extraordinary times”.

Chris Packham said: 

“This is beyond an ‘Attack on Nature’ in the UK. Our wildlife is being annihilated. Our wild places and wildlife are not ‘dying’- they are being killed. Those responsible for killing nature are getting away with it. Those responsible for protecting nature are failing. We are taking our demand ‘Restore Nature Now’ direct to the government department decision-makers responsible for failing nature in this country.” 

River Action’s CEO, James Wallace, said:

“Our river ecosystems are on the brink of collapse, polluted by sewage, manure, chemicals and plastics. On the current trajectory, only 4% will be in good ecological condition by 2027, missing our pre Brexit targets of 100%. Globally rare chalk streams are smothered in algal sludge, preventing rare species like brown trout from reproducing. Rivers like the Wye have turned into filthy ditches for factory farms, while the wildlife in the River Thames is snuffed out by sewage.

“The dreadful state of the UK’s nature is an international disgrace and an existential risk to our economy. Without hedgerow habitats we have no insects. Without pollinators we have no food. Without healthy rivers we have no drinking water. And without water we have no industry, shops or hospitals. With the next election looming, we implore all parties and voters to back policies that will Restore Nature Now!”

Rescue Our Rivers: Petition hand-in to No.10 Downing Street

Posted on by lewis

On September 21st, we visited No.10 with Team Water UK to hand over the ‘Rescue our Rivers’ petition to parliament. 

With over 106,000 of your signatures, we are sending a very clear message: – the public will be putting water quality as a TOP voting issue ahead of the election.

A huge thank you to all who signed, shared and supported our petition, calling for all political parties to save our rivers and waterways before it’s too late.

River Action’s CEO, James Wallace, outside No.10 Downing Street with the ‘Rescue our Rivers’ petition.
Between 12 – 21 September 2023, Tim Wakefield and Ben Covey swam, paddled and rowed 227km of the River Thames to raise awareness of the plight of our waterways and carry the Rescue Our Rivers petition to No.10 Downing Street.

Erica Popplewell joins River Action

Posted on by lewis

We are thrilled to welcome Erica Popplewell as our Campaigns Manager, whilst Amy Slack is on maternity leave.  While we will all miss Amy, we are very lucky to welcome Erica to the River Action team.

In our latest blog, we get to know more about Erica and the role that she will play to help rescue Britain’s rivers.

Tell us about yourself…

Hi I’m Erica Popplewell, I’ve just started as Campaigns Manager at Rivers Action.  I have worked in the environmental sector for most of my career and love being part of making change happen.  

Outside of work I have two young children who keep me busy and like to take on various sporting challenges, I’m doing the two mile Serpentine swim in London later this month. 

What first sparked your interest in river protection?

I have a long standing interest in the environment, my education and working life have reflected this.  The health of our rivers are a totemic issue that you can see in your local communities and landscapes.  As a campaigner I love working on such a live and tangible issue, its exciting to see it gaining real political and media traction at the moment.  As a keen wild swimmer I am happy to be working on an issue that makes my swim safer. 

You have worked in the environmental sector for over a decade, including roles in Defra, the National Trust and the CPRE  – The Countryside Charity.  In your experience, what are the biggest changes you have seen towards protecting the environment?

The biggest change I have seen has been climate change moving from being an abstract/future issue to a current issue. Climate change is affecting the UK now, we only have to look at the increasing weather extremes as evidence.  This has made it a big political issue but the solution are long term and difficult to deliver in economically constrained times.Brexit has created a huge challenge to protecting the environment, some of our best laws for protection of river, coasts and nature came from EU regulations and we have a fight on our hands to preserve these.

You were previously the Head of Rural Affairs at CPRE.  Tell us about the organisation and the role that it plays in campaigning for a sustainable future for the UK’s countryside.

 CPRE, the countryside charity works for a thriving, beautiful countryside for everyone. As a charity it has been campaigning for more than 90 years and has a local branch in every county of England.  It campaigns at a local level on local housing issues and challenges plans for inappropriate development.  At a national level it campaigns for a stronger planning system, and energy and public transport systems that work for the countryside. 

 Tell us about your role as RA campaigns manager.  What can we expect to see from your role in the coming months?

It is such an exciting time to be joining River Action,  the need for a strong voice to rescue Britain’s rivers has never been more urgent.  I am looking forward to working with the team as we deliver our petition to rescue Britain River to Parliament and the main political parties and then continue the conversation with the political parties at their autumn party conferences for the first time. Looking further ahead there are Local and Mayoral elections in May and a general election at some point in 2024, we want river to be part of the debate. I look forward to working with our local community groups partners and supporting their inspiring campaigning work saving their local rivers. 

What has been the most exciting campaign to work on?

I have always really enjoyed campaigning around a local or general election as its the time politicians are most in listening mode and there are so many exciting opportunities to work with local groups to create a local conversation about the issues local people care about. The outcomes of campaigning work like commitments made by political parties or a relationship built with a new local councillor or MP can last for years and be real instruments for change. 

 And finally, in your opinion, what needs to change in order to rescue Britain’s rivers?

 I don’t think the scale of the crisis is well understood by the public, business or political leaders. Citizen science work by River Action and our partners is changing this but there’s still a lot we don’t know.Greater understanding will build public outrage and a stronger voice for change that businesses and  political leaders can’t ignore.  We know the solutions; better farming and business practice and stronger regulation and enforcement, they just need to happen!