CHAR VALLEY
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View of the Char Valley

River Char Community Project

Next River Char Community Project Event:

Join a Dorset Wildlife Trust volunteer working party (led by Nick Gray) on the river on Thursday 26th January. 
For this volunteer working party, we are heading out to the depths of the Vale, near Shaves Cross, to undertake some thinning of the canopy over a riffle.  This’ll let light in and promote plant growth on the bed and the banks.  It’s a lovely spot, and if we are successful, there’s a chance we’ll return later in the year to do more.
 
It’ll be from 10am until 3pm (ish).  Tea, Coffee and Cake will be provided, but bring your own lunch.
 
Tools will be provided, but please bring your own gloves.  Clothes that can take a wrestle with a few brambles are a must.  The ground isn’t that muddy, so sturdy boots will do… but wellies might be the better option considering the proximity to the river.
 
Parking will be in the field. The postcode is DT6 6RN, which takes you to Little Bluntshay Farm, and we are just to the south of here, almost directly under the powerlines themselves.  What3Words for the farm gate is ///rebounded.dorm.insects.  The Grid Reference is SY 41449693.
If you prefer the old way: take the road opposite the Five Bells. After Blackmore Farm and Cutty Stubbs, turn left towards Shave Cross. Look for the power lines before you get to Little Bluntshay and Crabbs Bluntshay.

2023_rccp_newsletter.pdf​Read the January 2023 newsletter of the River Char Community Project.

Here's a video of the Green Party's Baroness Jenny Jones's visit to Lyme Regis to learn more about pollution in our rivers.

What can I do to help clean up and restore the River Char?

Habitat improvement & restoration: A community working group session (led by Nick Gray, Dorset Wildlife Trust) will clear the riverbank, increase light and oxygen for aquatic species and use natural flood management techniques.  26th January 2023
email charvalley@dorset-aptc.gov.uk for details
PLEASE empty your septic tank regularly and help keep the river clean
Overflowing, leaking and damaged septic tanks are a significant source of pollution in the River Char. We can all help by keeping our own tank working well and emptied regularly. (Whatever your dad says, septic tanks need emptying at least every 2 years if they're to work properly.) We've gathered useful information to help you look after your septic tank better. See it here.

River Char Community Project
Clean, Revive, Restore

See a 2-page briefing on the project


Next Lower Char Community Project Event:

CHARMOUTH DRAGON
The Charmouth Dragon River Festival (part of Charmouth's campaign to clean up the Lower stretch of the River Char) happens in May.
Preparations start on Sat 18th February, 2-5pm. Please join in!  Bring your group, family or friends along on 18th Feb. Find out how to be part of the Dragon that will wind through the streets of Charmouth, with music, singing, costume and poetry.  See the flyer. All welcome! 

​You can check back here for updates and more details. Or we can send you occasional news and updates about the project. (Email our clerk, Tamsin, and ask to be added to the River Char email list.)
​
​
  • River Monitoring: We are continuing to support the 10 local residents who undertake Riverfly monitoring in the River Char
 
  • We'll have a display at the Charmouth Dragon River Festival (part of Charmouth's campaign to clean up the Lower stretch of the River Char). The main event is in May and preparations start on Sat 18th February, 2-5pm. Please join in!  Bring your group, organisation, family or friends along on 18th February. Find out how to be part of the Dragon parade that will wind through the streets of Charmouth, with music, singing, costume and poetry.  See the flyer. All welcome! 
 
  • There will be an update with a talk by a specialist speaker at one of our village halls, details to follow soon – 23rd February 2023
​
  • Get to know the river: There will be a farm walk led by Ian Rees (Dorset AONB), Nick Gray (Dorset Wildlife Trust) and the landowner at Babers Farm – 18th May 2023
​ 
  • We have prepared a leaflet to help residents to look after their septic tanks better. See it here.

Project Background

​For most of their journey to the sea, the River Char and its tributaries flow through the parishes of Wootton and Whitchurch.

So Char Valley Parish Council (which includes these parishes) commissioned Dorset AONB and Dorset Wildlife Trust teams (using grants + Parish Council resources) to do a snapshot study of the River Char. This report is now published (Dec. 2021). It gives us a picture of the health of the river, identifies problems and points the way to a comprehensive river improvement plan.

In Phase 2 of the River Char Community Project, we are working with Dorset AONB to put their improvement plan into action. 

The 7 main strands of this work are:
  • Monitoring
  • Habitat improvement & restoration
  • Invasive species control
  • Research & survey
  • Community engagement
  • Agricultural land management change
  • Natural Flood Management
See more details of each of these topics here.

2023 River Char Project: Events

2021/2022 River Char Project: Events

We launched the River Char Community Project on 11th Dec. 2021 at Becklands Organic Farm
  • On 17th January 2022 we held an evening’s ‘Char Conversation’ led by Ian Rees and Nick Gray. This was attended by 37 people. See the Questions and Answers summarised here.
​
  • On Saturday 12th February, we held a first ‘daylighting’ working party (to clear a section of the river and its banks).
​​
  • On Saturday 12th March, we held a second river restoration and bat-box making session with Dorset AONB and Dorset Wildlife Trust at Befferlands Farm. We had a great turn-out and got some good clearance work done along a stretch of the river.
​
  • Friday 29th April, we held a Riverfly training day for ten residents with Angus Menzies of ​Dorset Wildlife Trust in Wootton Fitzpaine.
​
  • Wednesday 15th June we organised, with Dorset AONB, Dorset Wildlife Trust and FWAG, a walk along the River Char at Northay Farm - featuring  soils and herbal lays. (There's a great interview with James Fuller of Northay Farm online. James and Mel are actively allowing natural processes to take place on their farm but it's not a rewilding project. Listen to the interview - and see photos of the farm - here.)
 
  • On Thursday 21st July we organised, with Dorset AONB, Dorset Wildlife Trust, a Himalayan Balsam Clearance Party at Stockham Bridge on Gassons (Watery) Lane.
​​
  • On Saturday 15th October, we held a Farm Walk at Crabbs Bluntshay Farm led by Nick Gray and Sylvia Creed-Castle.
​
  • On Saturday 19th Nov, 10am - 1pm: we held a walk, talk and working party on the River Char at New House Farm, Broadoak. ​

News

November 2022
​Wallingford applies to Defra for bathing water status for a stretch of the River Thames in the town

Raw deal: discontent is rising as water companies pump sewage into UK waters
England's privatised water firms paid £57bn in dividends since 1991
Should rivers have the same rights as people?
This Canadian river is now legally a person. It’s not the only one.

Technical documents

  • Foam in rivers and still waters
  • Evidence of Pollution
  • Problem Plants
  • Sewage fungus - a field and microscopic guide​
  • ​Nurdles and biobeads - everything you need to know
  • Marine Algae and Algal Blooms
  • How to tell algae from sewage
  • Dogs transfer pesticides to the environment (Elsevier - Science Direct)
  • ​Pet flea treatments poisoning rivers across England (The Guardian)

Background documents

  • Environment Agency tests from the mouth of the River Char: 2000-2019
  • Environment Agency 2019 report
  • ​John Blanchard's GIS mapping.
  • Environment Agency report - River Char: Part 1 --- Part 2
  • Env. Agency report - Wootton Fitzpaine Catchment
  • River Char: Environment Agency Cycle 2 Classifications
  • ​W Dorset Rivers & Coastal Streams: issues 22/06/15
  • BBC Report May 2022: Wessex Water's major storm water scheme
For comparison:
  • River Asker project  --  full report --  summary report
  • River Axe Regulatory Report
  • Friends of the Upper Wye
​River Char Community Project documents
  • CVPC Working Group Meeting Notes 30/10/2019
  • CVPC Working Group Meeting Notes 29/01/2020​​​
  • River Char Snapshot Study Terms of Reference
  • Grant Application​
  • ​AONB/SDF Grant Offer Letter
  • ​Char Chat article Jan 2021

Read more about sewage and other pollution in the lower River Char

2022 River Sightings:
​Kingfisher at Berne Manor Farm - 22nd Jan 2022
Mink at Dolphins, Berne Lane - 6th March 2022

Read the full River Char Report commissioned by your Parish Council from Dorset AONB - published Dec 2021

Read the summary report published in Char Chat Dec. 2021

Map of the River Char Catchment
The River Char and Monkton Wyld Stream Catchment
Is my river fit to play in? Check the online map at the Rivers Trust
​

Watch BBC Panorama'a 'The River Pollution Scandal'
(In 2020 the water companies pumped raw sewage into English rivers for a total of over 3million hours)

​Read The Guardian's article - Britain oozes sewage

You can watch the AONB film that launched the River Char Community Project in summer 2021 below:

Project Funding

We are currently putting together the action programme for the next twelve months which we expect to be finalised in April. We hope to publish an update on the financing of the project then. 

For the financial year 2021/22, Dorset AONB, working in partnership with DWT and FWAG, secured funding for the River Char Community Project from:
  • ‘Greening West Dorset’s Hills and Vales’, a Green Recovery Challenge Fund project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund & Defra.  
  • West Dorset Rivers & Streams delivery, a Water Environment Improvement Fund project from the Environment Agency. 
 
Activity supported through this funding (some, but not all of it, in the River Char catchment) included:
  • Approximately 200m of river restoration at 4 sites. 
  • Engagement with farmers to address practices impacting the water environment.  
  • The Project launch event – 35 members of the public attended (11/12/2021)
  • Herbal ley site visit – (14/12/2021)
  • Community Q&A – 37 members of the community attended (17/01/2022)
  • Farm finance workshop – 6 farms represented (19/01/2021)
  • Volunteer sessions x 2 – 12/02/2022 & 26/02/2022
  • Project management / planning / reporting etc.
  • Support for Riverfly training
  • Follow up advice and support to farms after the farm finance workshop 
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  • How do I?
  • Parish Council
    • PC Meetings >
      • Dorset Council Cultural Strategy 2021-2026 >
        • UK Government's Future of Transport: rural strategy
    • Parish Councillors >
      • Parish Council Committees
    • Parish Council Elections 2019
    • CVPC Policies
    • Parish Meetings Archive
    • Finance
    • Council Election Information
    • Residents' Survey & Parish Plan
  • Environment
    • Climate Action Plan
    • Lifelines
    • Dorset National Park: Chris LOder
    • Hedgehogs
    • Environment: Local action and resources
    • River Char >
      • What You Can Do - River Char
      • River Char Q&A
    • Climate & Environment Reports
    • Our Planet in Crisis
    • CVPC Documents and Resources
    • Environment: DC's plans
    • Septic tanks
  • News
    • Wessex Water consultation
  • Planning
    • The Parish Council's role in planning applications
  • Char Chat
  • History
    • Cider-Making
    • Charles Knight - memories
  • Contact
  • Maps
  • Transport
  • What to See
    • Gallery
  • Archive
  • Updates
  • River Char